Name: James J. Jeffries Alias: The Boilermaker Birth Name: James Jackson Jeffries Born: 1875-04-15 Birthplace: Carroll, Ohio, USA Died: 1953-03-03 (Age:77) Nationality: US American Hometown: Burbank, California, USA Stance: Orthodox Height: 6′ 0″ / 183cm Reach: 76½″ / 194cm Boxing Record: click

James J. Jeffries

One of the finest heavyweights in history, James J. Jeffries retired undefeated but, six years later, was coaxed into an ill-fated comeback fight with Jack Johnson.

Jeffries moved with his family from Ohio to a Los Angeles-area farm at the age of seven. As a youth, he was a great athlete who distinguished himself in boxing, wrestling, and track. While working as a boilermaker and for a meat packing company, among other jobs, Jeffries boxed at the East Side Athletic Club. In his first professional fight, he knocked out Hank Griffin in the fourteenth round. Nineteen at the time, Jeffries waited until he was 21 to box professionally fulltime, honoring a promise to his parents.

Jeffries fought draws with Gus Ruhlin and Joe Choynski in 1897. The next year, he won five fights, including a knockout victory over Peter Jackson and a decision over Tom Sharkey, whom Jeffries would later call his toughest opponent. He also went to New York, where he agreed to fight twice in one night. He won a decision over Bob Armstrong, but broke his thumb and had to cancel the second bout. Jeffries was shaken by the crowd's boos and returned to California.

Jeffries then came under the direction of a new manager, William A. Brady, who was able to sign his man for a match with the world heavyweight champ-ion, Bob Fitzsimmons, at the Coney Island Athletic Club. Jeffries embarked on an arduous training regimen for this bout. With the help of middleweight Tommy Ryan he devised a new fighting style which he intended to try out against the lanky Fitzsimmons. Jeffries fought in a crouch with his left arm extended and his face protected by his right forearm. He developed a terrific left hook, as well as a straight left he could throw out of the crouch, often at short range and with great effect.

In the championship bout, Jeffries knocked Fitzsimmons down in the second round. Early in the fight, Fitzsimmons landed some hard punches, but Jeffries's blows were more effective. In the tenth, Jeffries knocked the champion down twice with powerful lefts. In the eleventh, Jeffries finished off Fitzsimmons with a left hook and a right uppercut. The new champion then won a very tough 25-round decision over Sharkey before facing the former champion James J. Corbett. Jeffries had previously served as Corbett's sparring partner and welcomed the chance to best him in the ring. Corbett had the advantage in the first ten rounds and, after twenty rounds, still had a clear lead. But in the 23rd, Jeffries knocked Corbett out with a straight left and then a left hook to the jaw.

Jeffries defended his title four more times with four knockout victories before retiring. Included among his victims were Fitzsimmons, Corbett, and Ruhlin. After six years of retirement, at age 35, Jeffries returned to the ring in an attempt to wrest the championship from Jack Johnson. Though out of shape at the time he signed for the match, Jeffries brought himself into condition. Touted as a "Great White Hope," Jeffries was nevertheless no match for Johnson, who knocked him out in the fifteenth round. In retirement, Jeffries owned a bar and a farm where he bred prize cattle, although a series of poor investments forced him to declare bankruptcy in the 1920s. He also performed in boxing exhibitions in vaudeville and acted in movies. Fitz v Jeffries

Newark Daily Advocate 1899 –10 June

'Fitzsimmons, is "dead." The "next door" to a Licking county boy, James Jeffries, who was born just over the Licking county line, has won in a contest for supremacy in pugilism of the world. Long live the newly arisen champion. When Fitz measured his length upon the platform and Referee Siler stood over him counting the seconds there was a subdued roar like the approach of a tidal wave. When the last second had been counted and "Lanky Bob" failed to arise, the roars developed into a mighty yell of mingled, triumph and "vexation. In that last blow delivered by Jim Jeffries, fortunes were won and lost. He made for himself fame and a name. When the referee announced that Jeffries had won 10,000 spectators became hysterical in the excitement. Men climbed up; jumped over the ropes and surrounded the fighters. Some with words of praise and others with expressions of condolence. I never saw such a scene of wild excitement as there was much betting and money seemed as plentiful as peanuts and was as little thought of.

CHARLES KLINE.

THE NEW CHAMPION

Promised to Visit His Old Home

After the Big Fight.

The people of the little village of Carroll, Fairfield county, are overjoyed at the result of the jeffries-Fitzsimmons fight in New York last night as it was three miles from that little village that Jeffries first saw the light It was there that he spent his early boyhood days and though he was a little shaver not more than six years old when he left with his parents for the west eighteen years ago, he is remembered by all the older residents of the town and vicinity.

Even at that early age Jeffries was interested in pugilistic affairs and was quite expert as a boxer for a little fellow. The relatives of the now champion of the world are among the most refined people of that vicinity, prominent among whom are the Kistlers, Mrs. A. B. Kistler being the big fellow's aunt. Upon a recent visit to Fairfield county Jeffries and his brother "Jack" promised to return to the boyhood home, providing Jim was successful in the contest with Fitz. Jeffries was in Newark about the same lime that he visited Fairfield county, having stopped off to visit his relatives here. Mr. Orren Ingman's wife was an aunt of Jeffries, while Mr. Enfield. the carpenter of North Fourth street, and Mr. Joseph Jeffries who lives midway between Newark and Hebron, are Jeffries' uncles.

Jeffries' father in California, is an itinerant preacher, and one of his beliefs is that no minister should accept compensation for his services. Fortunately the possession of a farm in the west enables him to carry out his theory and yet live comfortably. Jeffries made many friends In Newark upon his recent visit by his quiet unassuming manner. There is none of the braggadocio so common among fighters, about him. He is a cordial and great big good fellow.

Says Jeffries Outfought and Outpointed Fitz all Through.

Cincinnati, June 10.—Harry M.Weldon -wired from New York:

" Jim Jeffries outfought and outpointed and finally knocked out Robert Fitzsimmons in the arena of the Coney Island Athletic Club tonight.The end of the mighty antipodean, who since his arrival in this country has been phenomenally successful, came in the eleventh round. It was a complete rout. Fitz was on his back unconscious when the fatal 10 was tolled off by Referee Siler. Indeed, he did not regain his full senses for 10 minutes after he sustained the blow that brought about his downfall.

Fitz's downfall came after 11 of the fastest rounds ever fought by heavyweights. Not only was it one of the greatest fights in the history of pugilism, but it occurred in the presence of the largest crowd that ever -witnessed a pugilistic event anywhere.

Fitzsimmons told the master of ceremonies that his weight was 157 pound. Jeffries said: "If he claimed he only weighs 157 pounds you can announce my weight at 148 pounds."

The men shook hands at 10:24, eastern time. ELEVEN ROUNDS Story Telling How Fitz Was Put to Sleep ln Big Fight.

New York, June 10.—At the arena of the Coney Island Athletic club James J. Jeffries, the young giant of the west, defeated Robert Fitzsimons, the world's champion in two classes, in eleven rounds of

whirlwind fighting. He came to the ring a rank outsider, and left it the acknowledged master of the man he defeated. He was never at any time in serious danger, and after the size-up in the early rounds of the contest took the lead. He had the Australian whipped from the ninth round.

It was acknowledged that Jeffries would have an immense advantage in weight, height and age, but the thousands who tipped and backed his opponent to win were sure that he was slow, and that he would in that respect be absolutely at the mercy of the past master at the science of fighting that he was to meet. He proved, on the contrary, that he was just as fast as the man he met, and beat him down to unconscious defeat in a fair fight. He is a veritable giant in stature and marvelously speedy for his immense size.

Less than a year ago he appeared in New York, a great awkward, ungainly boy. Today he is the lithe, active, alert, trained athlete. The men who prepared him for his fight worked wonders with him. The transition since he appeared last has been little short of miraculous. At 24 he has defeated Robert Fitzsimmons, Tom Sharkey and Peter Jackson, and if he cares for himself he will probably be able to successfully defend the title for many years.

Both in Fine Fettle

The defeated man was just as good as when in Nevada he lowered the colors of the then peerless Corbett. He was just as active, just as clever, just as tricky and just as fearless of punishment. He went unfalteringly to his defeat He was the aggressor even at moments when he was bleeding and unsteady, and when stunned by the blows he received he reeled instinctively toward his opponent He was fighting all the time and punished his opponent, but found him a different opponent than any he had met and a difficult man to fight.

Jeffries fought from a crouching attitude that was hard to get at He held his head low, his back was bent down and his left arm was extended. He kept Jabbing away with the left and found no trouble in landing it. It was there that his superior reach told.That giant arm served as a sort of human fender to ward off danger.

The men fought before an orderly crowd of 9.009 persons, and stood up in a great beam of blinding white light It was like a thousand calciums, and It showed their great white bodies in strange relief. When the blood came it was of a more intense red than usual. There was not a suggestion of interference from the police and the contest was pulled off without a wrangle.

The Start.

The great house filled very slowly, and it was after 9 o'clock before the police had to bestir themselves and clear the aisles. Fitzsimmons' entry into the ring at 10:95 o'clock was made the occasion of a rather theatrical demonstration. Julian was first and then came the fighter. Jeffries was next in the arena, and, like his opponent, got a demonstrative reception. Fitzsimmons looked lanky and thin, but his skin was clear his eye bright and his step elastic.

Jeffries looked sturdy and massive and seemed a little nervous. He got the worst of the assignment corners for the great lights shone into his face and he blinked at them in a nervous sort of way. Referee Siler looked colorless and ill at ease.

There was no trying delay to the ring, and the big gong sounded out Just as soon as he men had been presented and gloved. When they squared of Jeffries looked 50 pounds to the Good. the opening round was a tryout pure and simple, and not a single blow of any effective nature was landed.

The second round began in a businesslike way, with Jeffries trying his left. Fitz then took a turn, but was short. Just as the round closed Jeffries downed Fitzsimmons with a hard straight left on the jaw. The champion came up slowly In a dazed sort of way and reeled toward his man. The crowd cheered Jeffries, but the gong ended the round. Fitzsimmons rallied in the rest and was aggressive again in the third. He was bleeding but fighting viciously. He made the pace, but it was the Californian's round. The fourth was fast, but not decisive.

BOB’S ONLY ROUND

Fitzsimmons made his best showing in the fifth. He began the round with a punch that opened Jeffries left eye and sent a little torrent of blood coursing down his cheek. He forced Jeffries against the ropes, but the Californian slipped away from him. He made Jeffries hug again, but when the round ended Jeffries was back and fighting viciously.

Fitzsimmons was the aggressor in the sixth, and that, too was his round. He tried all of his tricks with left and right, but was unable to place them right. He closed with a strong right uppercut, but that, too, was blocked.The seventh might be said to have been Fitzsimmons', but he did no particular damage with his punches.

The eighth saw the beginning of the end, for Fitzsimmons never regained his balance after that round. Jeffries began the round with a straight left on the face that again brought the blood out of his opponent's mouth.

The Cornishman staggered against the ropes, but came back for another facer There was fear in Fitzsimmons' corner and Julian yelled to Fitzsimmons to be careful. Fitzsimmons planted one of his lefts on Jeffries' jaw and staggered him against the ropes. Fitzsimmons looked like a beaten man.

The ninth was all Jeffries. He sent the Australian's head back with a series of lefts put his right on the body and avoided any serious punishment. Fitzsimmons kept pressing forward all the time, however, but was unable to find his opponent.

The tenth was in reality where the fight ended. Jeffries rushed his opponent and downed him with a left swing. Fitzsimmons seemed out and there was a moment of the wildest excitement. Julian ran along the side of the ring and sprinkled water on his fallen idol. At the end of seven seconds Fitzsimmons staggered to his feet, only to go down again. He was up again and Jeffries poised himself for the finish. He shot his left to the body and tried for the head with his right He was calm and collected, but the time was too short. A DRAMATIC SCENE

Again did the gong come to the aid of the man who was then going, staggering and dazed, to certain defeat. There was a frantic effort to revive the champion of champions, but he was clearly gone and his seconds could not restore him. The fate-like gong clanged again, and the old fighter wobbled out to meet the sturdy young Hercules who awaited him. It was as courageous and gritty as a dash up to the firing line in battle, but it was hopeless.They were together. It was a splendid moment and full of all that dramatic intensity that characterizes a tragedy. Jeffries was as fresh as at the start.

There was a moment of sparring and the giant arms of the Californian shot through the air. It was left and right and over. Fitzsimmons, limp and unconscious, dropped to the floor. Jeffries stepped back, for he knew the force he had put behind his terrible blows. The timers called off the seconds that counted out an old ring hero and heralded another, but nobody heard them. The crowd was on its feet howling. There was a rush for the ring; but scores of bluecoats barred the way.

Ten seconds are short, and when the tenth had come there was a new roar of excitement to welcome the victor. Julian, Hickey, Kenney and Everhardt gathered up the prostrate man. He was still in a trance. They carried him to his corner and a little blood oozed from his mouth as his head fell forward on his chest. The new hero crossed the ring and shook the hand of his rival, after which he was surrounded by his friends, who hustled him from the ring and into his dressing-room.

What the Principals Say.

Jeffries himself was surrounded by a host of friends, who congratulated him on his well won honor. In response to several Inquiries the new champion said: "Fitzsimmons fought a good and game battle and hit me harder than any man whom I have been up against He can whip Sharkey in two rounds. I would gain nothing by meeting Sharkey again, but am willing to meet any man in the world in whom the public has confidence, and there need be no fear of my quitting the ring for the stage."

Fitz had only partially recovered from the shock of defeat and occasionally murmured, "How did I come to fight him?"

The Post Standard 5 July 1910

Johnson Wins In Fifteenth After Toying With Jeffries

Huge White Pugilist Floored Three Times In Final round

Former Champion Presents a Sad Spectacle as He Is Battered at Will By Cunning Negro

JEFFRIES IS BEATEN BADLY; HE NEVER HAD A CHANCE

In closing rounds his face is swollen and smeared with blood – sight causes many to leave the arena – victor given credit for knockout

John Arthur Johnson, a Texas negro, the son of an American slave, is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. James J, Jeffries of California, winner of twenty-two championship fights, the man who never has been brought to his knees by a blow, has passed into history as a broken idol. He met utter defeat at Reno at the hands of the black champion.

While Jeffries was not actually counted out, he was saved only from this crowning shame by his friends pleading with Johnson not to the fallen man again and the towel was brought into the ring from his corner. At the end of the fifteenth round Referee Tex Richard raised the black arm of Johnson and the great crowd filed out glum and silent.

Jeffries was dragged to his corner, bleeding from nose and mouth and a dozen cuts on the face. He had a black, closed eye and swollen features, and he held his head in his hands, dazed and incoherent. Johnson walked out of the ring without a mark on his body, except a slight cut on his lip, which was the reopening of a wound received in training. Ring experts agree that it was not even a championship fight.

BY W. W NAUGHTON SPECIAL TO THE POST-STANDARD.

RENO, Nev, July 4,—It is no longer Jim Jeffries1 proud boast that he has never been knocked down by a blow from a glove. He was sent to the floor three times in the fifteenth round of the fight to-day and each time a huge negro with a torn lip and blood bespecked golden teeth stood over him and grinned. For several rounds it had been evident that Jeffries chance of winning had faded .He came from his corner and within a few seconds was in a clinch and being, cuffed by Johnson in the way he had been cuffed for at least eight rounds. Breaking away from a hugging match Johnson floored Jeffries with a left on the chin. The big man sat helplessly on his haunches, the lower rope bending beneath his great weight as he leaned upon it.

A Mark for Johnson's Blows

He pulled himself together laboriously and stood up. He was a mark for the darkey's blows, another swift left sending him nearly through the ropes. This time ho was in reality counted out, but he gained his feet almost simultaneously with the expiration of the tenth second, and in the turmoil he was allowed to continue.

Ridding his mouth of an accumulation of blood, Jeffries reeled heavy-legged toward -the opposite side of the platform, Johnson, watchful and confident hopped after him and as Jeffries squared around with his back touching the ropes, a double-handed punch, a right and left, caught the huge white man around the lower end of the face.

Again Jeffries sprawled upon the floor. As he; tried to gather his limbs beneath him, his actions were those of a drunken man, and Berger seeing that poor Jim was utterly helpless, hopped on the ring floor and with a wave of his arm acknowledged defeat for his principal.

Called a Knockout.

Referee Tex Rickard then pointed to Johnson. At this time only eight seconds had been elapsed but Johnson will receive the credit of a knockout. It is the law of the ring that if any one intervenes when a knockout is imminent a knockout is recorded.

The finish differed from all the finishes of the championship fights that I have seen. There was one yelp when Jeffries was tumbled the first time, just as the there is when the end of any ring event is in sight, Then those who yelled seemed to suddenly remember that a negro was beating down a white man.

In the other knock downs, Jeffries fell in silence, when Berger interfered and the decision went to Johnson there was no acclaim as is generally in evidence when a fighter has worked his way to victory.

A Sickening Spectacle

There was a silence still as the big throng filed out. It might not have been sickening if the other man had won, but the fact remains that when Jeffries, with swollen, blood-besmeared face, fell the first time great numbers turned and left their seats and struggled toward the exits through the densely packed aisles.

Jeffries had never a look in, as those who are given to slang: say, Johnson proved his master even in the clinches, although I couldn't sec that there was ever a determined test of pulling- and hauling strength, such as there was when Jeffries and Sharkey got together In Mechanics Pavilion, San Francisco, many years ago.

Jeffries Makes Discovery.

It came In the very first round, but Jeffries didn't throw a leg behind to brace himself and attempt to exert his power. Maybe he discovered that the man in front of him was at least his equal in strength and for that matter, his superior in strength of arm.

It really looked that way. We who have followed Jeffries through all his fights know when, at close quarters, he could hold that left arm straight down by his side and whip it in bellyward when a clinch was half broken, Then how he could bump a man away with his shoulder and repeat with that same punishing body blow.

To-day It looked as though Johnson had been posted in regard to the Jeffries left and was on the watchout. He found it In the first clinch. He pressed against Jeffries’s forearm with the. palm of his right glove and he forced Jeffries’s arm away from him until it looked as if he was going to put a hammerlock grip on the big man from Burbank.

Tests Johnson's Strength, -

I say it may be that Jeffries right there found that Johnson was all he claimed To be in the nature of strength. Anyhow, there was never a clinch after that that Jeffries seemed eager to pit his muscular force against that of Johnson’s. On the contrary it looked as if Jeffries was all too tractable in the clinches, as though, in fact, he found that he had met his master alt too early in the game.

Now if Johnson claims that he came into that ring brimming over with confidence all he will get will be a laugh from any person who studied his face and his manner when he first hopped upon the fighting stage. There was a look in Johnson’s eyes that I have never seen there before, and If I am any judge of human nature as it crops out occasionally in pugilists, Jack was in a very fluttered condition.

All this disappeared, however, after a few rounds had passed. Johnson's face brightened and his eyes beamed confidently. He had. tried out the man who had been in retirement so long and found him wanting.

How Jeffries men Figured

How different it all turned out to the way some of the wizards pictured it. Johnson, they thought, by religiously standing away, might prolong the fight and avert the inevitable—possibly cause the full forty-five rounds—but if Johnson not nimble enough on his feet to keep what would happen then? Why, according to the average Jeffries man Big Jim would force him to fight at close quarters and the Johnson ribs would stand in danger of being crushed by this human grizzly bear.

Instead of all this Jeffries was as helpless as a baby in Johnson's hands when fighting breast to breast, For a while Johnson swayed and swung around with Jeffries in the clinches, of which there were many, and seemed waiting for Jeffries to begin wrestling. Jeffries tried no rough work and Jack contented himself with watching the Jeffries left and tucking it away around the Jeffries back for safety.

Jeffries punished Severely

After a few rounds of this kind of thing and when It became evident that there was to be no more clinching of a stately character than anything else about the fight, Johnson began to use his short right uppercut at close quarters. This is the blow with which Johnson saps the confidence o£ most of his opponents, but he did not rely on it to any extent to-day. He made use of his left while Jeffries and he were clinging together and he punished Jeffries severely. It was in the sixth round that Johnson first began to employ the short left hook or uppercut to advantage,

While swaying from side to side in the clinches and his arms seemingly entangled with Jeffries, he suddenly freed his left and poked it into Jeffries' face with force, enough to partly close his right eye. A few seconds later the negro yanked his right free and uppercut Jeffries on the mouth. Blood followed the punch and there were sober faces In Jim's corner as he stalked to his chair at the end of the round.

Follows Up The Lead

After that Johnson's left was commendably busy when they were grappling And at the same time looking for openings. Jeffries tried resting his chin on Johnson’s shoulder to be out of the way of these disconcerting little punches, but there was no avoiding them. From being confident Johnson became flippant, He said to Jeffries at one stage, "Well, old man, it's all over, but the shouting” and talked frequently in a sneering manner to Jim Corbett, who was amongst Jeffries seconds.

With every round Johnson became more over-bearing. He was a lithe black man arms entwined with Jeffries, laughing into Jeffries' face and pulling free to land a left uppercut. And Jeffries seemed unable to cope with the situation, Jeffries' friends still lived in hopes that he would begin rushing, but never a rush made he. He proved himself quite an adept at ducking and managed to get his head away from well meant lefts and rights that Johnson tried from long range, but each duck meant nothing worse than a mild mannered clinch on Jeffries part and a volley of blood bringing hooks and jolts from Johnson.

Blows Make Johnson Laugh

Things looked pretty blue at the end of the seventh round and in the ninth they looked worse still, Jeffries seemed bent upon evening up matters with body blows, but Johnson's forearms, as a rule, intercepted the big fellow's well-meant efforts. It was while going into clinches that Jeffries had the best success in reaching Johnson's body. He reached the pit of the stomach with one forceful right in the ninth round. and there was a roar of delight from all over the arena. Johnson just grinned In a tantalizing way and laughed still more when Jeffries brought the left around on the ribs.

The tenth round was not such a calamitous one for Jeffries but he met with bad early In the eleventh. Johnson feinted rapidly and then before Jeffries could duck sent a snappy right into Jeffries jaw, Jeffries shook his head as though stung to some extent and went into a clinch.

After swaying once or twice as two-stepping with the big white man, Johnson suddenly yanked his left hand clear and jolted Jeffries' face rapidly. Blood dripped from Jeffries nose and lips his right eye was more swollen than ever.

Jeffries Sought Chances

From the way Jeffries posed after each breakaway, it was clearly to be seen that he was bent on offsetting all of Johnson's leads with one good smash in the ribs. He reached the body, too, with both left and right at odd, times, but never solidly. As a rule Johnson was careful to block either with his forearms or to hitch back from Jeffries' rib benders, but, all things considered, it looked as though Jeffries' ideas in the line of judging- distance had become sadly disarranged.

By the time the twelfth round began a bet of 10 to 1 against Jeffries- would have found no takers,. They say a “ sliding- scale" of wagering had been inaugurated after the seventh round. Then, instead of Jeffries being favorite at 10 to 6 it was even money. A round later it was with Johnson on top And three rounds afterwards betting was a dead issue. One only had to look at The way Jeffries head dropped when he reached his chair and the glum faces of the seconds who bent over him with water bottles, sponges and prize ring cordials,

Beginning of the End

I watched Jeffries legs for signs of weariness at the start of the thirteenth round and discovered none, but after that round was finished his head drooped low as he sat in his chair. The fourteenth round found Johnson's left in good working order and it was here that the spectacle began to take on an uncanny aspect, It seemed so easy for the big: negro to free that left and send it against the big white man's face.

Jeffries by this time was blood from ear to ear and his right eye had dwindled to a mere slit.

In vain Jeffries lowered his head and tried to reach the elusive colored man's body with sweeping rights. He did shove his left against Johnson's middle section a few times, but from the fact that Johnson did not cringe, It was palpable that the punches carried no punishment with them. Then came the fifteenth round and poor Jeffries' finish.

To-day's result did not depend upon any "lunch or punch" or series of lucky punches. It wasn't the kind of a fight to cause thrills to creep up and down the spine, but it was an interesting spectacle on account of the systematic manner in which the white man was chopped to pieces. Even the knockout punches were not as eventful as some that have been seen.

STORY OF FIGHT TOLD ROUND BY ROUND

Negro Master of the White at Every Stage — Jeffries Unable to Evolve Defense Against Terrific Left Hooks — Floored Three Times.

BY W. W. NAUGHTON

Jack Johnson proved himself Jim Jeffries' master to-day at every stage of the battle. Even the great test of strength that was looked for seemed to be in Johnson's favor. In the early rounds with the pressure of. his right glove he twisted Jeffries left arm almost into the hammerlock position to prevent the big fellow using it while breaking. As the rounds went on Johnson's confidence came to him he took all kinds of liberties with Jeffries.

As a rule Johnson whips, his men with his right uppercut. He used it at few times today but it was left hooks and left uppercuts while clinching that brought Jeffries to terms.

In this kind of fighting Jeffries was powerless after a few rounds had passed. He could not devise a way to escape punishment while they were feinting and at close quarters: It seemed the easiest thing for Johnson to fee his left arm and tilt the big fellow's head.

First of all blood came from Jeffries mouth and then his right eye closed his nose poured blood. After the sixth round the battle had a decidedly Johnson flavor. Jeffries got in a few body blows while going into a clinch, but he was slowly chopped to pieces, and all of Johnson’s best licks were put in on Jeffries when they were coming together.

Round 1

Jeffries reeled around and feinted. Johnson grinned and stepped back. Jeffries feinted again with the left Johnson worked Jeffries until the sun was in his face and stabbed him lightly in the mouth with the left. They clinched at the ropes.

Johnson pushed Jeffries back and showed much strength as he did so, Jeffries swung his left upon the body and they clinched. The crowd cheered Jeffries for getting first blow. Jeffries forced his left and put in a couple of lefts to the body, Johnson got in a left upon the face and Jim got in a hard left upon the face while breaking. Cheers for Jeffries.

Jeffries ducked a left and clinched. .Johnson pushed Jeffries' left forearm so that Jim could not use it They clinched at the bell

Jeffries Draws First Blood,

ROUND 2

Jeffries crouched and stood 1 with his left well forward. He tried for Johnson's face, missed and laughed. .Johnson feinted and jumped away. Johnson got in a straight left upon the mouth and they clinched. Their arms became entwined.

Johnson tilted Jeffries head with the first right uppercut and clinched while they -were hanging together. Jeffries tried for the neck. He missed at first and then hung together. A clinch followed and Jeffries poked several lefts .to the body. First blood for Jeffries on Johnson's mouth.

In the clinch Johnson pelted Jim's head with a right uppercut which grazed his face. Johnson pushed Jeffries left back which was in a hammer-lock clinch, Jeffries ducked a left uppercut and went into a clinch. They swung around, Johnson getting in a light left uppercut. They parted from a clinch just before the bell, They hung together quite a while before clinching.

Jeffries got to the body with the right and they clinched, Jeffries swung a hard right on the body and they clinched again, Jeffries blocked a left but Johnson sent another through clean on the mouth. It was a light blow, they clinched on the ropes,

A Series of Clinches

ROUND 3

Jeffries still posed with a crouch and they kidded one another. Johnson still kept Jeffries forearm away and he could not use it. Johnson got in a light right uppercut in a clinch and Jim rapped him on the jaw with the right. They hung together for quite a while before clinching. Jeffries got to the body with the right and they clinched. Jeffries swung a hard right on the body and they clinched again.

Jeffries blocked a left, but Johnson sent another clean on the mouth. It was a light blow They clinched on the ropes and Johnson sent in a sharp right uppercut. Johnson tried Another uppercut and missed again. Johnson blocked one of Jeffries high swings and they were in a clinch at the bell.

Johnson Gets Busy

ROUND 4

Johnson seemed more confident as he came out. Johnson swung for the head, but missed Johnson caught Jeffries above the ear with a left hook, They clinched and Johnson laughed at Jeffries, Jeffries swung his left on the body, and in the clinch that followed Johnson got in two uppercuts. Johnson shot a right into Johnson's face and the same fist went to the belly. There was blood on Johnson's lip.

They clinched and fought while they Held. Johnson got in a right body and left on the mouth. Johnson poked up a left uppercut several times, but never hurt They held quite a while and the crowd yelled for them to fight Jeffries shot in a straight left on the mouth and Jeffries closed in and dug three lefts into Johnson's stomach,

Johnson got home with three uppercuts in succession, lifting Jeffries chin in the air each time. Johnson tried a short right for the jaw which reached Jeffries as the latter was ducking and the blow did not hurt. The question of strength between the two men was equal

Blood Begins to Flow

ROUND 5

Jeffries crouched as he came Forward. He stepped away from a straight left again when Johnson went through the motion of feinting. They feinted into a clinch, no blows, being struck.

Johnson landed above the hip with a light left and they clinched. Jeffries poked the body with the left at close quarters and Johnson, hooked Jeffries twice in the face. was a slight smear of blood on his lips.

Johnson met Jeffries with a straight left and Jeffries drove a solid-looking right into the body. They hung together, Johnson poked the left into the face. Johnson shot in a straight left and right to the face. A short left on the face from Jeffries brought more blood. Jeffries crouched and sent in an over handed left which sent Johnson's head back. It was a clean punch and the crowd cheered, They patted each other on the back when the bell found them in a clinch.

Jeffries Driven to Hopes

Jeffries crouched again, then straightened. Johnson drove Jeffries" to the ropes, putting three lefts to the face without landing cleanly with any of them. They clinched, Johnson hooked Jeffries with left in the face in a clinch. The skin was scraped on Jeffries left cheek and the blood showed Johnson's left went around Jeffries neck and they clinched, Jeffries blocked, a left and right and drove his right against the ribs. Johnson uppercut Jeffries with the left and Jeffries placed both gloves on the body with good force and they clinched again.

Johnson freed his left arm and uppercut Jeffries with a left, almost closing Jeffries right eye. Then Johnson worked the right uppercut to the face. Jeffries rubbed his swollen eye as he went to his corner.

Johnson Tries For Jaw

ROUND 7

Johnson stepped in with left hooks.Jeffries blocked two of them and they clinched. Johnson began feinting rapidly and Jeffries circled around. They sparred a great while without either man leading, Finally Johnson tried with a right to the jaw and they clinched and Jeffries rammed his left into the body. Jeffries landed a left in Johnson's face and Johnson laughed. They clinched and Johnson poked a left Into Jeffries face, bringing blood from one of Jeffries nostrils. Johnson freed his left and hooked Jeffries several times in the face. The negro also put in one right uppercut and at this stage Jeffries was certainly getting the worst of it.

Jeffries sent in one high left which landed on Johnson's chin. In a clinch Johnson kept freeing his left and jolting Jeffries head.

Has Jeffries Puzzled

ROUND 8

Jeffries went to close quarters. Johnson used a left on the face. Jeffries seemed unable to escape this punishment, Johnson shot a hot one on the jaw. Johnson began jeering Corbett in Jeffries corner asking- him how he liked the looks of things.

Corbett replied that he who laughs last laughs best. Jeffries got to the ribs with a right smash and in the clinch following Johnson poked a left to the face and a right to the body. It was along drawn clinch and Johnson used his right across the back. They were in a clinch at the bell.

Outlook Dark for White Man

ROUND 9

It began to look a little dismal for Jeffries, Jeffries came forward crouching Johnson danced away and tried a straight left, which was blocked. Jeffries shoved a right against the ribs. They clinched. They broke and Jeffries shot a right in the stomach. Another clinch. Jeffries blocked a left uppercut.they clinched. While breaking Johnson got in the left on the face, Jeffries got home With a left on the ribs. Another clinch and Jeffries leaned his chin on Johnson's right shoulder, where he was safe from uppercuts Johnson was smiling: and seemed brighter than when he entered the ring.

Jeffries landed left and drove the right into the stomach, making Johnson grunt Johnson was there. Jeffries socked Johnson in the ribs with the left and they clinched again.

Blow Lacks Force

ROUND 10

Jeffries feinted with the left and landed well, Johnson poked in a light left- on the mouth and followed with another. He tried a third and Jeffries swung a left on the jaw, but with no great force. Jeffries got his head away from a right straight and they clinched again.

Jeffries bored in and Johnson held his arms so Jeffries could not hit. They leaned in each other's arms and neither seemed to be the stronger. When they broke Jeffries tried a hard left for the ribs, but It landed only lightly.

Johnson tried with a right to the chin and Johnson ducked away. Jeffries ducked a left swing. They clinched and Johnson used left on the cheek. Another clinch and Jeffries stole Johnson's thunder, using a left on the face, Johnson came back with a left and Jeffries drove a good left in on the belt line.they were clinched at the gong.

Smashes Jeffries At Will

Round 11

Johnson feinted with the left and brought the right across sharply on the jaw. Jeffries shook his head as though stung as they clinched Johnson used the left hook, more than once reaching the face, and Jeffries laughed as though he enjoyed it. Johnson put in a right uppercut and as they clinched

Jeffries whaled into the body with both Hands. In the clinch Johnson freed his right and left and right in turn and gave Jeffries smarting blows in the face. The negro was certainly the master at clinch fighting.

Jeffries bled freely from mouth, and nose from punches at close range, Jeffries got in one body left. As they closed in Johnson yanked each arm free in turn and smashed Jeffries in the face. Johnson put in a stinging .right uppercut and Jeffries got in two rights and lefts on the body just before the bell.

Johnson All Smiles

ROUND 12

Jeffries ducked well under a left swing and clinched, They pushed around and Johnson was nodding and grinning at some one in the crowd. They broke. Jeffries tried the high left and missed and Johnson missed a right on the jaw.

At outfighting both men used clever defense. but in the clinches Johnson punched Jeffries face repeatedly with the left. Jeffries' swelled right eye became bigger and bigger from the effects of the Jolting punches and blood came from his mouth and nose. Johnson's blocking when outfighting was effective.

Johnson got in a straight left on the mouth and Jeffries came back with the straight left on the stomach. Johnson grazed Jeffries chin with a right and missed with another right

Jeffries Worried.

ROUND 13

There was nothing about Jeffries legs to suggest that he was tired. though his face had a rather discouraging effect.

Johnson landed light left hook on Jim's face find they clinched, Johnson hooked the face with the left In the clinch that followed Jack freed his left and got to the face three times. Then he used the right, He uppercut with the left again as Jim seemed to have no way of saving himself from these hurtful little pokes at close quarters. Jeffries tried to imitate Johnson's uppercut and failed. Then Johnson yanked left and right loose in turn and rapped Jeffries again and again, He pushed Jeffries against the ropes and caught him with lefts and rights.

Jeffries clinched again. Jeffries pushed Johnson into a corner and used both hands on the face . Jeffries1 face was swollen and covered with blood. Johnson eyed him closely in the clinch. When they broke Johnson let go with the right for the jaw. He did this three times and reached the mouth, It looked bad for Jeffries as he went to his corner.

Johnson Master of Situation.

ROUND 14

Jeffries1, head hung low as he sat in his corner. They clinched. They parried quickly. Johnson poked in a straight left. Johnson tried another straight left and an upswing with success and they clinched. Jeffries swung a left on the cheek. Johnson feinted rapidly and got home with two straight lefts.

Johnson looked as he felt he was master of the situation . He was confident now.

Jeffries put in a high left on the mouth and in the clinch that followed Johnson jolted him on the month with the left. Jeffries was unable to protect himself from this blow, of which he received several. The blows did not -seem to distress Jeffries. He lowered his head while clinching and shoved his left against the body three times.

Johnson came back with a straight left on the face and a hook on the chin. They clinched again, Johnson's left was seldom out of Jeffries' eye and face, Johnson yelled at Corbett, "He's too clever, like you.”

Jeffries Down and Out

ROUND 15

There were no bright faces in Jeffries corner and it certainly looked as though he was fading away. Johnson was there with a straight left and followed It with another. They clinched near the ropes. As they to broke away, Johnson sent a left to the chin and Jeffries went against the ropes. He arose slowly and Johnson knocked him through the ropes with another left swing,

As a matter of fact, Jeffries was knocked out--this time as the count of ten elapsed before he was pulled to his feet and into the ring.

Jeffries spat out a mouthful of teeth and reeled around the ring with Johnson after him, Johnson struck him with the left and right both times in the face, Jeffries fell again, but arose to his feet slowly but was counted out meanwhile and Sam Berber jumped into the ring with the evident intention of acknowledging defeat in case the knockout had not been complete.

Jack Johnson Tells How He won Fight

By Jack Johnson

SPECIAL TO THE POST-STANDARD. RENO, Nev., July 4,—

I am not much on the "I told you so" business,, but you know I said all along I would win this fight, and when I said it I was not just making the usual talk that some pugilists make when they enter a ring claiming they are confident and in perfect condition and then after they lose excuse themselves that they did not get into proper shape or something like that.

The way I felt before I went into the ring to-day I know I could have won from Jeffries 'the best day he ever saw. I have had that idea In my mind since I signed for this match and it was my firm belief that I could beat Jeffries In the best shape he ever was in. That gave me the confidence.

I did not bank to heavily on whether Jeffries would fail to "come back “ I didn't care whether he "came back” or not, and I always had the '"ace in the hole”. I also knew that the people who claimed I had a "yellow streak" and that I would run, from the ring as soon as I saw Jeffries were badly off in their calculations, I have never been afraid of an opponent since I learned how to box, and I must say that it amused me to hear people say that it was because I was afraid that I failed to win by a knockout in many of my fights with men who could not box as well as I could.

I fight to win all the time, and I don't attempt to knock a man's bead off if I think it is going to give him a chance to land on me, In to-day's contest I knew as early as the fourth round that I had the battle won, but I didn't get careless, I boxed as carefully as though Jeffries was strong. I would have been crazy to, jump in and finish him quickly and take a chance of his swinging a heavy blow on me, -I fight my own way, and as long as it is a winning one it suits Jack Johnson.

The blow that ended the fight was a right on the jaw. The right was only a follower to a left cross which caught Jeffries on the jaw.. He was hard hit by the first blow and when the second one landed an instant later he had to go down.

One of the many things that are said by the people who cannot bring themselves to acknowledge that I am not any good as a fighter. Is that I have no punch. Well, I think to-day's exhibition of punching should send that story to the waste basket along with the "yellow streak" fable.

I had a lot of fun with Jim Corbett while todays fight was going on, Corbett is one of the men.who thinks he can outbox me and also that I am lacking in courage. He shouted to Jeffries: "He'll show the yellow soon." I answered over Jeffries' shoulders: "Well, he made you show it, and if he makes me quit I'll come out and get you. That'll make us even.".

I felt in fine shape to-day and I was pleased to find out what I had said about my being as strong as Jeffries was,, true. I think I was, a good deal stronger, even at the start I did most of the damage with left and right Hand-chops to the jaw, I also got in some straight lefts without a return, I did not play much for the body, but at that I got in a few swings that helped some.

As for my running away from Jeffries and winning by tiring him out, I never for a moment thought of doing any such thing. I am the champion and would make a fine spectacle running away from anybody. Anyhow, what would I run for when I Was sure that I could beat Jeffries at any kind of a game he wanted to start?

Blocked Jeffries Blows

I made the first lead in the fight and I landed It too. I kept on leading and landing and I must have-led ten times .to Jeffries once and I landed a greater proportion Of blows than that. Not once he reached me with his glove did the blows ever jar me, and I want to tell you that many times the crowd cheered, thinking I had been hit In the stomach my glove was between Jeffries blow and my body.

It is a funny thing that every pugilist who fights me thinks he can hurt me by playing for my stomach, I can stand a lot of beating there, and.it is a wonder some of these wiseacres don't come out to my camp and see Dave Mills beat me as hard as he could on the body without me making any attempt to guard it Those who did not see it didn't see me working in pain after Dave got through.

I was much gratified to-day with the fact that there was nothing to make it unpleasant Jeffries and I talked to each other several times and there was nothing of a bitter nature in the remarks, it was just a little exchange of words relating to what we were doing and once or twice we joshed a little, but not much. Jeffries did not try any mean tricks but boxed me as fair and square as any man could and you -see that there was no attempt on either side to take an unfair advantage.

Easy for the Referee

Rikard only had to say break once or twice and the fear that his position would be one of turmoil and strife was wrong. I don't remember any fight, between either large or small men, where there was so little for the referee to do, Rickard didn't put his hand on us once, and yet there was no hanging on or holding that could interfere with the progress of the fight -or give the spectators a chance to call it a "hugging match" or a wrestling match.

Before I leave Reno I want to thank the people of the state of Nevada and the many visitors from other parts of the country for the excellent treatment which has been accorded me. I could not have been more pleasantly received or more hospitably treated while I was training and I am glad that the people at the ringside today upheld me in my published statement that I had no fear that any advantage would be given my opponent, I couldn't ask for a more fair-minded gathering than the one that saw me win to-day and applauded me when I had proved that I was still the best of the world's fighters.

.Plans for the Future.

I leave Reno to-night bound for Chicago. From there I will go to New York and appear for two weeks at Hammerstein's. - Then I will take a trip around for a while and maybe get ready for another battle. I don't care who I fight next. Anybody who can draw a gate will be acceptable to me, but now that I have been in a battle in which $101,009 was the purse, and my.end of it $75,753 I'm liable to become an expensive luxury for the promoters, and It isn't likely that I would consider anything but a big purse.

Billy Delaney and Prof. Burns handled me nicely during the fight, and my other seconds all did their parts to perfection. Billy Delaney is a wise old handler, and every time that he gave advice I knew it was for my good. Burns and Furey and Sutton and Al, Kaufman and the other boys all deserve a share of the credit for the fine condition I was in today, and I feel grateful to them for their attention.

Jeffries Own Story Gives Johnson Credit For A Square Victory

Defeated man insists he fought the best man he knew how Regrets however that colored man hold championship title

SPECIAL TO THE POST-STANDARD* RENO, Nev., July 4.—

I tried. That's all I ask credit for doing, -I was beaten fairly and squarely. I have no excuses to make. Let full credit be given Jack Johnson for his victory, He is a truly great fighter.

I would have remained the retired and undefeated heavy weight champion of the world, but for the fact that the American public demanded of me that I try . to take away the championship from a black man, I don't regret the fact of my defeat so much as I do that it was a negro that beat me, thereby establishing himself as the best man in the world.

I would rather have been defeated three times over by a man of my own race than being the means of placing a negro in this place. It was to tear him from this honor that I consented to fight.

As to the Color Line.

I shot at the mark but missed. There is nothing left to do but congratulate the winner, The color line should be drawn outside the ring It cannot be dragged inside the ropes. When two men face each other for battle one of them must not be discriminated against because his skin is black. Keep him out; of the ring entirely or give him fair play.

I took a chance at winning the greatest honors that could have been heaped upon a professional boxer Johnson took another chance. ' He won. There should be no ifs" and "ands" about the battle or the manner in which it was won and lost.

I went down trying with every ounce of Energy In my body to bring- back the world's heavyweight championship to the white race, Johnson won strictly on his merits as a fighter. That's all there is to it. Very simple when we come to think it all over.

Will Never right Again.

This is no time to write of my future plans or particulars. That I will never attempt to fight again goes without saying, I did everything that mortal man could do to bring myself back to fighting form. I actually believed I had accomplished this. I felt that I was myself again - that I was as good physically as I was when I retired a few short years ago.

I was mistaken. That is another point settled. Small use -for me to try to describe the fight . When a man is fighting he doesn't see what's being done, He feels. The conditions under which we fought were all fair and impartial. If the sun was hot to me It also was hot to Johnson. If the altitude was unfavorable to me- it was unfavorable to the negro. We had nothing but our fists between us,

Hears No Unkind Words.

The way I was treated after the fight was a credit to the justice of men who saw the battle. Not one sneer did I see. Not one unkind word did I hear. On all sides it was: "You did the best you could or knew how, Jim. That's all we expected.'1 I am thankful that this feeling: of sentiment exists.

I suppose that my battle will picked and repicked to pieces by the sporting writers, boxing authorities and fight critics It will be claimed that my training- was at fault,' Let me answer these now. My training was all it could possibly have been. My condition was as good as it could be. In fact my condition was more than remarkable. As for my fight—it was the best fight that was left in me.

Had I met Johnson when I was in my prime the result would have been different-I would have beaten him. As it was, I wore myself down and was beaten as much by the effects of my own exertions as I was by Johnson's blows.

First Few Rounds a Test

The good judges of fighting say that I had no chance to win after the fifth round, yet if you will read over the details of the first five rounds you will not find that I was punished to any extent. We merely felt each other out in the first round, I was testing the-negro's stock in trade he was testing: mine. We both joked through the slow second round. We were starting out over the long forty-five-round route, a fact that we both -were thinking of at this time.

There wasn' t a real hard punch exchanged in the third round, not one. I figured that I had a good round in the fourth. I got through with a couple of wallops to my man's body and I reached his face. Johnson's mouth was bleeding when the bell rang at the end.

The fifth was a fairly hard round. My lip was cut along about this point. They say that the pictures will show that I was looking worried at the finish of this round. If so, what was I worried at – surely not at the slight punishment I had taken.

This worried look, if It was there, must have been the first signs I was of my loss of strength. If Johnson was outboxlng me in the sixth I gave no heed to it. I know that at this time I felt that I could win by getting In my best punch to the right spot.

Johnson's seconds shouted wildly in the seventh when my nose began to show blood, This meant nothing to me, I have had bloody noses and black eyes before, and yet, 1 have always conquered the men who gave the unpleasant badges to rne,

I knew as well as anybody that I was tiring in the eighth but I guess the picture films will show that I was still fighting. From this point until the final round I was trying, always trying, to send In some sort of a punch that would weaken the negro. As I said in the beginning I only ask credit for trying. I slaved to obey the whole public. As it is I believe that I deserve consideration from my people, what is more I feel I will get it.

Jeffries Is the Victor

Ruhlin Gives Up In The fifth Round And Retires

San Francisco Nov 16

In one of the most unsatisfactory prize fights ever witnessed in this country. James J. Jeffries proved to be the victor last night over Gus Ruhlin, the "Akron Giant” in the fifth round of what was to have been a twenty round struggle, Ruhlin wilted and then surrendered to his peer to the utter amazement and disgust of the assembled thousands.

No one was more surprised at the outcome than Jeffries himself who asserted that while he had delivered one telling blow in the second round, he did not expect to win the victory so easily. Ruhlin’s sole explanation of the outcome of the fight is that he received a chance blow which utterly disabled him and that Jeffries persisted in fighting him low.

While Ruhlin will make no absolute charge of Jeffries having committed a foul, he intimates that he was unfairly handled, and injured as the result. Ruhlin received the support of his seconds in this stand, who say his was a hopeless case after the second round.

When Ruhlin went to his dressing room he was followed by a very depressed retinue. The defeated man complained of no pain and moved about without assistance.

Before an assemblage of about ten .thousand people at Mechanics' pavilion, which has been the scene of many bitter and important struggles in the past, James J. Jeffries, of Los Angeles, Cal., met Gus Ruhlin, the "Akron Giant," last night and fought for the title he has held since his memorable battle- with Bob Fitzsimmons. Never in the history of San Francisco has there been such a crush of humanity at a pugilistic event. Hardly had the sun hidden itself behind the hills before the great pavilion began to fill with an enthusiastic crowd gathered to watch the championship contest.

Thousands poured into the gallery when the doors finally opened and long Before the first preliminary was called the upper portion of the pavilion was black with spectators, people coming from pointy between Vancouver and Mexico and embracing well known state officials, members of the judiciary and prominent sporting people, .who early took possession of the high priced seats.

Contestants In The Ring

9:28 p. m.—Jeffries enters the ring, shading his eyes. After him came his trainers, Billy Delaney, Ed Egan, Bob Armstrong and Brother Jack. Harry Corbett, the referee, then stepped into the ring.

Round one

Ruhlin leads for the head and lands lightly with the left. They clinch. Both men are cautious. Jeffries' left goes around Ruhlin's head, but does no damage. Jeffries tapped Gus lightly on the head with his left. The latter cleverly ducked a light left. Jeffries uppercut Ruhlin to the Jaw with his left. Jeffries landed his left on the body, hut missed another for the head. Ruhlin countered with his left. Jeffries swung again but missed. Gus blocked a left Jab for the face. Jeffries rushed, but Ruhlin came into a clinch.. Jeff essays a left for the body, but the Ohio man got out of harms way. Jeffries is smiling. The round was tame with the champion having slightly the advantage.

Round two

They clinch. Ruhlin was hooked around the neck with a left. He accused Jeff of foul fighting. The Akron man then shot in his right and found Jeffries' ribs, following this up with an ineffectual left awing for the head. Jeffries waxed aggressive. Ruhlin planted a right and left on the face and then rushed, landing on the body. The champion led with the left and was countered. Ruhlin found Jeff's head and in a short exchange neither had the advantage. The men fought at closer range, Gus again landing on Jeff's face and stopping the latter's attempt to retaliate with a strong right. Ruhlin feinted with a right and shot a straight left on Jeff's nose, but the blow was partially blocked. The men wrestled when the round closed, This was decidedly Ruhlin's round,

Round three

The men came up strong and Ruhlin shot in with a right and left, which were stopped. Jeff elbowed his way back and forth and caught the Akron man with a terrific left to the neck. Jeff pursued Gus and swung with both hands. In the rush Jeff landed a weak body blow. Ruhlin again appeals to the referee. Gus ducked and was met with a straight left. He feinted and came back with an ineffectual short arm punch. Jeff easily held the advantage with Gus constantly complaining. The men .closed in several times. Ruhlin was fighting low and Jeffries was apparently looking for a chance. Jeff retreated about the ring until the spectators hissed him,. The round ended with neither man In distress, but with Ruhlin the more worried of the two.

Round four

After a short exchange at close range, Ruhlin landed on the face. He was forced back and Jeff smiled as Ruhlin again rebuked him, Jeff landed his left, blacking Gus's eye, and- then pursued him, lighting at short range and plainly wearing his man down. Ruhlin lacked aggressiveness and retreated as Jeff swung his left and right and missed, Gus led for the face and Jeff pushed him across the ring. Then the champion walked Gus across the ring again and landed a fierce blow on his Jaw , Ruhlin shot out ineffectual lefts. Jeff waded in, whaling Ruhlin right and left, Gus went down and took the count. He came up apparently weak and the gong saved him. Ruhlin was plainly in the greatest, distress when the round closed. This round was much in Jeff’s favor.

Round five

Ruhlin wore a distressed expression when he came up. Jeff went in with straight arm blows; but was blocked. Jeff, landed a right hook the Jaw and a short left to the ribs and then again to the neck .with the right. A volley of blows followed this in which the champion forced Gus with lefts to the face. Ruhlin ducked and retreated steadily, Jeff followed up his advantage and bore In, touching Ruhlin beneath the chin with a right, forcing Ruhlin to the ropes, after which Gus went to the floor and at the count Of five staggered to his feet. He ceased fighting and Jeff went in for a knockout. Ruhlin was utterly dazed and missed wild swings, while Jeff threw him against the ropes.

Ruhlin Gives Up

In the last minute of the round Ruhlin attempted to stop a left for the head and was forced back and struck squarely in the pit of the stomach. Jeffries was going at him fiercely and when the gong struck Ruhlin was assisted to his corner. He looked then as if the fight was practically ended.. Ruhlin gave every appearance of being distressed. He said something to Billy Madden and then, "Denver" Ed Martin walked to the center of the ring and hailed Referee Corbett. "We give up.." said Martin. and the fight was over.

Almost from the. beginning of the fight Ruhlin appeared frightened. The fight was practically finished in the second round when. Jeffries landed a left hook on the Jaw that took all the fight out of him. Ruhlin claimed that a chance blow in the pit of the stomach rendered him unlit for fighting. His seconds complained bitterly, but Ruhlin insisted that he was the victim of an accident. Jeff walked to Ruhlin's corner, asked what was the matter mid then, turned in disgust and proceeded to his dressing room, while the spectators rose as one man and cheered the champion while they denounced Ruhlin as a quitter and fakir.

The police tumbled into the ring and stopped a fight in which Corbett, the referee, and officers of the club were involved. The utmost excitement prevailed, during which Ruhlin made his way out of the ring.

Lou Houseman, George Siler and George Hartlng, the official time keeper for the club, declared that Ruhlin was greatly overestimated, that his blows were weak and easily blocked and that he was positively without endurance. While some expressions were heard in the throng after the fight placing the stigma of a fake affair on the management, it was the consensus of opinion that Ruhlin fought a losing battle In order to obtain the short end of an enormous prize. Boxing In San Francisco has not been helped by this event. The city supervisors at the ringside last night expressed great dissatisfaction and even went so far as to entertain suspicion in their minds of a fistic swindle.

It is estimated that something over $40,000 was realized at the box office. Of this 62% per cent Is divided In purses of 75 and 25 per cent and goes to the., participants In the event.

Crowd Was Disappointed

Sporting men who witnessed last night's contest for the championship of the world between Jim Jeffries and Gus Ruhlin agree that It was one of the most disappointing fights ever put up by heavy weights of reputation.. No one expected such a tame termination and when Billy Madden, acting for Ruhlin, threw up the sponge at the end of the fifth round, a howl of anger shook the, rafters of the pavilion. Referee Corbett plainly showed his surprise and at first thought that the sponge had been thrown. Into the ring by some practical joker. In an interview after the fight Corbett said:

"I think Madden made a mistake.He should have thought of the crowd that had paid a big admission fee to see the fight. The crowd that attends such exhibitions wants to see the defeated man knocked out. The fight might have gone another round or two when a decisive blow might have been given."

Billy Madden said that he decided to stop at the end of the fifth round to save his man from worse punishment "I did not want a knockout," said he .Ruhlin got over his grogginess quickly. He was not badly punished and bore no serious marks of the fray There was little trace of the heavy body blow in the fifth- round and he is little the worse for the wear. Ruhlin and his immediate followers spoke In awed tones of Jeffries' power. They agreed that he is a terrible fighter and sought to console themselves for the defeat by extolling the champion's fearful prowess.

Champion Jeffries In a signed statement says:

"I had not started to fight when Madden threw up the sponge. Had I gone at Ruhlin I am sure he would not have lasted two rounds. Ruhlin was scared from the first:"

It is thought that' only about $20,000 was bet on the fight. Sunday State Journal 3 July 1910 IS JEFFRIES STILL CHAMPION CLAIMS OF JACK JOHNSON

Winning the heavyweight championship of the world from Fitzsimmons was no light thing, even for a man of such phenomenal strength and skill as Jeffries, but defending It was no less a task. In the four years following the winning of the championship Jeffries fought Fitzsimmons again, fought Corbett twice and fought Tom Sharkey and Gus Ruhlin and Hank Griffin each a second time and Joe Kennedy.

There were giants in the land in those days. Never within the ken of any man now living will any heavyweight have to mow through such a field of heavyweights. In these days of bombast titles and overnight champions any one of the old guard of heavyweight fighters would have been safe in his title for years.

It was on November 3, 1899, less than five months after defeating Fitzsimmons, that Jeffries met and won the decision from Tom Sharkey, at Coney Island, in twenty-five rounds. It was a limited round contest, and Jeffries has always admitted freely that Sharkey gave him about the hardest battle he could ever expect to be called upon to fight.

On April 6. 1900, he put out Jack Finnegan, in Detroit, in one round, and on May 11 of that year knocked out Jim Corbett in twenty-three rounds, at Coney Island, In one of the most charming contests of the sort seen since there has been such a thing as prize-fighting.

In less than month. In 1901, Jeffries finished off Hank Griffin, Joe Kennedy and Gus Ruhlin. He won from Griffin at Los Angeles in four rounds in what was really a farce. He had fought Griffin as a boy seventeen years old, and things were greatly changed when ho met him In a four round contest In Los Angeles on September 17 to amuse the neighbors. Griffin ran, dropped to the mat, hugged and did everything he could do to keep from being hit.

A bout scheduled to go four rounds with Joe Kennedy on September 24 ended In the second round with a knockout, and on November 25 Jeffries met Gus Ruhlin, who had whipped Sharkey in fifteen rounds after Jeffries had defeated the sailor. Ruhlin lasted five rounds and was knocked out.

Then on July 25, 1902, Jeffries knocked out Bob Fitzsimmons in eight rounds in San Francisco, and on August 14, 1903, he knocked out Jim Corbett In San Francisco. After that there was really nothing for him to do. A year later he put away the foolish Jack Munroe with a knockout in two rounds, and thereafter there was no one who could lay the slightest claim to his title.

Will Jeffries fight for the recovery of the heavyweight championship In his coming battle with Johnson, or will he defend the championship? Can a championship be whispered away? Can It pass by word of mouth?

To those familiar with the history of the ring and with Its laws there Is one answer. Jeffries Is still the heavyweight champion, as he has been since his defeat of Fitzsimmons. Whatever of dispute there may be Is trivial, The championship that was claimed by Marvin Hart, later by Tommy Burns and recently by Jack Johnson Was a thing of no Importance and was really a title to be used only in distinguishing the leader of the more active heavyweight division, Jeffries, to be regarded as the heavyweight champion emeritus, as it were.

It becomes necessary, however, to trace that secondary title through the several owners who fought to maintain It, and here also must be cleared up whatever mystery Involves the championship relations of Jeffries and Johnson.

Strangely enough, for the first time In the history of the prize ring two men will confront each other, each claiming to be the heavyweight champion Johnson will say he has fought up through all the rounds of the game to the coveted honor, while Jeffries will say he never has lost It.

The lone- road over which this secondary championship title traveled before it became the property of Jack Johnson started in Reno, Nevada, on July 3, 1905. Nearly a year before Jeffries had defeated Munroe. In the meantime he had appeared several times In public as an umpire at baseball matches and as a referee at fights.

His drawing-power as a referee was so great that when a fight was arranged between Jack Root, of Chicago, and Marvin Hart, of Kentucky, Jeffries was paid $1,000 to referee the fight, while the two dim lights of the ring fought for a purse of only $5,000. In order that the affair might assume something of Importance in the public mind, however, it was publicly announced that on this occasion Jeffries would formally pass the heavyweight title to the winner of the fight. No word was ever heard from Jeffries himself with regard to this arrangement, so far as the public knows .The announcement certainly lent to the fight an Importance it could not otherwise have had, as neither Hart nor Root ranked high in ring history.

At the conclusion of the fifth, marked by a knockout. It was announced from the ringside that Jeffries had “hailed” Hart the heavyweight champion by virtue of his own retirement from the ring.”

Repudiates the “Gift.”

Of this statement Jeffries, over his own signature, recently wrote: “When not working or hunting I mixed up with the fighting- game a little, often refereeing important fights. One of these was the Hart-Root fight up In Nevada, The promoters asked me to officially “present” the heavyweight title to the winner. I refused. Nobody can give away championships. But they told everybody I had given the title to Hart after he stopped Root, and I didn’t take the trouble to deny it.

Here therefore started this championship title which Johnson claims. It is tainted at the source, first by Jeffries denial that he ever entered into any such arrangement as that announced to the public and second by reason of the fact as stated by Jeffries that “nobody can give away championships.” They must be earned. That Root-Hart fight was of slight moment in those days and the flimsy fly blown title claimed by Hart gained him little.

The fight itself was in Reno on a sweltering summer day. Officialdom was there In the persons of lieutenant Governor Allen, who was accompanied by Mrs. Allen, and in the stand were seen scores of other women as distinguished socially as Mrs Allen. Attorney General Sweeney Senator F. G. New-lands, Mayor O’Connor, of Reno: the warden of the state penitentiary and many others equally prominent attended.

Marvin Hart had defeated Jack Johnson in twenty rounds on March 28, 1905, a short time before, and was looked upon as a fairly good heavy weight of his kind. Root, however, had somewhat longer and better reputation as a fighter and the odds were in his favor at three to one.

Throughout it appeared that Root had something the better of the match for a while he held Hart even in the first, third, fourth, sixth and tenth rounds, he had much the better of the second, fifth, seventh, eighth and eleventh rounds. In the twelfth round however, Hart sprang a surprise. They clinched twice and were broken by Jeffries, and Hart then suddenly bored In and ripped a right to Root’s heart that lifted him from his feet and dropped him on the padded floor of the ring. Root was out twenty seconds.

At the end of the count of ten it was announced from the ringside that the heavyweight championship had passed to Hart, as the gift of Jeffries, and the Kentuckian went out Into the fight world bearing a title that, cheap as It was, he was not destined to hold long. It Is further to be observed that this tainted and Imperfect title passed to Tommy Burns by a decision on points .Real championships do not pass in that way. A real championship must be won or lost decisively, either by a knockout or by the failure of the beaten man to continue.

The fight In which the championship passed on this occasion was before the Pacific Athletic club on February 23, 1906. In that fight Hart weighed 195 pounds, while his opponent weighed only 175 pounds. Burns did nearly all the leading. He knocked Hart down several times and battered him all over the ring. The smaller man worked hard enough to get the pseudo champion, but while he cut and hacked him viciously and knocked him all about the ring he could not land the sleeping potion. at the end of the twenty rounds he was announced the winner and handed he title which Hart had assumed. Although but little credit could be claimed by Burns for his manner of dispossessing Hart from the championship, he was nevertheless no unworthy knight of the ring. Nature never intended him for Heavyweight honors.

He was throughout his ring career one of those unfortunate fighters who had been bountifully supplied with gameness and skill, but handicapped in being too light to hold their own against good heavyweight. He measured only five feet seven and a quarter inches and weighed at his heaviest only 175. Nevertheless he made up in fighting spirit what he lacked in bulk.

The Career of Burns.

Burns was born in Canada in 1881 and was just nineteen years old when le moved across to Detroit, where he soon won something more than local fame as a lacrosse player. To one who has seen a lacrosse game it is easy to understand why Burns should have preferred the milder, softer pleasures of the prize ring. His real name Noah Brusso and it was under that name he fought his first score of fights. He picked up boxing in a club in Detroit and soon became the best amateur of that city. His first professional fight, however, was not a thing to cause Burns to regard ‘the fighting game as a pathway to wealth. He went on as a substitute for Jack Cowan in a fight with Fred Thornton, both being fighters with only local fame, and his takedown at the end of the battle, In which he defeated Thornton, was Just $1.25.

It must not be supposed that Tommy Burns did not accumulate money as a fighter, however. In March, 1908, he admitted that he had saved $80,000, and his fights after that and especially his fight with Jack Johnson sent the sum well above the hundred thousand mark.

Burns fought for several years before he attracted anything more than local attention. He fought around Detroit for awhile and then went west and first won fame enough to cause his name to be sent over a telegraph wire when he lost a fight on points to Philadelphia Jack O’Brien. This was in 1902. In 1906 he fought a twenty round draw with O’Brien, and a year later double-crossed O’Brien in the fight which O’Brien had arranged to lake to a successful O’Brien finish in Los Angeles.

Burns then defeated Marvin Hart in Los Angeles, winning from him this time a decision better than mere points. From that time on he began to flaunt his title merrily, proclaiming himself the heavyweight champion of the world and making- much of the distinction which had come to him through such devious channels.

In 1907 he was picked to fight the formidable Bill Squires, who had come on from Australia to sack up and carry away all the money and championships in this country was quite a person In appearance was Boshter Bill,” being built more like a battle ship than a human being, and such was the massive impression he created that the long yell was sent up for Jeffries.

Fight experts looked Squires over and expressed the opinion that the only way to lick him was with a fire axe and there were peevish comments over the refusal of Jeffries to come from out of his hole and save the country from humiliation.

Just what would have happened had Jeffries ever met Squires cannot even be imagined. It is to be feared that had Jeffries gone to the expense and trouble of training for a fight with this remarkable person from Australia he would have been so humiliated that he either would have hidden himself in sheer mortification or would have committed homicide, with Squires as a victim.

As it was Burns was matched to fight Squires, and on July 4, 1907, Squires and Burns came together. That great pugilistic jest will never be forgotten so long as tales of the ring are told and retold. Burns landed one punch on “Boshter Bill,” and the Australian importation curled up. Rarelv has a fight been finished so quickly in this country.

His English Foes.

Shortly thereafter Burns loft for England, where he knocked out Gunner Moir before the National Sporting club in-London, after toying with him for ten rounds for the pictures. He knocked out Jack Palmer in London in four rounds, there being no pictures to consider, and then went over to Dublin after Jem Roche. His fight with Gunner Moir was on December 2, 1907, and that with Palmer on February 10, 1908. He met Jem Roche in Dublin on March 17 and soon put Roche away with a knockout. He sent “Jewey” Smith over the same route in Paris and then had time to pay some light attention to the persistent Jack Johnson, who had followed him over to England in his anxiety to get on a fight with him.

For two years Jack Johnson had been chasing Burns all over the country and out of the country in the effort to have a try at the title which Burns carried and for which Johnson yearned as he would have yearned for a watermelon or a fried chicken. He had become the good natured black joke of all the sporting writers of the country, but he still kept hammering away at Burns.

Johnson had started fighting In 1901, when he was twenty-three years old. Among his early fights was an affair in which he had been forced through privation to enter a battle royal contest in which five other negroes, all of the same town, planned to kill Johnson off by massing on him as soon as the bell clanged, and then -with him out of the way to decide the affair between themselves.

Johnson dropped three of them as soon as they started for him and left them senseless on the mat, while the other two jumped out of the ring and fled. At the time he signed with Burns he had fought sixty-four battles and had lost only to Marvin Hart, defeated by Burns, to Joe Choynski and to Joe Jeannette on a foul. He had whipped Jack Jeffries, a brother of the champion, and had smothered Bob Fitzsimmons In two rounds In Philadelphia in 1907, at a time when Fitzsimmons had lost all his old steam and force. He had twenty-two knockouts to his credit.

Burns ignored Johnson until September,1908, when he finally signed articles to fight him in Sydney, Australia. Burns still held doggedly to his title, and as he had not lost a fight after assuming it, the fight was announced and regarded as a fight for the championship. Such had been the strange wayfaring of the heavyweight championship that no matter what the circumstances may have been by which Burns had gained his title there was certainly no way for any heavyweight to gain rank except by beating Burns . Burns had lost only three fights In his entire career, and, notwithstanding the great difference In the weights of the two men matched to fight. Burns was the favorite.

The fight was arranged to take place in a stadium built for the purpose in Rushcutters bay, and for two months before Burns trained at Darling point, under the instructions of Jim O’Keefe, sparring dally with the Australian middleweight O’Donnell. Johnson trained at Manley, a seaside resort, with Jack Mullins as his trainer and Bill Lang as his sparring partner. Lang had been badly beaten by Burns only a short time before and was able to instruct Johnson In all the tricks used by Burns.

When the two met before ten thousand spectators in the stadium and twenty thousand waiting to hear the result of the fight It was evident that Burns had matched himself badly in this fight. The negro was as sore as a wolf, for he was fighting: only for the championship.

The Easy Victory.

He had been able to get a fight with Burns only by agreeing that Burns should take $30,000 of the $35.000 purse no matter how the fight might end. Johnson could win only $5,000 by winning the fight, and this did not please him vastly, for this sum wouldn’t by any means pay his expenses incurred in chasing after Burns and in training for the fight.

Hugh McIntosh, the promoter who had brought the two men together, acted as referee, a situation similar to that suggested by Tex Rickard when he offered to act as third man in the ring in order to settle the squabble between Johnson and Sam Berber, representing Jeffries.

Johnson was greeted with wild yells of applause when he climbed into the ring, for he looked every inch the human fighting machine. He was a piece of polished black ebony, glistening, smooth muscled and a giant in comparison to his slighter antagonist. Burns looked sallow and badly trained, and the moment the two men came together it was evident that the man making the try for the championship was in much better shape than the man who was to defend it.

After the men had shaken hands Johnson protested against the elastic bandages that showed on Burns elbows when he stripped. A squabble followed that delayed the fight until Burns had stripped off the offending bandages and then the two men were brought to the center of the ring.

There were a few seconds of preliminary sparring, and then Burns bored in, following the old methods that had brought him success on so many former occasions, but no success was to follow this time. He was just the height to get the full force of every one of those frightful-right uppercuts that Johnson unlooses, and here, before the fans had had time to settle into their seats, he had walked into a dead fall. -The uppercut that Johnson shot into Burns’ face jerked the white fighter into the air and somersaulted him over upon his back.

The crowd sat silent for a moment and then let out a roar that was taken up by the crowd in the street So far as could be seen the fight had been a repetition of Burns fight with Squires. There were few who believed Burns could get to his feet, arid many in the crowd were getting ready to leave when Burns staggered to his feet at the count of eight.

Burns was badly hurt, but he was game, and instead of keeping away from the black as his seconds cautioned he went for Johnson again, trying for his body, because of the great difficulty of reaching his face. He did manage to slam a right to Johnson’s chin, but the negro only grinned delightedly, although Burns cleverly blocked a return. A moment later, however, Johnson drove a hot right smash into Burns’ head. The bell was a welcome sound to Burns, for that first round had been the hardest three minutes he had ever put in his life.

“Come right on, let’s mix It up,” taunted the black at the beginning of the second round, and he shot his right to Burns’ chin. The white fighter’s ankle gave way as he stepped back and he went down again, while thousands who had not seen what had happened thought that he had been sent down by a blow that looked fearfully like a knockout. Burns was soon, on his feet, however, but before he could get “set” Johnson had closed in on him and driven right and left to his body. Burns’ left eye was swelling from the blow in the previous round, but none of his gameness had gone and he went in after more wallops as though he liked them. Johnson sent in a terrific left to the white man’s stomach, and Burns, bleeding at the mouth, tired and ineffectual, clinched at the bell in an effort to avoid punishment.

A Powerful Fighter.

By this time it was evident that there could be only one outcome. Johnson’s weight and height were handicaps that might have been overcome, but there was n combination that acted as thought it had been invented just for the purpose of defeating Burns the championship.

The only blow that he could not seem to see or block or guard against was that terrific uppercut that Johnson kept slamming into his face and body. His height was such that it was frightfully effective, and every time it landed it hurt.

Johnson was play acting throughout the fight. He seemed to be so perfectly, thoroughly confident that he couldn’t keep down the streak of simian playfulness that had made him the favorite target of the sporting caricaturists. He would throw Burns around into a position that would permit him to grin into the gaping- mouth of the moving picture machine, and would then throw Burns off with one hand and smash him with the other, acting always for the camera. In the third and fourth rounds Burns kept doggedly at his task of gettingto Johnson’s ribs. but while he went into that black battery time after time, taking what he had to expect, he was never effective.

“Hit me here, Tommy,” Johnson would say, raising his guard high enough to permit Burns to land on him, and the white fighter would drive in as hard as he could, and the black would grin as the blow smacked into him and would back of and raise the other arm.

“Hit me on this side. Tommy.” He would say. and again Burns would tear into the black and give him the best he had to give, but with plate muscles of Iron across his chest and stomach Johnson would take the blows and would change the golden tooth grin for a savage leer and would swing into Burns catching him time after time with that ripping, dazing uppercut .

In the sixth Burns was still strong enough to get a brisk right to Johnson’s head and right and left to the negro’s body, but Johnson evened the score by a dozen rights to the body, leaving Burns sore and distressed. Through eight more rounds it went each just like the other, and never at any time had the white man a show or chance. Johnson, grinning: or leering playing the money of savage, kept hammering away at Burns until in the fourteenth round the police entered the ring and stopped the fight in order to save Burns from being battered to a pulp.

It was a victory with startling results, however. That the championship, so lightly passed by the promoter of a cheap and unimportant fight in Reno, Nev., should finally come into the possession of a negro capable of defending it against any white heavyweight In the country save only one, was a call that the champion emeritus could not fall to heed, and so it comes about that now there is to be fought a fight for the championship that shall really be worth while—a fight such as has not been seen since the great ones of the early part of this decade passed out of the ring.