AFTERWARDS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 4, 5 July 1910, Page 6

AFTERWARDS.

NOTES AND COMTif

(By "Half- Volley. ") "Johnson wins," said the cable laconically to-day. That is not the news tha white world was looking and hoping for, but there it stands. It is the finale to one of the most remarkable contests that has ever engaged the attention of the world; a contest made especially thrilling because of the clashing of the race colours — black v. white. The antagonism in this respect was as far back as when J. L. Sullivan, in indiscreet mood, refused to foot it with Peter Jackson — a coloured man of the "whitest" description. Jackson, in his prime, carried too many guns ,for any of his compeers, and boastful Sullivan threw a bulging chest and "drew the coltfur line." The -acial feeling between pugilists was considerably accentuated by the Johnson-Buna clash in Sydney on 26th December, 1908, when the black man taunted his white opponent the while he used hiai as a chopping-block. The coloured champion's behaviour that day alienated a lot of good feeling and admiration that might otherwise have been accorded mm by the Europeans, and they looked for a white man to throw down such a gage as would be a too hot fragment for the dark gentleman to pick up comfortably. All eyes and voices turned to Jeffries, the huge fighter,, with an unbeaten record, and a penchant for "knock-outs." Jeffries, a pugilistic Alexander, sighing for other fields to conquer, when these were not forthcoming, retired from the ring.' .That was five, years ago. ■ Apparently, these years nave proved too big a handicap, and he will doubtless return to ring oblivion once again, with a single defeat opposite his name. His is no stainless record, but even with this black mark it is a mighty fine one. From the beginning, when the ex-boiler maker was dragged from his domestic life to go into the gymnasium and on the massage table, public interest has simmered, until to-day it reached boilingpoint. Everlastingly the cables have thrummed of the doings of the combatants, and ceaselessly we have been regaled with the weirdest and wildest of stories. Details, a-bsurdly insignificant have come across in sheaves, but it was all amusing, if not very instructive. When it became known that Jeffries was working into something like condition, experts on all sides tipped him to beat the black. They talked of his marvellous endurance, capacity for punishment, and deadly hitting powers. They pointed to hie record against such clever men as Corbett, Fitzsimmons, ShaTkey, and others, and voiced their prognostications confidently. They (we all) know better now. The brief account of 'the battle indicates that the champion, faster, cleverer, and more shifty, simply cut his heavier and slower opponent to pieced. It was expected -that the black would severely punish the ex-champion, but it was not anticipated that he would so pre dominate. It must have been a sorry job well over. • Apparently, in Johnson, we have a second Peter Jackson, without the more manly qualities that characterised the marvellous West Indian. He is a boxer in the true sense of the word, and has shown, in this fight at least, that he is an undoubted' punisher. OTHER COMPETITORS. Who now stands in the way of the triumphant Ethiopian? Burns, after his Sydney experience, will be well advised to stand from under, and there is only Landford, another coloured gentleman with a hard punch and a heap of shiftiness to back it up. Johnson side-stepped this man a year or so back, when he had contracted to figh him for the championsfyip on Derby night in London. Langford seems "to be the only obstacle in the champion's way now, but Johnson, supremely uplifted, will not hesitate to "put 'em up" with his stocky wouldbe antagonist and challenger. After Johnson's present performance it is hard to see what chance Langford has of seriously damaging his gigantic compatriot. JOHNSON'S RECORD IN BRIEF. Johnson has a record of 51 wins out of 70 events, with all sorts and conditions of men. His first battle of any consequence was against Marvin Hart, to whom Jeffries on his retirement, handed the belt. Hart was adjudged the winner. Johnson also lost to "Klondyke" — his first match, Joe Choynski, and to Joe Jeanette (a tenth rater), on a foul. His record includes numerous no-decision events. His best performances previous to the^ big contest to-day were his victories over Jim Flynn, T. Burns, and Stanley Ketchell, but in each case the defeated men were much smaller physically. The big black has also defeated Lang (Australia), and Fitzsimmons, but the former was then very "green," and Fitzsimmons an elderly man. He has "capped" all his previous best now, and the banjoes will be playing "See the Conquering Hero Comes" for many a night to be. ABOUT JEFFRIES. • Jeffries, previous to to-day's uattle, had an unbeaten record. Out of twentyone contests he won eighteen, drawing, two (with Gus Ruhlin and Joe Choyr- '), and failing J» knock out one Munivc in a four-round exhibition. Seven i months later he did the trick in two rounds. His chief victories are : — Joe Goddard (four rounds), Peter Jackson (three rounds), T. Sharkey, twice (twenty and twenty-five rounds), Bob Fitzsimmons, twice (eleven and eight rounds — both knock-outs), J. J. Corbett, twice (twenty-three and ten rounds — knock-outs), G. Ruhlin (five rounds — I knock-out), and Bob Armstrong — one of i his sparring partners for this contest (ten rounds). The ex-boilermaker is a giant in stature and bulk. In every measurement but one — the arm — he leads the black. There is only an inch difference in height — Jeffries 6ft l£in, Johnson 6ft £in — yet the former's chest expanded extends the tape to 51in, while the negro's runs no more than 42in — a very great difference. Despite the physical disadvantages, the negro has won.

A resident of Mercer considers that the wholesale slaughter of whitebait on thei Waikato ought to be stopped. Thie fish is decreasing in numbers yearly — in fact, it is never seen as far ag Mercer now owing to the nets being spread across the river at Tuekau. The resident asks, per medium of the Auckland Herald, that the Acclimatisation Society should, take tlia matter up and arrange for a olose season.