The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1950-04-04
Dom
Mnnoyy
Lane
(By QUO AssoeIated Pressl

IVY INC AssocfAteN FreSSl
Courage=is an indefinite, object
and difficult to define at times!
The Rero of one situation may
turn out to be the coward of
another situation. This has often
been sproved in the prize ring
where. some of the outstanding
glovesSlingers have had their
good and bad days. AS an exam
pie, one recent heavyweight was
a terHpr when pitted against most
foes. 1But when faced with a
lethaE slugger his knees shook
and he left his fight in the dress
ing room before the bell sounded
for the first round.
WHICH brings to mind a SINH
lar series of incidents hich took
place back in 1903.
James JeffrieS was the mon
arch Vi he heavyweightS. The big
Calfornia boilermaker was the
idol Of the nation for his exploits
in the ring. He had taken the
crown by knocking out Bob Fitz-
simmelns in the 18th round of a
spectacular duel at famed Coney
Island in New York
First-rate opponents were scarce
afterward and Jeffries decided to
hit the exhibition trail. Fitzsim-
mons accompanied him. The two
heavyweight gave sparring ex-
hibitiens. Occasionally, they vari-
ed their act by allowing ambiti-
Gus youngsters in some of the
tank towns to take them on.
Thus, the boxing caravan ar
rived-in Bate, Montana, on Dec
ember 18th; 1908. The usual spiel
was announced from the ring and
a bige rugged specimen of man
hood answered the call despite
some rderogatory remarks uttered
by some of the Skeptical ring
siderS The youngster was Jack
Munr9e, 4; miner. Munroe scaled
well over ZOO pounds and stood
five feet, n inches tell.
Muuroe stepped into the ring
and behaved as if he had never
heards of JeffrieS or the heavy
weight tile held by the big Cali
fornisn. Also Jeffries had been
leading an easy life with little
regard to strict training rules.
Munroe surprised the Butte
audience by staying the four
round distance with Jeffries. in
addilMn, the Montana youngster
landed a stiff left hook on JEFF
fries Jaw The title-holder lost his
balance and hit. the canvas. JEFF
fries Agas only down for two sec
onds.~ But sthe crowd went wild
at the spectacle of the heavy
weight champ flat on his back.
Jef4Fies segained his footing and
madeJife Uncomfortable for Mum
roe but could not register a kayo
hEfollowing day, telegraph re-
ports of the encounter were seat
tered TO the four corners of the
nation Much ado was made over
the incident because Jeffries hac
r1eveF been knocked down in q
ring.
On~the ether hand, offers began
to flnDd Butte, asking for Nun
roe q display his talents else.
wherE. Tie offers were too good
to reject land Munroe went tc
Phila@elplfia. He sent Peter Mahei
spraying into dream street after
a few rolnds and repeated tbs
perfoNlnaace when he met Al
Limerick IN Boston.
THIS, the stage was set foi
Munp6e % meet his old sparrine
partner. Jeffries. once again
ThcysNVe.e signed to meet in Z
title bout and the battle was sci
for san francisco on August IS
1904.
An enthusiastic crowd poured
through the turnstileS to see
Munkde and Jeffries square off
But NE fans were quickly disil-
lusioHEd. BY now. pressure wa:
on the Butte miner. The idea Of
becoIfing a worlds champion