JIM GRIFFIN’S WATERLOO.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6451, 24 February 1908, Page 6

JIM GRIFFIN’S WATERLOO.

NELSON WINS ALL THE WAY. FATEFUL THIRTEENTH ROUND. An unusually large crowd of people filled the Gaiety Athletic Hall at Sydney last night from wall to wall (says 1 the "Referee” of February 12th), and 1 provided a big fat purse for the boxers Jim Griffin and Ted Nelson—in the battle of the bill. "Dealer” Wells and Les Corbett put up four very warm rounds, which the house appreciated so much that a liberal shower rewarded the plucky lads. Poor, sightless Futtingcll swung the clubs to the delight of all onlookers, and the shower counted up J 24 11s 10d, which will tide the unfortunate fellow over a few weeks, and was consequently a Godsend. The preliminary between Dan Marsdcn and Joe Wallace pleased those who like their light rough, but oven to them the bout proved too one-sided. Mart-den ran a bad second throughout, and the towel came from his corner midway through tho second round, THE PIECE DE RESISTANCE. There was an unnecessarily long wait before Ned sou and Griffin showed up, the former with Mat Mitchie, Mark Higgins, Charlie Newlyn, and a stranger in his train, and tho latter tended by Alf. Stoneham, Johnny Moroney, and the A thorn blethers. Ted Nelson’s weight was given 10.81, and Griffin’s 11.3. J Twa« noted that the New Zealander looked anything but himself. Nelson made quick and effective play from the outset, using rights to the body and solid lefts on the nose, and lie got busier later, and jolting rights about vho ribs before Griffin chopped a left to the hose. Ted’s ducking, and footwork generally, already bothered Jim sorely. Unco a left hook to tho chin dropped Griffin. NELSON LEADS. The second was as vigorous a time as the first. Nelson adued considerably to his lead, while Griffin came and scored when ho could, which was uqt often. Nelson’s righto to the body plainly had a harmful effect on Jim. Still Nelson in the third round, and ho made things sultry indeed. Two solid rights to the jaw maddened Griffin, whose fieice charges were cleverly blocked. A left, hooked weightily to tho jaw and three consecutive lefts to the nose, were damaging attentions. GRIFFIN AT FAULT, Nelson's skill and quickness caused Griffin to do silly things during the fourth, but Jim had the satisfaction of knowing that his one right to the body hurt a great deal. Ducting once. Ted tripped and fell heavily, but later ho crossed tho right to the jaw, and the ALaorilandcr swayed as if drunk, but hold on to the perpendicular bravely.' Nelson all the time of the fifth, though nothing really harmful occurred to cither, and the same remark applies to tho sixth. So much at fault was Griffin that near the end he fiopptd into the enemy’s embrace, amid roars of laughter. i»eyoud a weighty left chcip to the back of the neck, Grinin was never in tho seventh to any appreciable extent, nor d:d ho do much better throughout tho eighth. Nelson always proved far too clever. Alter the ninth has seen Nelson do tilings that hurt, plucky Jim took a hand, and pleased his friends by swinging a strong left to the noso and crossing tho right to the same spot before? Nelson got going again. It was in and out quickly every time, with Griffin, who took no chances by mixing—not even for a few seconds. A BUMP ON THE BOARDS. Jim tripped and went to the boards with a bump in the tenth, and when he rose drove a stiff right to Nelson’s eye, and Tod winced at the sting of the blow. Nelson did most of the work of the eleventh three minutes, and some of it told palpably, but Griffin stuck manfully to his guns, and never shirked a challenge. In tho twelfth Nelson maintained his mastery over the man from t’other side of the Tasman. AN INERT MASS. Tho fatal thirteenth saw the finish. Ted rushed, so did Jim, and his left and right to the body saw Nelson wriggle away like a circus contortionist, and return quickly to uppercut right to the chin with such force that Griffin fell like- a log—out, everybody thought —but, no; grit to the core he stood his full height at eight. Nelson pitilessly charged once more, and, feinting with, the left by striking lightly, he whipped the right across again, and poor, bravo Griffin was an inert mass close to the ropes for fully 15 minutes afterwards, this despite Jack Athonx’s violent tugging and pulling, which .might have caused his principal’s disqualification had he been able to continue.

FASCINATING YET SAD. Tho club-swinger walks up and down to break the in on (Tony and keep himself awake, and he staves like one obsessed. Ho seeks conversation with the bystander, and is glad when they say something to interest him; he walks about to rest his feet and create a diversion; he stands on the wings and watches the performers go through their turns, and ho seems to enjoy what he sees and hears, though he dares not applaud, ci even knock his clubs together to express his approval Briefly, it is a fascinating yet sad spectacle, and the onlookers, one after the other, are heard to ask the question. “Cui bono r” which is said to mean, “What’s the dam good of it, anyway r” And nobody can answer as to tho “Tjono”—or the “cui” either, for the matter of that. Perhaps Mr Burrows knows, or Mr Pickards, or the tiaiuer. Anyhow, the former says lie’s hod enough cf it, and he does not intend to undertake this kind of task again; it is evident, therefore, that he has his doubts about tho practical utility of this kind jof thing, while possibly, strong and healthy though he is, he finds that this violation of Nature’s various laws is telling upon his comfort, it not his constitution. THE FINISH. A telegram dated Friday, the 7th. published in til' “Referee” of the 12th, was a.s follows; At the Opera House to-night. Tom Burrows completed a remarkable feat of endurance in swinging a pair of clubs continuously, without rest or sleep, for three days and two nights—--61 hours 39 minutes—and putting up a world’s record. This morning he nearly went to sleep on his feet, and had recourse to strong black coffee to keep him awake. As tho lime approached for the completion of his tusk lie seemed to grow fresher, but at 11 p.m. he was veiy weary. At IS minutes to 12 Fred Giaham called “Record !” when all the house rose and cheered, while Burrows simply made the clubs fly for two minutes more, when he sank back exhausted into a chair, and dropped tho clubs to the floor.