IN THE RING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1895, 1 November 1913, Page 13

IN THE RING.

IBt "Meiicott.'T THE DRUGGING OF JEFFRIES. Toatlfted to ea Truo. The English paper "Boxing" publishes in a recent issue an article by .Robert Edgrin, sporting writer to the New York "World" and a recognised authority on ring matters in America, in which an old nnd painful subject is revived. This is the claim that at the time of'his disastrous defeat by Jack Johnson at Reno Jim Jeffries was drugged. Edgrin writes: I believe that claim i'b true. Jeffries hired one of the greatest detective agencies in tho world to run down tho facts. The details gathered make up a complete story of the most Sordid plot that ever turned fair sport into a sure-thing gamble. Possibly Johnson would have won in any case, but tho clique that handled the betting " made it a certainty by drugging Jeffries with the help of men who . wore in his confidence and who had tho run of his camp. They cleaned up a fortune through betting commissioners stationed in many cities. In Paris alone they wagered 24,000 dollars, and won 40,000 dollars. In Iteno and San Franoisco and Los Angeles and New York their gains went into the hundreds of thou-' sands. The "tip" for the event was received by the waiting commissioners less than twenty-four hours before ■■ the battle, when the gamblers knew that Jeffries was "safe." The writer continues: The first plot was broached in a back room; the last man. necessary to its euccess accepted his part in a meeting in a Reno alley two nights before tho match, after having learned that he could make no more money with Jeffries, and that he could win thousands by turning Judas. One man whoso available cash was all secretly wagered on Johnson smilingly posed aB a friendly adviser of Jeffries during the fight. ■; ■..-• At Last—Bradley and Smith. ' After many, delays, the long-expected battle between Dave Smith and "Pat" Bradley came to pass at the Sydney Stadium last Saturday.. It terminated very satisfactorily from the New Zealand standpoint, as Smith was returned the winner at the end of a 20-round engagement. Given that the bout would last the full'distance, thi'B was tho result that was expected, as it was generally recognised that Bradley, as 6miter-iu-chief of the two, had to knock his man out to win. This he failed to do. We know ; that much from the cables, but the why and wherefore of his failure must remain, unknown until the Sydney .papers arrive. _ , Smith's next- engagement is a' big one. His is tq.meet Bill Lang at Melbourne' "n November 6 for tho title of fieavy-weight champion of Australia. This is the biggest task that Smith has attempted so far, and he" will need all his shiftiness and boxing ability to onable him' "to got away with it." Not only is ho,conceding about two-stone in weight, but he is meeting a man who, though rather slow; is far from being unclever, .and, moreover, one whose ring experience is even in excess of his own. Certainly tho inducement is a big one, but one cannot help thinking that, this time, Dave Smith is now stacked up against a; very "solid proposition.

"The Old Maßter." - . At Brisbane, on Saturday week last, oun old friend Hock Keys was'credited with a win ovor the Danish light-weight. Waldemar Holborg.. Prom press reports . jtejr& was lucky. _,Tho.accounts to. Land aro, unanimous in handing the palm to the Dane, but the "Old Master's" defensive tactics evidently so impressed the referee that he gave him the decision, much, it is said, to the consternation of the assembled crowd. Theso Curious English. The clash between the English exchampion, "Jim" Sullivan, and the Australian, aboriginal, "Jerry"' Jerome, furnished another example or the extraordinary in-and-outness of the form of the avorage English boxer. Good and clever boxers they are, almost without exception, but thero appears to bo something in their pugilistic outfit that' puts them all astray when opposed to the unconventional fighter. Set him up against a man who boxes on traditional lines, and the. English boxer can "doliver the goods" with the best of them, but, when he' • is-pitted against the "Billy" Papke, "Pat" Bradley, and "Jerry" Jerome type (to quote three different examples of tho unconventional ring'.'artist), his undoubted skill seems far to seek. Vfhj, this deponent knoweth not, but there it is. , Four and a half minutes after the start of hostilities, "Jim" Sullivan, exchampion of England, and as fast and clover a boxer for his weight that has been in an Australian ring, heard! himself counted out after stopping a characteristically seemingly wild awing of his blackfellow adversary. Exit one of the English. "Short, sharp, and disappointing,'! is how ono paper describes the conflict, and 1 so it must have proved; for the large house that assembled at R. L. Baker's Stadium on Saturday week. Also it must have been a desperate disappointment to Sullivan, who looked to this battle to rehabilitate himself after his summary defeat in much tho same way and time by "Pat" Bradley. As it was, it terminated his Australian tour, as Mr. Baker has now cancelled' his engagement, and Sullivan leaves for England a much disgruntled boxer. Is It a New White Hope? The Independent Cable , Association advised Australia of the arrival of a now Richmond in the white heavyweight field, in a cablegram dated from New York last Sunday week. Tho message runs:— New York, October 19. 'A. new white hope in the person of "Dan" Dailoy has suddenly loomed up. He fought Al Palzer at Pittsburg last night, and accounted for him inside two rounds, with a left and right. Palzer was in such a bad way that he had to be carried from the ring. Previously he was knocked down by a heavy loft hook. Tho battle was a scheduled six rounds affair. Dailey showed amazing footwork in the first, and hit like lightning, appearing to be ablo to land at his will. Tho second round was a repetition of the first. After a minute's work, Dailey connected with a left hook, and Palzer went down, • to come up at "nine." He rushed' into a clinoh straightaway, only to be outcd by left and fight. Won Though Knooked Out. A cable messago received in Sydney doscribed a strange experience that befell "Freddy" Welsh, the English champion light-weight, now in America in quest of a battle for tho world's championship. Boxing one "Young" Saylor at Winnipeg last week, Welsh was knocked out, but was declared tho winner of the- contest. The bout in question was scheduled for 12 rounds, and in tho ninth Saylor was cautioned for hitting low. Shortly after ho offended again, and Welsh went down and out, and got tho decision on a foul. Saylor, by the way, has signed on with Mr. R- L. -Baker for an Australian tour. N.Z. Amateur Turns Professional. It will bo .-remembered that at tho recent Australasian amatour ohampionshipß at Dufledk tie welter title ttm

won. by J. Mitchell, tho Now Zealand representative. Mitchell has now "gone over," and figured in his first professional bout at Hamilton on October 22, when ho beat "Bert" Murphy on points. Youth Will bo Sorvfld. After nine yearß tho bantam ohatnpionship of Australia 'has changed hands, tho holder, tho little veteran "Teddy" Green, having been beaten on points over 20 rounds by "Dodger" Ryan, of Victoria. Green boxed as cleverly as ever, and, in the early rounds, more than held his own, bitt to no avail, as his younger opponent wore him down, and in the end won handily.