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.