Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-01-29
.sr q. ~: .'1-t5 -
Dr.
Ringside View Of
TheHeavyweights
Good Sized Brnei, of Real Box
ers Watch Floyd Johnson
and Bill Brennan Fight

/ glare OF the ringside light in Mad
ison Square Garden the night
Floyd Johnson fought Pill Bren-
n2n. .r-
! 1t was fight advertised as one
10 give line on how near tho
Iycu.hful johnson was to q chance
for the tile and all the expert:
and celebrities were there.
/ With Tex Richard in the front
!row were James ]. Corhett, the
first champion CT the Queensbury
lrules; Jess Willard, the, biggeS. OF
| all title holders, and Tommy Glib
/ bonS, in line for the title.
| In the manner befittinS b'ase
Iehampion, Jack Dempsey was alb
:sent. ur
! Back several rows where the
glare Of the are lights over the
ring began TO melt iato 4 black
Icurtain sat Jack Johnson, the Ill
Arthur" of days gone. by, gold
teeth and the whites OF his eye
balls sticking through the dark
mess.
/ Across the ring on the other
side, visible only because he was
caller than the rest sat Harry
! Wills. the brown Panther Of New
Orleans, who will never be a
worlds champion, because ne will
never get the chance.
In that scattered group was
represented all the stages Of pugi-
Ilism; in them were exhibited all
the degrees Of enthusiasm, ambl-
| lion hope and realization.
| Corbett. suave and diGiniied like
1.-THE Gentleman jim" that he was
alwas called, sat there unemotion-
al watching 4 young hopeful and
an old veteran battle for the
chance TO get q title and the mil
iion that goes with it.
Corbett is gray at the temples
and sparse locked OF top. His
forehead is deeply wrinkled and
the telltale crow'r feet crop out
around his eyes when he laughs.
His eyes re behind big horn
trimmed glasses. lie looks like a
hank president about TO retire.
Corbett sat there with his
arms crossed over his breast and
the exggessi6,lless mask of "A
poker face on his countenance.
| Corbett's. enthusiasm had dimmed.
| He had been Through ii AL ANA
the thrill was not there.
Next TO him sat jess Willard,
the huge Kansas cowboy, raHcher,
oil man, sheep herdcr and specu-
latsr-also the man who took the
worst beating that ii champion
ever got in 4 ring.
Willard looked good. His face
tanned by wind and sun mace
his eyes look white and clear
His massive cnest heavcd under q
blue silk shirt with collar to
match and Il neat gray suit. Ho
twnled big sombrero IN his
hands and squirmed around try
ing to get comfortable on q CHAR
many sizes too small FOR him.
When the fight started, Big Jess
moved his three hundred pounds to
the edge of The seat and the
muscles in his fare started. With
every blow struck in the ring, his
eyes suuintcd. his jaw muscles
throbbed, his mouth opened and
mis- tongue would moisten his lips,
He was not out OF the game long
enough to keep from having a lit
tie sub-conscioua part IN 1t NM
self.
Next to him sat Tommy Gibbons,
the St. Paul boy. the classieSt
boxer among all the heavyweights.
Gibbons was on the edge OF has
chair. When the gong sounded
for round. all his muscles tight
ened and his fists clenched. He
blocked with his elbows, his Shout
+ders moved like one with serious
nervous trouble. He ducked his
head and swayed it around on his
shoulders mad his feet were con-
,stantly shifting. He almost
brealhed !abor;ously with the men
in the ring when they began to
tire.
His demeapOr represented am
bition, hope. enthusiasm and all
their relatives.
Back of them, through the haze
of darkness and smoke beamed
the golden smile of Jack johnson.
He was perfectly at ease. His
bulk was so squeezed in between
customers that he couldn't move if
he wanted to and he only smiled
as he always did. 3,,
Oyer on the other side, his heSd
on . stretched high neck to see it
all, was the face OF Harry Wills,
lie was putting a hunk of chewing
/ gum 10 the greatest of torture
Otherwise he was just watching.
Cnossos, n city on the Island Of