1913-11-17 Gunboat Smith W-PTS12 Sam Langford [Atlas Athletic Association, Boston, MA, USA]

1913-11-18 Cleveland Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH) (pages 9-10)

SMITH GIVEN THE VERDICT

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Gunboat Gets Decision Over Sam Langford in Twelve Rounds.

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Large Crowd Sees White Hope Give Opponent Beating at Boston.

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Three Preliminary Events All End Before Time Limit With K. O.

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BY PLAIN DEALER'S LEASED WIRE.

BOSTON, Nov. 17.--Gunboat Smith outpointed Sam Langford in their twelve-round affair at the Atlas club tonight, and Referee Dick Fleming gave him the decision. Smith fought hard after the first few rounds, and in the fifth opened his opponent's left eye. There was no knock-down during the bout.

Smith's tactics were to hold off his man with left hand jabs then swing with his right. Langford had a slight advantage in the sixth round and had altogether the better of the eighth and eleventh.

In the second, fourth, fifth, tenth, and twelfth, honors appeared to be even. Unsuccessful attempts were made during the afternoon by an attorney, said to represent B. H. Benton, to induce the authorities to forbid the meeting on the ground that the fight was not to be on the square.

Every seat in the big club house was taken by sports from all over the country. A large delegation of New York fans were present and occupied boxes and ringside seats. Both men were in excellent shape. Dick Fleming was the referee.

Round 1.--Langford started in by taking the aggressive and tried for the body with right. Smith swung three lefts to the face without a return. Smith then scored with a right and left to head. Langford tried a right hook to head, but missed. Smith put left on Langford's mouth. Langford shot left to mouth and then put light left to body. Smith jabbed face with left and then got to body with a stiff right. They mixed it up for a second with Smith getting a series of good rights to the body.

Round 2.--Langford came up very cautious. Smith shot in several short jabs to the face with left. Smith then hit head hard with right. Langford swung viciously with right for head but was blocked cleverly by Smith. Langford's judgment of distance was bad and Smith played a tattoo on body and face with rights and left. Langford swung lightly to head. Smith uppercut face with right and then sent left jab to face and a hard right to face.

Round 3.--Langford started right and scored with a terrific left to the jaw which shook Smith up. Smith continually jabbed face with left. Smith missed a hard right swing for Sam's head. Langford seemed to be unable to penetrate Smith's guard and the New Yorker kept jabbing the face and forced Langford to break ground. Langford put light left and right to body. Smith crossed hard on Langford's jaw which rocked the tar baby.

Round 4--Langford came up full of fight and scored left and right to body. Smith sent in left jabs and kept Langford off by continually scoring with a left hand jab. Langford crossed with right which shook up the Gunboat and in a hard mix-up Langford had the best of the argument. Close infighting followed with Langford having the best of it. Langford showed up best in the close infighting and showed up better in this round than any of the others and had a big margin over Smith.

Round 5--The round opened with Langford sending a hard right to the jaw and then putting a right to Smith's left eye, closing it. Langford missed a vicious left hook for the head, but managed to score on Smith's injured eye, making an ugly gash. Smith fought back gamely, and scored six times before Langford could get out of the way of his left jabs. These jabs put Langford on the defensive. Sam with a hard right hit the body.

Round 6--They both rushed to the center of the ring and mixed it up fiercely. Langford showed up well in the mix-up. Sam sent hard right to the head and body, but failed to harm Smith, who came back at him with his old jabbing game. Smith sent in a stinging right to head. Smith then sent in a few more good left jabs and got to the body with right and left swings. He had Langford tired at the bell.

Round 7--Smith missed a wicked right hook for head and Langford countered him in midsection. Smith sent in two good lefts to the face and forced Langford to the ropes, where he had to steady himself, but Smith did not follow up this advantage. Langford made several futile attempts to land, but Smith walked away. Smith played on Langford's face with left jabs at will. The round closed with Smith sending a vicious right to the ribs. Langford went to his corner very tired.

Round 8--Smith started in before Langford had a chance to get his hands up and scored with a volley of lefts to the face. Langford became desperate and crowded Smith over to his own corner and missed left and right swings. Coming back from the ropes, Smith caught Sam on the face with left and then sent a right cross to Sam's head.

Round 9--At the opening Smith went to the front with a little spurt. He tried a double left to the body and face and missed right for the head. The force of this swing almost sent him headlong in the ring. Langford did much fighting in this round and tried to coax Smith into a lead, but the Gunboat kept jabbing him and Smith retired with the round in his favor.

Round 10--Langford came back with a burst of speed, but it was short-lived, as a few lefthand jabs sent him back again on the defensive. Langford blocked all of Smith's punches, and swung with his arms and shoulders, which, had any of them landed, would have sent Sam to the floor. Smith jabbed face with left and sent right lightly to head. Langford sent right to the body.

Round 11--Langford made a desperate rally in this round, but Gunboat was ready to meet him at his own game. Langford swung hard right and left for the head and body, but Smith walked away and then ducked most of Langford's leads. Gunboat sent in a volley of backhand punches to Langford's jaw. Langford then braced and scored heavily on body and jaw, and then put hard right to the nose, which drew claret.

Round 12.--As they came to the center they barely shook hands. Smith shook up Langford with a hard left on the face that carried the tremendous weight behind it and staggered Langford. Smith followed up his advantage with a fusillade of hard rights and lefts but they did not land, as Langford cleverly blocked with his elbows and shoulders. Near the close of the round a general mix-up followed with the fastest fighting seen during the contest, Smith scoring often. Langford went to his corner a very tired boxer with Smith in fresh condition. Referee Fleming gave Smith the decision.

In the first bout Dave Powers defeated Tommy Dowd in the fifth round by the knock-out route in a whirlwind fight.

The second bout was scheduled to go six rounds between Walter Butler of Revere, Mass., and Young Cunningham of Scotland. Butler knocked Cunningham out in the second round.

The semi-final between Freddie Duffy of Jamaica Plain, Mass., and Eddie Flynn of Lynn, Mass., which was scheduled to go eight rounds, ended in the fifth round, Duffy knocking Flynn out with a hard right to the jaw.


1913-11-18 New-York Tribune (New York, NY) (page 11)

SMITH BEATS LANGFORD
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Has Better of It in Slashing Twelve-Round Bout.

[By Telegraph to The Tribune.]

Boston. Nov. 17. -"Gunboat" Smith won his right to first consideration in the ranks of the heavyweight boxers by decisively outpointing Sam Langford in a hard twelve-round contest here to-night. When Dick Fleming, the referee, raised Smith's glove after the final round there was not a dissenting voice in the house. The white man had the better of eleven out of the twelve rounds, and went to his corner comparatively fresh, while Langford, once rated mightiest of the mighty, was badly used up.

Smith's boxing was a revelation to all. He shelved that wild, right hand swing, which would certainly have made him an open target for the sledge hammer counters of Langford, and, standing off at long range, worked a left hand jab and hook to the head which popped through the black warrior's guard, forcing him to break ground.

Langford was not on the receiving end at all times, however. At intervals he fought fiercely, and well. His right hand thudded home to the body and head, but Smith, perfectly conditioned for the fray, took the blows without wincing. In the fifth round Langford closed Smith's eye with a hard right swing, but he paid dearly for the privilege, as Smith cut loose.

In the closing rounds Langford rallied, but be was never able to cut down the lead Smith had piled up in the early rounds.


1913-11-18 The Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 8)

LANGFORD LOSES TO "GUNBOAT"
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Bout Cause of Much Talk. Langford Fat
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SMITH WON BY STICKING OUT HIS LEFT MIT
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Langford Failed to use His Own Left Hand as He Usually Does.
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DOUBTS THAT BOUT WAS ON THE LEVEL
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But Langford Was Hog-fat and Took Considerable Punishment.
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By Peter F. Kelley

Gunboat Smith was awarded the decision over Sam Langford at the end of their 12-round bout at the Atlas A. A. last night, and it was Smith's trusty left that held the formidable Tar Baby at bay. Can you imagine a man who outjabbed Joe Gans and Sandy Ferguson being outjabbed so completely that he was all at sea?

Sam could not get near enough to the white man to show the form that has won him renown and prestige in the ring. In only one round, the eleventh, did he show the speed and the hitting powers that ring followers usually have associated with his name.

The contest went the full distance of twelve rounds, and at the end the referee without any hesitation declared Gunboat the winner. Smith was tickled to pieces, and so were his seconds, among them his manager, Jim Buckley. Smith looked tired as the closing round was in progress.

Langford exhibited in his old-time form in the eleventh round only, when he drove Gunboat all around the ring. But he had started his aggressive tactics too late, for Smith was foxy enough not to mix it up with Sam, who looked enraged. In the twelfth Smith felt that he had won, and took more liberty, although not too many chances, for he clinched and held at every opportunity.

All With His Left

Smith fought very carefully and just jabbed with his left so much and so often that he held Langford completely off. It is true that Sam did not take a punch and rush in as he did in days gone by. He seemed outlefted, as if Smith had his number from the very beginning when he started by popping that left on his face.

The Gunner looked in superb shape and was faster than when he fought against Tony Ross. He looked immeasurably better, while Langford was plainly discomfited, if not alarmed, by his inability to get near his quarry, for Sam so considered the Gunboat.

Langford was outpointed for the first four rounds without any if or ends. There wasn't much shade for Smith but there was some. In the fifth Sam did better and the men around the ring said to themselves that Langford had found his footing and his bearing and would hammer the Gunboat down.

But a clog slipped for a few more rounds, and then in the ninth again he had quite an advantage. The two sessions and the eleventh were all that the men who watched the bout closely could give to the colored man.

Always Had a Shade

Smith had a good shade in at least a half dozen rounds. It wasn't big enough in any of these rounds to make Langford look beaten utterly, but it was enough to make Sam look distressed and worried, while correspondingly Smith became confident more and more, but not unduly excited. The progress of the battle did not make the white man too nervous. He held himself in check all the time and was very cool.

Evidently he fought on a carefully arranged plan to jab continually and continuously with the left, and when a good opportunity presented itself to send the right across for the jaw. For seven rounds Smith stood up straight, with his head back out of the way of Langford's left, and he backed, backed, backed away, making Langford come in, but only to find himself against a left hand stuck in his face.

Adopted a Crouch

In the last few rounds Smith assumed a more crouching attitude because Langford was trying to beat down his guard by attack with the left for the body, the abdomen being his objective point. But even at that, the Gunboat never rushed his man, never got too conceited; and, while he was a bit crouched, it was far from the stoop used so effectively by Jim Jeffries some years ago.

The decision was received with favor. That may be natural, considering that Smith is a white man and Sam colored. Toward the end, Langford almost earned a draw, but unquestionably Dick Fleming's decision was right.

Langford did come in the last of the bout, but he did not have any too much advantage in the closing session, when he threw caution to the winds, and Smith took advantage of several openings to whip the right across onto his jaw.

There was a tremendous crowd present. It looked at least as if 7500 persons were looking on, and men in all walks of life, judges and jurists, business men and bankers, actors and "sports," politicians and city and State officials were cheek-by-jowl.

A description of the contest would be really repetition in most instances, for it was the futile attempt of Sam to swing his powerful left so that he could make the Gunboat squirm. But he was frustrated at almost every attempt.

Smith was first in the ring and was attended by Jim Buckley, Al Kubiak, Harry Edels and George Freeman while behind Langford were Bob Armstrong, George Byers, John Davis and Pete Walker, all colored men. Langford was resplendent in his green and yellow figured kimono.

Sam looked fat above the waist line, wearing a broad, high stomacher. He was fully six inches shorter than Smith when they went to the middle of the ring for their instructions, and this disparity appeared even more pronounced as they boxed with only the referee near them. Sam did not look unduly fat, but he was in much better condition than in his other bout here. Smith was supposed to weigh about 181 or 182, while Langford, with his tremendous shoulders looked about 195.

But Sam wasn't the supple, the athletic, the sturdy Langford we have seen in better days. His legs did not look so bulky, but he didn't have the elasticity, that resiliency, that quickness of motion, that was his great characteristic. He tried to swing around a few times for shifts, but he couldn't make the quick turn.

Of course you can't convince some that Langford was beaten. They will tell you he pulled so as to get Smith in a long distance bout for the championship and a big purse, but while he may not have boxed as wickedly and as viciously as he did against Jim Barry, he found himself years older and also against a man who fought him just as he should be fought.

Jimmy Walsh, who ought to know Langford, sat close to the ringside and even before the bout had gone two rounds admitted that it wasn't the Sam of old who was making the contest. Sam missed too many times to make Jimmy think he was the old standby.

What Fleming Saw

Sam may not have been trying, but if he wasn't on the level he was badly fooled. He may have looked for a draw but the decision went against him and almost nine men out of ten agreed with the referee, although maybe not with his full summary. Fleming gave Smith six rounds and Langford two, and possibly three, and the rest even. Fleming even declared that in his opinion that Smith held Langford even in the last round.

There wasn't a knockdown on either side, in fact, nothing like it. At no time was either man groggy. Smith looked weak in the eleventh round when he half reeled back to the ropes, but he quickly recovered.

The Three Knockouts

There were three preliminaries and each was decided by a knockout. Tom Butler defeated Owen Cunningham in two rounds. Dave Powers was floored several times in the first round of his contest with Billy Troy, but managed to weather the storm and finally won on a knockout in five rounds, although the seaman looked as if he could continue. The semi-final between Freddy Duffy of Jamaica Plain and Eddie Flynn of Lynn was won by Duffy in five rounds. Flynn gave a very game exhibition, being sent to the mat at least a half-dozen times.

Before the bout Joe Woodman announced that Sam Langford would sail for Paris on Dec. 2. It is understood that Sam and Joe Jeannette will meet at Paris in a twenty-round bout on Dec. 20.

It is very probable that Smith will go to the Pacific Coast on Friday in company with Tommy Murphy to prepare for the battle with Arthur Pelky at San Francisco on New Year's day.


1913-11-18 The Cleveland Leader (Cleveland, OH) (page 10)

Smith Gets Decision Over Langford, Though Colored Man Is Stronger at End

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BOSTON, November 17.--Gunboat Smith, of California, was given the decision over Sam Langford, of Boston, at the end of a twelve-round bout here tonight.

Smith led clearly during the early rounds, scoring repeatedly on left jabs to Langford's head and body, while the Boston negro made no serious attempt at defense.

But as the bout went on Smith, the California heavyweight, wearied, and Langford assumed the aggressive, sending left and right to Smith's body at short range while the latter swung unsuccessfully at Langford's head.

So many and so strong were Langford's blows in the closing rounds that many of the spectators expressed surprise at the decision of Referee Dick Flemming.

Smith at the start jabbed away with his left, supplying nearly all the action. Langford did not seem to be bothered by long-range blows, turning away many without great effort and standing up under others without defense. Occasionally he interjected a right or left on Smith's body, but not until the seventh round did he make any apparent attempt to maintain the battle. Then Langford started a short range fight, which in the eighth round resulted in opening Smith's cheek under the left eye.

Smith, by reputation a strong right-hand fighter, relied on his left jabs throughout. Several attempts to land right swings met with varying success. But his jabs were continuous.

Smith's cheek bled freely as the fight neared the end, the blood getting into his eye and blinding him. He also seemed fatigued, and hung on to his opponent, while Langford, although apparently carrying more weight than at any time in his career, appeared the stronger. Langford escaped unmarked.

Round One.

Langford tried for body with right, while Smith swung three lefts to the face without a return; he then scored left and right to face. Langford missed a right hook to head, and got Smith's left on mouth. Langford shot left to mouth and a short body jab. Smith jabbed face with left and body with right. They mixed it with Smith getting body rights.

Round Two.

Langford started cautiously but received several jabs on face and then a hard right on face. Smith blocked savage swing from right to face, then played a tattoo on Langford. Langford swung to head, while Smith put in a right uppercut, left jab and right blow to face.

Round Three.

Langford scored terrible left to jaw. Smith hit to face several times, but missed right swing for Sam's head. Smith's guard too much for Langford, but he got in right and left to body. Smith responded with a rocking blow to the jaw.

Round Four.

Langford pounded left and right to body. Smith repulsed assault by continual lefts to body, but Sam got in a good right. Close infighting followed, the tar baby having the best of it.

Round Five.

Sam sent hard right to jaw, following it with left, closing Gunboat's eye. Langford then missed left hook for head, but landed again on the injured optic, cutting a gash. Smith gamely scored six times with his left before Sam could get away. Sam closed with a right to body.

Round Six.

Both rushed to center and mixed fiercely, Sam showing well. Langford sent hard right to body and head, but did no damage, Smith coming back with a stiff jab and a stinging right to head. Smith then put in some more jabs and a left and right swing. Sam was tired at the end.

Round Seven.

Smith missed a right hook to head, Sam countering to midsection. Smith placed left jabs to face, forcing Langford to the ropes. Smith did not follow as Langford steadied himself. Langford tried to land but failed, Smith playing with him at will. Smith sent a vicious right to ribs, sending Sam to his corner very fatigued.

Round Eight.

Smith, starting like a whirlwind, fired a volley of lefts to face. Langford, desperate, crowded Smith to his corner, but missed right and left swings. Coming back, Smith's left caught Sam's face while his right pounded his head.

Round Nine.

Smith went to the center with a spurt, trying a double left to body and head and missing a right for the head. The force of the swing almost floored him. Langford fought hard, trying to coax Smith to lead, but Gunboat kept jabbing and the round ended in Gunboat's favor.

Round Ten.

Langford came back strong in the tenth, but his spurt did not last long, as left jabs from the Gunboat again put him on the defensive. Sam then swung wildly with both lefts and rights, swings so vicious, that had they landed would have put out his opponent. Smith sent some left jabs to the colored man's face and Langford closed the round with a right to the body.

Round Eleven.

Again Langford started out with a rush and again the Californian was ready to meet him. Langford swung with rights and lefts at Smith's head but the Gunboat cleverly ducked and walked away. Smith sent in some telling backhand slaps at Langford's jaw, but here the colored fighter seemed to revive and landed heavily on the Westerner's jaw and face. He landed on Smith's jaw, drawing blood, as the bell rang.

Round Twelve.

The fighters barely touched hands as they came to the center. Smith jolted Langford with a left on the face that staggered the dusky fighter, and followed his advantage with hard rights and lefts, but Sam cleverly blocked the fusillade with his elbows and shoulders. Near the close came the fastest fighting of the grill, Smith scoring often. Langford went to his corner very tired, with Smith very fresh. Referee Fleming gave the decision to Smith.


1913-11-18 The Evening Times (Pawtucket, RI) (page 6)

SMITH'S JABS DECIDE BOUT
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Lanky Californian Fighter Delights 6000 Fans By Outpointing Sam Langford
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VICTORY IS WELL EARNED.
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Gunboat Has Edge on Dusky Boston Terror in Six Rounds--Langford Slow.
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HIS OLD PUNCH LACKING.
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(By Staff Correspondent.)

BOSTON, Nov. 18.--Ceaselessly pumping his left to Sam Langford's face and occasionally crossing a right to the jaw, Gunboat Smith of California, the champion white hope, climbed a few rungs on the pugilistic ladder at the Atlas A. A. here last evening by defeating the Boston "Tar Baby" on points in their 12-round bout. Though the majority of the 6000 spectators went wild with delight over the manner in which Smith outpointed the burly negro, rated, with Johnson out of the country, the best heavyweight in America, the referee's decision must have given some of the wise ones a severe pain about the region of the pocketbook, for Langford entered the ring a top-heavy favorite at odds of 3 to 1.

There was no question about the merit of the award, however. Smith had at least six rounds on points, and although Langford forced the pace the Boston fighter was unable to land effectively more than three or four times and had a margin, in but two months. Smith's lefts carried no great weight with them, but he fairly showered them upon the negro's face, and while they rattled harmlessly off Langford's rounded skull they were all points that enabled the lanky and shifty Californian to carry off the victory. There were no knockdowns, in fact, seldom was either man staggered, but it was a hard, earnest battle from gong to gong, and there wasn't a man jack of the spectators who didn't keep his eyes glued on the big battlers in expectation of a decisive wallop, for both Smith and Langford are hard hitters.

Admittedly, it was not the real Langford whom Smith faced last night. Had it not been for the fact that the "wise" money was down on Langford at big odds the bout might have looked queer, for Sambo was not the neat puncher of days of yore. His blows lacked snap and he allowed himself to be jabbed all around the ring by Smith without a return, although there was a time when Langford, despite his short reach, could jab with anybody.

Langford advanced constantly throughout the bout, driving Smith around the ring, but seldom was he able to land consistently, for Smith either beat him to the punch with his left jab, pumping his glove to Langford's face almost feverishly at time, or else bounded into a clinch. When Langford did sink home a good wallop he seemed unable to follow up his lead, for Smith blocked cleverly and tied him up in the clinches. There was no question but what the black boxer was trying, but he has gone way back and the time may not be far distant when he will meet with a more decisive defeat than that at Smith's hands. Last night, after two weeks of hard training, he was still fat, and when the 12th round came it was quite evident that the sound of the gong was not unwelcome.

Mr. Smith Is Cool Customer.

Smith's showing was a pleasant surprise to the big crowd, most of whom were rooting for the white man. He boxed coolly and displayed splendid judgment and footwork. Seldom did he allow himself to deviate from his chosen plan of battle--to keep Langford away with his left and shoot over his right whenever occasion presented. Smith missed some fine chances to score effectively, however, by "pulling" his right. He seemed afraid all the time that Langford was "laying back" for a Garrison finish, an opinion freely expressed around the ringside and discounted when the 12th round saw Langford boxing slower, if anything, than he had in the three sessions previous.

Smith, though the victor, left the ring with signs of battle, while Langford was unscratched. Smith's souvenir was a cut under his left eye that Langford opened up in the fourth round. The wound gave the Californian little or no bother, however, and did not appear to interfere with his sight.

Smith is still some distance from a champion, but he is a shifty chap, awkwardly clever and carries a punch which promises to flatten more than one man before he hangs up the gloves.

Three Hot Prelims.

The main bout was preceded by three of as lively preliminary bouts as anyone would care to see. Walter Butler and Al Cunningham, 125-pound Boston boys, opened the show with a furious little scrap which ended abruptly in the second round, when, after flooring his man three times, Butler stopped him cold with a right and left to the jaw, Cunningham taking the full count.

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Dave Powers and Tommy Dowd, welterweights, put up a bout which started in a sensational manner and ended in a fizzle, for when Dawd, after flooring Powers four times with a savage right swing in the first round, found that he couldn't keep his red-headed opponent down, he dogged along until the fifth round and then quit cold. With Powers several feet away from him, Dowd curled up on the mat and didn't move until Dick Fleming had reeled off full 10 seconds.

Powers got a great hand when he left the ring, for in the first round his chances didn't look worth two pins. Dowd fairly flung himself at his opponent in that furious session and Powers went down four times as if he had been hit by a board. After the second round, however, he kept inside and beat Dowd so steadily with straight punches that the yellow soon commenced to show.

Freddie Duffy of Jamaica Plain was allowed to cruelly punish Eddie Flynn of Lynn in the semi-final. He knocked the Lynn boy cold in the fifth round because Flynn's seconds didn't know enough to throw in the sponge after their man had been beaten to a frazzle. Duffy started Flynn on the chutes in the first round, when he floored him with a neat straight one-two punch. Twice more Flynn went down and was groggy when he went to his corner.

From then on Flynn had no show, and in the fifth round, after he had been beaten to the mat twice by his slashing rival, Duffy knocked him cold with a right uppercut.

Shortly after 9 o'clock Smith entered the ring and was given a great hand. He was accompanied by Jim Buckley, his manager, and Al Kubiak. Sam Langford clambered through the ropes, escorted by four Ethiopian esquires, Bob Armstrong and George Byers being conspicuous members of the retinue. There followed the usual confab and then it was announced that the men would box straight rules. Before the fight Langford was a 3 to 1 shot.

As is the case in many big bouts, there was very little action in the first round.

Smith Pops Over Left.

Langford landed lightly on the body and Smith tapped the negro with several left jabs. In the clinch Langford put over two right hooks, but after that was blocked so well that he could land but seldom. Before the end of the round Smith started jabbing like a piston-rod and had a lead on points at the bell.

Langford tried to get Smith at close quarters in the second round, but Smith was wary and kept dancing around, poking his left against Langford's nose so often that the negro once or twice rubbed it with his glove. Just before the end of the round Smith threw over a hard right hook and went to his corner with the crowd cheering him wildly. It was his round.

The third round saw Smith keeping Langford at a respectful distance by constant use of his left. Several times, too, he just tickled the Boston boxer's jaw with a right that fairly whistled through the air. This also was Smith's round.

Langford worked faster in the fourth, but all he got for his pains was a right which sent him back, and Smith's jabs soon evened the round. Langford had a slight shade in the fifth, as he landed frequently on Smith's eye, which he had cut in the previous session with a hard left, but his margin was slight.

Langford Has Eighth Round.

Smith again led in the sixth round, and the seventh was even, but the eighth saw Langford straighten up Smith several times with uppercuts, and Smith's eye bled profusely. This was Langford's best round, the only one in which he did any real heavy punching.

The ninth was even, the 10th saw Smith dancing around the ring but piling up points, and although Langford tried hard in the 11th and got an even break, Smith closed strongly in the last round and outfought the negro enough to win the honors in the final session. There was wild cheering when Dick Fleming pointed to Smith's corner, signifying that he had won.


1913-11-18 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 15)

Langford Loses Decision To Smith in 12 Rounds
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(Special to The Evening World.)

BOSTON, Mass., Nov. 18.--"Gunboat" Smith looks like a real boxer. Before nearly 7,000 fans last night at the Atlas A. A. he won the award over Sam Langford in their twelve-round bout. The decision was a just one, for only in about three rounds did Langford have the honors.

It was probably the largest crowd of sports that ever watched a bout in this city, and all went away satisfied that Langford had shot his bolt, so far as ever again being considered a good contender for the world's title. He has gone back so far that the fans last night were surprised, for they never realized that the once formidable boxer had retrograded to such an extent.

That he would be defeated by Smith was not dreamed of by most of the fans, who were offering 100 to 25 that Langford would be the winner. Some of the bolder betters were ready to make good wagers that Langford would stop Smith within six rounds. There were few takers of the Smith end.

Smith's heady boxing and his footwork was as big a surprise as Langford's poor showing. No one can say that Langford did not do all he could, for if ever he worked hard to win he did last night. It was Smith's tantalizing left jabs and his right to the jaw that threw Langford off, so that he had hard work getting set or countering.

Smith was in good shape, while Langford still carried a lot of unnecessary fat. Only a few times did Smith forget the plan that had been mapped out for him to follow, and when he did deviate from it he received some wallops that made him shake.

There was not a knockdown in the battle, but at the close both boxers were pretty well tired from their work. Though Langford's punches had much power behind them, Smith had outscored him in every round but the eighth, ninth and eleventh by a big margin.


1913-11-18 The Gazette Times (Pittsburgh, PA) (page 10)

Decision Is Awarded To Gunboat Smith
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Californian Whips Sam Langford in a Twelve-Round Bout in Boston.
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BATTLE GOES TO THE LIMIT
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[By Associated Press to Gazette Times.]

BOSTON, MASS., Nov. 17.--Gunboat Smith sprung a surprise on the fight fans here tonight by outpointing Sam Langford, the big tar baby, who has been hot after Jack Johnson. The go went 12 rounds, Smith and Langford both holding back during the first six rounds. Langford was hog fat and took the defensive. Smith held him off with a stiff left, and swung repeatedly with his right, but the vaunted power of Gunboat's right failed to put Langford in serious distress.

Right at the gong in the first, Smith poked over some quick left jabs that set the pace. During the round he got in two right swings to the jaw, while Langford danced and played shy.

The second was about even in the swap of blows, Gunboat still using his left successfully. Smith had all the better of the third and held his own in the fourth.

First blood came in the fifth when Sam opened up Gunboat's eye. Langford let himself loose, but failed to distress his opponent. Again in the sixth, Langford showed the best work, but in the seventh Smith got busy again and forced Langford to cover up. The eighth and ninth were Langford's, but Smith was putting up a game battle.

Smith put in a hot round in the tenth, swing his right on to the jaw of Langford with but little effect. Langford came back strong in the eleventh and outpointed Smith here.

The final round was even, the two heavyweights showing the best fighting of the evening. Langford was badly winded and after the first few rounds it was apparent he could not knock Smith out. Smith had everything to gain and tore into the colored fighter during the last few rounds. His aggressiveness and speed kept Langford constantly busy. The decision of Dick Fleming, the referee, fell to Smith.


1913-11-18 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, MO) (page 8)

NOT A CHEER FOR THE WINNER.
--------
The Gunboat Smith Decision Was a Regular Boston Verdict.

Boston, Mass., Nov. 18.--In giving Gunboat Smith a decision last night in his bout with Langford, Smith certainly secured what is known as a Boston verdict. When the referee gave the verdict the large crowd present were so taken back that they left the club without even a cheer. Langford was much faster than at any time since his return from Australia, and while not in his best shape, certainly looked more like his old self. Langford left the ring without a mark, while Smith had to be led from the building. Langford wants a return match and will show the sporting world that he is Smith's master. Langford fights in New York City next Monday and then goes to Paris to fill his engagements. Last night's crowd was the largest ever at a boxing contest in Massachusetts.


1913-11-18 The Seattle Daily Times (Seattle, WA) (page 16)

SAM LANGFORD KIDS TOO LONG, SO GUNBOAT SMITH BEATS HIM
--------

Though he was hanging on for dear life at the end of the twelfth round at Boston last night, and despite the fact that he was dog tired and right on the verge of a sound whipping, Gunboat Smith was given the decision over Sam Langford in their twelve-round bout.

Sam was as fat as a prize porker and in the early rounds he planted himself in the middle of the ring and let Smith jab away at him. Some of the blows he tossed off with his arms; the others he took without blinking an eye.

Smith has been touted all along as a hitter; a slugger of the clean-up type, but he was so scared of Langford last night that he stood off at long range and jabbed with his left. His right is his best hand; the blow he uses to drop his opponents, but he was afraid to cut loose with it against Langford last night.

In the last five rounds Smith tired and Sam began to dig into his body with short, savage blows that had steam behind them. Smith does not like that kind of stuff. He turned his back and dogged it from Carl Morris a few weeks ago, making a bluff that he had been hit low, and he had no stomach for the work last night after Sam began to punch in earnest.

Sam occasionally sent a punch to the head and opened up cuts under both of Smith's eyes. The Gunboat was bleeding freely and was hanging on to Sam like a long lost brother at the close of the mill, so naturally the crowd was surprised when Referee Dick Flemming held up Smith's hand as the winner. Sam had simply loafed and kidded too long in the early rounds and the referee remembered the points Smith had piled up with his long left jabs and thought they counted for more than Sam's business-like drives in the closing rounds.

This decision will help Gunboat's record, but it would be hard to make any one who has seen the two men in action believe that the Gunner would have much of a chance with Sam if the squatty negro will take the bout seriously enough to train off some of the fat that is now larding his frame.


1913-11-18 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 8)

LANGFORD TOO SLOW FOR GUNBOAT SMITH
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Sailor Wins Decision Over Sam in Twelve Poorly Fought Rounds in Boston.
--------
LEFT JAB MAIN FACTOR
--------
Gunner Uses It Repeatedly to Worry Negro, Though It Does No Damage.
--------

Boston, Nov. 17.--Gunboat Smith won the decision over Sam Langford in a twelve round go at the Atlas A. A. tonight. The bout was a poor one, Langford being slow and Smith so wary that he did his leading at long range and covered up when the pair came in close. The result was a shock to most of the 7,500 who assembled with the expectation of seeing the Tar Baby put an end to the white hope aspirations of the tall youth. It also hurt the feelings of many who felt so sure their favorite would win in easy fashion that they went so far as to bet 2 to 1 on Langford.

Sam looked very well fed and consequently he did not display the speed and vigor that Bostonians have been accustomed to in his encounters of years gone by. Smith fought a defensive battle. He kept away about all the time, refused to open up and evidently had received good advice as to how to tie Langford up when close in. Gunboat used his left very effectively in that it scored points and kept his opponent so busy blocking and ducking that he did not have many opportunities to lead.

Sam tried fruitlessly to back Smith up against the ropes, a favorite line of action by the Boston slugger. Every little time he felt the ropes behind him the sailor stuck his left into Langford's face and got away. The jabs which the white man used were almost countless, and while many of them were blocked those that did land were very light and bothered but did not hurt the dusky boy.

Langford had the better of four rounds, the eighth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth. The others were Smith's by a considerable margin. He hit Sam repeatedly without returns and though he did no damage points were scored. Occasionally Gunboat cracked away at Sam's jaw with his right, but the blows did not hurt. Langford opened Smith's left eye during the fifth and he used the cut for a target during the remainder of the bout.

In the eighth Sam punished Smith quite a little, getting in several left hooks to the jaw. During the eleventh Smith was slowed up by a stiff left, followed by a right to the body, and he retreated. In the final round Gunboat was very tired but he kept his head and stood away sending in his left as a defensive measure.


1913-11-18 The Washington Times (Washington, DC) (page 12)

Langford Is Slipping; Smith Gets Decision
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BOSTON, Mass., Nov. 18.--Gunboat Smith, California heavyweight, upset the dope here last night, and beat Sam Langford of Boston in a twelve-round bout, out-pointing him in all but two rounds. The "Tar Baby" was a 10-to-7 favorite, and was in better condition than when he fought Flynn recently, but his aggressive tactics failed to penetrate Smith's defense, except in the eighth and eleventh, when Langford threw science to the winds, and waded in. Even then he couldn't deliver heavily enough. It is conceded today that Langford is slipping back.

1898-12-27 Joe Gans W-PTS25 Wilmington Jack Daly [Lenox Athletic Club, New York, NY, USA]

1898-12-28 New York Evening Journal (New York, NY) (page 8)

JACK DALY NO MATCH FOR JOE GANS
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The Colored Lightweight from Baltimore Gives Him a Hard Drubbing in a 25-Round Boxing Match.
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The Fast Work of the Negro and His Effective Blocks of Hard Swinging Blows Confuse His Opponent.
---

There was a strange boxing contest at the Lenox Athletic Club last night. Jack Daly, who for some time has been posing as the very next thing to a champion of account of a twenty-round draw with Lavigne, met Joe Gans, the colored lightweight from Baltimore. The men boxed twenty-five rounds and it was one of the nearest things to a procession for twenty-four of them ever seen in New York.

Gans made Daly look far, far from a championship possibility and again the wise wonder about that Cleveland draw with Lavigne. It was Gans all the way to the last round when Daly made his usual grand stand finish and set the mob howling. But there was no chance of even a draw. Gans had followed him for better than an hour, feinted him into hard knots, jabbed him in the body, hooked him in the face, marked him, bruised him, belted him with the right, and altogether proved himself the superior boxer, fighter and general by his perfect attack and wonderful defence.

Daly fought as he has never fought before, with desperate earnestness and savage persistency, but Gans understood him to the last awkward lunge and swing, and was never in danger. He left the ring without a mark, while both of Daly's eyes were on the close, his nose beaten and bleeding and both sides of his face bumped to a fare-you-well.

Indeed it was strange that a man who could draw with the champion should be so thoroughly outfought by Gans. Of course it may be that this uncanny colored lad is the man to follow Lavigne. It is certainly not Daly. The two men hardly class.

Gans All the Time.

This is the first time that Gans has appeared in New York with a first-class, roughing, mixing proposition. It is true he met Ernst, McPartland and Ziegler, but none of them go Daly's galt. Barring the first mentioned, none of them makes a specialty of taking long chances and going any old way to hurt. Each has a certain style somewhat resembling boxing. Daly is the real, rough and ready, go-get-him fighter, and it was interesting to see what Gans could do to such a man.

He did a lot of things. First, he started in feinting to try Daly's nerve and eyesight. For one whole round he did little else and in every instance Daly was puzzled to a point where he was forced to land. It was the same savage left chop for which Daly is noted. Again and again he tried it, but each time it was blocked solidly.

Gans would step in till his foot passed Daly's and bring his body forward slowly. The feinting was perfect and Daly would break before it constantly. Gans would follow him with the same glide and Daly was indeed at sea.

Nothing of note happened until the second round, when Gans drew a left lead, and crossing it with the right, dropped Daly to his knees. Then he followed him and got the left to the face. Daly came back with his inevitable chop, followed by a swinging right, but Gans got inside and smiled as the hurricane passed over his head.

Daly Badly Rattled.

Up to the sixth there was nothing to it but Gans. In fact, to that round Daly seemed to be hopelessly confused by Joe's feinting and the unexpected left hand. He led often but always when Gans expected it, so it went to the bad.

In the sixth he began rushing in deadly earnest, and mixed Gans up in some furiously fast affairs, but Gans's defence and perfect eyes saved him from harm. Daly was all over his arms and shoulders, round and overhead, but the clean work was being done by Gans.

Round after round it went on the same, Gans would feint, slip in, feint until the chop came down. This blocked, he would begin again and finally getting Daly confused, would reach his face with the left. Again and again he would wait until Daly was about to break ground, then in with a left hook that would rock him. He would stab his left to the body, draw a lead, then a mix and come inside with a short right, as they came together. On several occasions the right all but set Daly star gazing and every one left a welt.

Daly fought as best he knew how and with a gameness worthy of the highest praise, but Gans knew things he had never dreamed of and blocked him perfectly.

In all the roughing mix-ups which Daly forced, where punches and swings were going both ways and coming from all directions, Gans was never once caught unawares. He would block the left high, and it seemed the chance for the right was perfect, but as often as it came, he got under it and laid close.

Daly tried every trick in his repertoire. He swung and came back with back-handed. He chopped and then swung the left savagely, but between the gloves and their mark Gans's brown arms always intervened. When it grew too warm he ducked out of things with marvelous judgment and speed. Do what he would, Daly could not find him fair.

Gans' Right at Work.

In the latter rounds Gans's right became more active. Daly began trying with his own good hand at the body, but Gans soon discouraged him by crossing fair on his jaw. Twice Daly tried a lead with the right for the jaw without his preliminary left. The first time it was simply stopped, but the next Gans blocked him high and crossed with his right fair on the nose.

Toward the close Gans did a lot of hunting for a chance with the right. He managed to reach now and then, but never "for fair." Daly grew cagey, as he wished to shake hands at the final bell. Of course it was good and fast for the last two. Daly saved for a finish that would make the hair and the "one per throw" boys stand.

Gans's continual jabbing and the occasional rights which he got home had Daly's face unfit for publication, but Jack made a finish. He never stopped. Left, right, left back, right again until he was tied in a knot around Gans's neck. He made 'em howl and yell "Put 'im out, Jack," but there was really nothing doing beyond the wear and tear.

In the last round he got his left on the face a few times, and for a time it looked that he would have an advantage for one round at least, but Gans finally caught him ducking and nailed him fair with right and left. It finished in general disorder, with Daly smiling the same old smile. But Gans had beaten him all the way.

Gans is clever to the last degree, and is fit to talk about championships. His one fault is his unwillingness to keep close and busy after a good punch. Once he gets the confidence to go to them and never lose an advantage he has a chance with any man alive. There is a story going that "Spike" Sullivan wants to meet him.

RIGHT CROSS.

1898-12-28 Syracuse Standard (Syracuse, NY) (page 3)

GANS WINS ON POINTS
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The Colored Baltimore Lightweight Beats Daly.
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SUPERBLY FOUGHT BATTLE
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Scientific Work for 25 Rounds and a Fair Decision by Charley White.
---
Special Dispatch to The Standard:

LENOX A. C., NEW YORK, Dec. 27.--Joe Gans, the colored lightweight of Baltimore, received the decision of Referee Charley White at the end of a 25-round glove fight with Jack Daly of Wilmington at the Lenox A. C. to-night. In science and generalship Gans gave a superb exhibition. For nearly 20 rounds he outpointed Daly with considerable to spare. Daly's strength, which at one time seemed to be waning, came back in the last five rounds, which enabled him to make a very strong finish. But on points--that is to say, blows landed, headwork, shiftiness and a general style--Gans had an undoubted advantage, which forced the referee to make the above ruling. There was some dissatisfaction after the verdict had been rendered, but that almost always happens. Gans is now in line to fight some of the top notchers in the lightweight class.

There were 3,500 men on hand and more coming when a redhot preliminary was put on between Jim Janey, colored, of Baltimore, and Dan Sullivan of Boston, for 10 rounds at 148 pounds. In the third round Janey rushed Sullivan to the ropes, where he was on the point of accomplishing a knockout, when the referee, Charley White, got between the men and declared Janey the winner.

Daly was in fine shape apparently when he took his corner. He was in the hands of Sam Fitzpatrick, George Lawlor and Tony Stennard. Gans, too, was in splendid condition. His seconds were Al Herford, Jack McCue, Jim Doherty and Jerry Marshall.

The conditions were 25 rounds at 135 pounds. The men agreed to box under Queensberry rules with a clean break-away.

Round 1--Daly led with his left but Gans was too far away. Daly tried a couple of swings, Gans blocking and putting a stiff left on the neck. Gans then reached the short ribs with a left and missed a swing for the jaw.

Round 2--Gans swung a clean right to the jaw and Daly dropped to one knee. Gans blocked a couple of wild swings for the head and then sent in a left to the chin.

Round 3--Daly tried an onslaught and got his left to the nose. They exchanged swings and worked to a clinch. Gans then planted a couple of straight lefts on the nose.

Round 4--Gans put a hard left on the body and Daly rushed into a mix-up where the Baltimore man held his own. Another left on the wind made Daly rush again only to receive a hot smash on the mouth. Gans put in some more body blows until Daly drove him to a corner from which he escaped nicely.

Round 5--Daly opened with a rush but his heavy swing was stopped. Gans continued to outpoint his rival at long range. The last minute was all in favor of Gans.

Round 6--Gans proceeded to fight at long range, getting in blows on the body and nose. Then Daly began to rush harder than before and also landed his first effective blows. It was Daly's round and the crowd was happy.

Round 7--Daly kept up his rough rushes but Gans showed magnificent defense, and scored a resounding body blow with a right. Gans again reached the stomach, but Daly in a mix up made him slip down.

Round 8--Gans threw a left across on the neck. Daly sent a solid right over the heart and repeated the attack but Gans ducked. They got into a fierce sluggy rally with honors about even.

Round 9--Gans forced Daly to the ropes where he landed on Jack's mouth. Daly then ran with a hard right on the neck and proceeded to rush until he reached the mouth. Daly then roughed matters and in powerful punches landed.

Round 10--Daly rushed into a clinch, Gans protecting himself cleverly. Daly landed a heavy right on the stomach while Gans put a shaky jolt on his chin. It was Gans's round.

Round 11--Gans tried close work, Daly crossing him on the neck with a heavy right. They fiddled around until Daly put a left squarely on the nose and a right on the side of the head. The round was Daly's.

Round 12--Gans landed a corker on the mouth. They mixed it for a moment until Gans broke away. Another rally showed that Daly was the harder hitter.

Round 13--Gans met a rush with an uppercut on the neck. Daly got in another rush and both landed heavily on the head. Then Gans saw an opening for a left and he sent so hard to Jack's nose that the blood came.

Round 14--Gans quickly jabbed Daly's nose and Daly, evidently angered, tried roughing. Gans again caught Daly off his guard with a quick left uppercut on the nose. Daly rushed with a right for the body, but he received a small hurricane of smashes in the face.

Round 15--Daly went on with his rushes and wild swings, while Gans, with consummate skill, put in punches wherever he saw openings. A left on the jaw made Daly's head wag.

Round 16--Daly rushed into a clinch, and after the break tried a vicious swing that flew high. They got into another rally, Daly showing to an advantage, with a couple of hard drives on the head.

Round 17--Gans continued to show his wonderful cleverness by his clean, fair fighting, while Daly did not land more than one good blow in the round.

Round 18--Gans landed several jabs on the damaged nose. In a corner both landed and then at long range Gans sent a swift right to the throat.

Round 19--Daly was the first to start things with a left on the forehead. Daly rushed and Joe got away only to turn quickly and hammer Jack's nose. Daly reached the neck with a heavy jolt.

Round 20--Daly promptly rushed. Gans just stepped aside and rapped him on the jaw with a beautiful left. Daly tried more rushing until Gans shook him up with a terrific right on the neck, followed with a left on the nose.

Round 21--Daly tried a couple of desperate swings, but the Baltimore man got away, whipping in sharp drives to the face and neck. Then Gans did a little rushing on his own hook and his sharp, cutting blows put Jack on the defensive.

Round 22--Gans met a rush with a heavy right on the chin. Daly got momentum by bounding off the ropes and landed right on Gans's ear.

Round 23--Daly threw in left and right swings on the neck. Gans working both hands on the wind. Daly came again and Gans almost lifted him off his feet with a straight one on the chin. It was Daly's round.

Round 24--Gans seemed slightly tired and let Daly begin operations with the usual rush. Jack bored in with heavy swings, but had to let up when Gans caught him on the jaw with a left. Daly kept on with his attack in the last minute, but his blows were not effective.

Round 25--Gans opened with a quick left on the nose. He put another on the same spot and the blood began to flow again. But Daly was full of fight, and with a heavy smash on the eye made Gans retreat. Daly rushed like a tiger all through the round and landed some fine smashes, with the result that Gans was on the defensive at the end. Gans got the decision on points, which was just, but half of the crowd hooted.


1898-12-28 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, NY) (page 11)

GANS OUTPOINTS DALY.

Baltimore Boxer Wins the Fight at the Lenox A. C.

Joe Gans of Baltimore received the decision over Jack Daly of Wilmington last night after twenty-five rounds of uninteresting boxing. The decision did not meet with the approval of a large part of the 4,000 spectators in attendance because of the fact that Daly did most of the leading, but they did not seem to take into consideration the fact that Daly's leads were almost invariably blocked by Gans, and that the latter did the forcing, and that his blows were clean and well placed. Daly made a very poor showing and Gans' defensive tactics tended to make the bout at times very tiresome. Gans was by far the cleverer of the two and his defensive work was admirable. The foot work of both men was at times very pretty, but Daly showed the uselessness of good leg work without the ability to back it up with effective hitting powers. His peculiar left chop he was unable to land, Gans blocking it in almost every instance, at the same time stepping inside of his right swing. Gans sent his left repeatedly to the face and
scored a clean knockdown in the second round with a right swing one the jaw. On the whole the work of the Baltimore boxer was remarkably clever and were he more aggressive he would prove a hard proposition for any of the aspirants in his class. Referee White's decision was good and the only one possible under the circumstances.

The men contented themselves with light sparring in the opening round, but in the second Gans stepped inside Daly's chop and landed with his right on the jaw. Daily dropped to the floor, but he was up immediately and rushed in with a left drop and a swinging right, but Gans was not there. Gans then jabbed his left twice to the wind and was working Daly around the ring when the bell rang, in the third Gans jabbed his left to the face repeatedly. Daly tried again and again, but could do nothing.

Gans was blocking and getting inside of Daly's swings in wonderful style and it was not until the fifth round that the latter was able to land a blow, his right twice visiting Gans' ribs. Gans was constantly reaching the wind with his left and was making Daly look very foolish.

Jack was a trifle better in the eighth, getting a good right to the heart. He was forcing the fighting and leading left and right continually, but Gans' blocking was too much for him. The eleventh was a little livelier than any of the preceding rounds. Daly sent his right hard to the body and both swung lefts to the head. Daly swung his right viciously, but always fell short and just before the bell sounded Gans sent his left flush to Daly's mouth.

In the thirteenth Daly grew careless while breaking ground and Gans hooked his left hard to the nose, scoring first blood and keeping it going in the next with another left hook. Daly seemed to be growing tired, while Gans looked as fresh as ever. In the eighteenth he livened up and reached Daly's head with right and left and several times Jack barely missed some of Joe's swings for the jaw.

Gans was looking far a chance to get his right to the mark, and in the twenty-second missed it by only an inch, landing with force enough to rock Jack's head. Daly tried hard in the last rounds to regain his lost ground. But Gans met his rushes every time with stiff counters. Jack landed a left chop several times, but Gans had too much of a lead to lose and received the decision.

The preliminary bout was the warmest affair ever witnessed at the Lenox Club. The principals. Jim Janey of Baltimore, and Dan Sullivan of Boston, were scheduled to go ten rounds at 148 pounds, but it was evidently the idea of both men to shorten the schedule, for they started in with a shower of swinging rights and lefts that left each so weak at the end of the first round that they were scarcely able to stagger to their respective corners. Both were soon bleeding from the nose and at times both were so weak that had either the strength to follow up his advantage by a single blow he could have won out. Janey finally caught his man with a right swing on the jaw in the fourth round and he went to the floor and on regaining his feet Janey rushed in and sent right and left to the head in rapid succession. Sullivan was practically knocked out and the referee stepped in and ordered them to their corners. Janey received the decision.


1898-12-28 The New York Herald (New York, NY) (page 10)

GANS RECEIVES THE DECISION.
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Hard Fight of Twenty-Five Rounds with "Jack" Daly at the Lenox Athletic Club.
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"Joe" Gans, the colored pugilist, of Baltimore, Md., defeated "Jack" Daly, of Wilmington, Del., after twenty-five rounds of hard, clever fighting at the Lenox Athletic Club last night. The referee, "Charley" White, gave the decision to Ganz on points. Although a just one, it was received with mingled hisses and applause.

The conditions of the contest called for twenty-five rounds at 135 pounds. They agreed to fight with no hitting on the breakaway. Gans' seconds were "Al" Herford, "Jack" McCue, "Jim" Dougherty and "Jerry" Marshall. Daly's were "Tony" Stannard, George Lawlor and "Sam" Fitzpatrick. Gans was the favorite at 2 to 1. Daly had the advantage in height. The opening round was mild. Gans was the more scientific boxer and his feints frequently caused Daly to make peculiar moves. In the second round Daly led with the left and fell short, when Gans sent his right across and caught Daly on the jaw, the latter being turned around and falling. Daly was the aggressive in the early part of the sixth round and outpointed the colored lad. Toward the close of the round, however, Daly received a right on the jaw.

Gans had the best of the seventeenth round. He had a splendid opportunity to score a knockout, and missed. He said, "I won't get another chance like that, Jack." In the eighteenth round Gans showed pronounced superiority. Once he caught Jack with his left on the jaw with such force as to stagger the Delaware lad, who had all he could do to draw himself together in good shape. From this point to the twenty-second round Gans outpointed his man. In the twenty-third round Daly scored with the right and left. Daly improved in the twenty-fourth round and again carried off the honors. In the twenty-fifth and final round Gans took the initiative and scored with the left on the nose, bringing blood. Daly retaliated with a left on the neck, but he received a smart uppercut in return. Gans was declared the winner.

In the preliminary bout "Jim" Janey, the colored welter weight of Baltimore, defeated "Dan" Sullivan, of Boston, after three rounds of hard fighting. Sullivan was rapidly being pounded into a state of collapse when the referee stopped the bout.


1898-12-28 The New York Times (New York, NY) (page 4)

Gans Defeated Daly.

"Joe" Gans, the colored lightweight of Baltimore, and "Jack" Daly of Wilmington, Del., fought twenty-five rounds last night at the Lenox Athletic Club. Both men fought hard from start to finish, with Gans cool and aggressive and the Wilmington boxer rushing in wildly in every round. Daly was badly punished, and when the referee awarded the decision to Gans in the final round the latter had scarcely a mark on him.


1898-12-28 The Sun (Baltimore, MD) (page 6)

The Baltimore Boxers Win Their Fights At The Lenox Athletic Club.
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GANS A VICTOR ON POINTS.
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He And Daly Finish The Limit Of Twenty-Five Rounds.
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Cautious Sparring And No Risks Of Defeat Taken By Trying To Put Out His Opponent--James Janey, The Colored Welter Weight, Has An Easy Job.

New York, Dec. 27.--The Baltimore crowd that came here to see the 25-round fight between the light-weights Joseph Gans, of Baltimore, and Jack Daly, of Wilmington, Del., before the Lenox Athletic Club, are doubly victorious tonight, for Gans won and his companion, James Janey, the colored welter weight, of Baltimore, defeated Daniel Sullivan, of Boston, with ease in four rounds of the scheduled ten-round preliminary bout.

Gans and Daly met at 135 pounds and went the limit of 25 rounds, the colored boxer from Baltimore getting the decision from the referee. Gans outpointed his man through nearly all of the fight, but with that notable caution and carefulness which is his strongest point next to his skill with arms and legs, he refused to jeopardize his safety by taking risks in order to put his man out, though he was always on the alert for a chance to finish his opponent.

Some spectators were dissatisfied with the verdict of the referee, but the majority agreed that Gans had clearly won. He was a favorite in the betting at 100 to 80, and those who were affected by the odds looked for Daly to be an easy mark for the Baltimorean; hence some surprise was expressed at Daly's showing.

Little was done in the first round. In the second Daly tried left and right, but was blocked. Gans stood off, waiting for an opening, and sent a right swing to the jaw, dropping Daly to the floor.

Daly got up inside of three seconds, only to get a couple of hard lefts in the wind, and despite many earnest endeavors with both hands the Delaware man was unable to reach the colored man's body, Gans kept punching Daly in the face, drawing blood from the nose.

Both men fought carefully throughout, and in some rounds no damage whatever was done. Daly continued to force matters, but without effect, Gans being too clever. Gans watched closely for an opportunity to plant a knockout blow, and was quite willing to let Daly do the hard work.

Round 25--They shook hands and Gans went right to his man with a left on the face. Daly sent back a left chop on the neck. Gans put a hard left on the face and Daly sent his to the neck. Daly's nose bled again and Joe sent a righthand uppercut on the breast. Daly kept chopping his left on face and neck, and Gans landed a hard left on the neck. Another left chop from Daly drew a hard left from Joe which landed on the head. Both men fought wickedly toward the close of the round, but neither had any apparent advantage.


1898-12-28 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 5)

JOE GANS VICTORIOUS.
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HE CLEVERLY OUTPOINTS JACK DALY AT THE LENOX A. C.
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The Colored Lightweight Makes a Remarkable Showing--Outclasses His Rival in Science, Headwork and Style--Jim Janey Scores Another Win for Baltimore.

Joe Gans, the colored lightweight of Baltimore, received the decision of Referee Charley White at the end of a twenty-five-round glove fight with Jack Daly of Wilmington at the Lenox A. C. last night. In science and generalship Gans gave a superb exhibition. For nearly twenty rounds he outpointed Daly, with considerable to spare. Daly's strength, which at one time seemed to be waning, came back in the last five rounds, which enabled him to make a very strong finish. But on points, that is to say blows landed, head work, shiftiness and style, Gans had an undoubted advantage, which forced the referee to make the ruling.

There was some dissatisfaction after the verdict had been rendered, but that almost always happens. Daly was rather severely bruised about the face, while Gans bore no marks to speak of. Gans is now in line to fight some of the topnotchers in the lightweight class. He is a remarkable boxer, but not a very heavy hitter. He was heavily backed last night, as he generally is, by a crowd of Baltimoreans, who went home jubilant. Spike Sullivan says he wants a crack at Gans as soon as possible.

The excellence of the card attracted a crowd larger than the average, a delegation of Baltimore sports being among early arrivals at the clubhouse. The steam heaters in the building were a little too much of a good thing, and the crowd soon took coats off under protest. There were 3,500 persons on hand and more coming when a red-hot preliminary was put on between Jim Janey, colored, of Baltimore and Dan Sullivan of Boston for ten rounds at 148 pounds.

The moment the first bell rang they were at each other in hammer and tongs style. Both used heavy swings that landed squarely on the head. First Sullivan went down, bleeding from the nose and mouth. Then Janey was floored. When the round ended the crowd was wild with excitement. In the second round Janey had a slight advantage, but Sullivan fought like a tiger. In the third round both were tired, bleeding and groggy. Janey had some reserve strength in the fourth and soon scored a clean knock-down. Sullivan took nine seconds and then staggered to his feet, almost blind from blood. Janey rushed him to the ropes and was on the point of accomplishing a knock-out when the referee, Charley White, got between the men and declared Janey the winner. The time of the round was 2 minutes 4 seconds.

There was so much Gans money floating about that the betting, which opened at $100 to $80 on the Baltimorean, was soon lengthened to 2 to 1. At this price the local talent hooked on with large wads. There was not much enthusiasm when the principals entered the ring, although 4,000 persons were present. Daly was in fine shape apparently when he took his corner. He was in the hands of Sam Fitzpatrick, George Lawlor and Tony Stennard. Gans, too, was in splendid condition. His seconds were Al Herford, Jack McCue, Jim Doherty and Jerry Marshall. The conditions were twenty-five rounds at 135 pounds. When the rivals shook hands Daly showed that he had the reach. The men agreed to box under Queensberry rules, with a clean break away.

First Round.--They sparred easily for a moment. Then Daly led with his left, but Gans was too far away. More sparring, and cries of "Fight!" from the crowd followed. Daly then tried a couple of swings, Gans blocking and putting a stiff left on the neck. Gans then reached the short ribs with a left and also tried a swing for the jaw with the same hand, but it missed. Daly seemed to be drawing his man on toward the close.

Second Round.--Gans had a beautiful style, and was shifty on his feet with a superb defence in the way of blocking swings. Daly stood still a moment as if waiting for his man to come to him. Gans darted in swiftly and swung a clean right to the jaw. Daly dropped to one knee and Gans made a motion to strike him again. When Daly got up he was laughing, but at the same time he took good care to use his legs. Gans blocked a couple of wild swings for the head and then sent in a left to the chin. It was Gans's round.

Third Round.--Gans was the more scientific boxer, according to the experts around the ring. In fact, Daly seemed to appreciate the fact, for he was very cautious. Jack finally rushed, but Gans's footwork was a revelation. Daly tried another onslaught and got his left to the nose. They exchanged swings and in a warm rally in Gans's corner they worked to a clinch. Gans then planted a couple of straight lefts on the nose and Daly grinned. Gans's round.

Fourth Round.--Gans began forcing things at once. He put a hard left on the body and Daly rushed into a mix-up, where the Baltimore man held his own. Another left on the wind made Daly rush again, only to receive a hot smash on the mouth. Daly fell short with two left drives, but Gans nailed him on the eye with a hard jab. Gans put in some more body blows until Daly drove him to a corner from which he escaped nicely. It was beautiful science.

Fifth Round.--Daly got a shower bath in his corner and came up feeling fresh. He opened with a rush, but his heavy swing was stopped as if Gans had a shield. It seemed almost impossible to land a telling blow on the Baltimore man, while the latter continued to outpoint his rival at long range. Daly began to come to close quarters with attempted body blows, but he was beaten off with lefts in the face. The last minute was all in favor of Gans, his opponent laying back.

Sixth Round.--Daly's chance for victory appeared to be in a mix-up, where he could get in a heavy punch on some vital spot. Gans knew this well enough, so he proceeded to fight at long range, getting in blows on the body and nose. Then Daly began to rush harder than before and also landed his first effective blows. One body smash made Gans hustle away, but Daly kept after him up to the sound of the gong. It was Daly's round, and the crowd was happy.

Seventh Round.--Daly kept up his rough rushes now, for he saw that they might bring him success. He was aware of the fact that Gans could outbox him, and that the only way to win was by a knockout. Gans showed magnificent defence, though, and later scored a resounding body blow with a right. Gans again reached the stomach, but Daly in a mix-up made him slip down. Gans leaped to his feet, but the bell stopped further work.

Eighth Round.--So far it had been a most interesting encounter. When Daly came up Gans threw a left across on the neck. Daly rushed and sent in a solid right over the heart. Daly repeated the attack, but Gans ducked, and Jack's back-hander went wide. They got into a fierce slugging rally, with honors about even, and the crowd, by bursting into cheers, showed what was wanted.

Ninth Round.--Gans gradually forced Daly to the ropes, where he landed on Jack's mouth. Daly then ran in with a hard right on the neck, and proceeded to rush until he reached the mouth. "Watch that back-hander," said Gans to the referee. "Go on and fight," replied White. Daly then roughed matters, and in powerful punches landed he had an advantage. They were at long range when time was up.

Tenth Round.--Daly stood still for a few seconds until Gans quickly tapped him on the eye. Then he rushed into a clinch, Gans protecting himself cleverly. Daly soon landed a heavy right on the stomach, after which they indulged in give and take, Daly's head wabbling from a jolt on the chin. Gans then outboxed Jack for a short spell until the latter drew away. It was Gans's round.

Eleventh Round.--Daly danced half way around the ring, Gans following, but no blows were attempted. Gans then tried closer work, Daly crossing him on the neck with a heavy right. Jack rushed, but Gans was too clever and easily escaped. They fiddled around the ring again until Daly dashed in with a great left squarely on the nose. He followed with a right on the side of the head and Gans clinched. The round was undoubtedly Daly's.

Twelfth Round.--Gans avoided a rush in neat fashion. Daly tried another and all of his swings were blocked. Still Jack ran in again, but this time Gans landed a corker on the mouth. They mixed it for a moment until Gans broke away. Another rally showed that Daly was the harder hitter. Jack then brought his legs into play and worried his opponent not a little. A second before the bell Daly landed hard on the ear.

Thirteenth Round.--Gans fell short with a left for the face, but he met a rush with an uppercut on the neck. Daly got in another rush, and both landed heavily on the head. They worked around the ring, feinting, jig stepping and sparring, until at close quarters they exchanged swings on the neck. Then Gans saw an opening for a left, and he sent it so hard to Jack's nose that the blood made its appearance without delay.

Fourteenth Round.--Daly's seconds were busy fixing his nose when he was forced to come up again. Gans quickly jabbed it with his left, and Daly, evidently angered, tried roughing. But Gans's cleverness was apparent all the time, and Jack soon took the defensive. Gans hustled a bit now and for a moment he caught Daly off his guard with a quick left uppercut on the nose. Daly rushed with a right for the body, but he received a small hurricane of smashes in the face. Gans's round.

Fifteenth Round.--It was now merely a question whether Daly could stay the limit or score a knock-out. Gans was outclassing him so persistently that the Baltimorean looked all over a winner, barring accidents. Daly went on with his rushes and wild swings, while Gans, with consummate skill, put in punches wherever he saw openings. A left on the jaw made Daly's head wag, but still Jack rushed. Gans was very fast, while his opponent was a bit weary when he took his corner.

Sixteenth Round.--Daly's nose was swollen and sore when he toed the scratch. He rushed into a clinch, and after the break tried a vicious swing that flew high. He then tried a mix-up, but Gans was all there with clean-cut smashes on the nose and mouth. They got into another rally, Daly showing to advantage with a couple of hard drives on the head. Gans rushed, and as Daly slipped down the colored man made a hit by helping his rival to his feet. Daly was tired in the legs at the end.

Seventeenth Round.--Daly's nose was bleeding when the round began. He looked a bit disheartened, too. The speedy Gans, on the other hand, was confident and at the same time careful not to let Jack get in one of the dangerous smashes that were still in his gloves. Gans also continued to show his wonderful cleverness, and by his clean, fair fighting won the majority of the crowd. Daly did not land more than one good blow in the round, while Gans got in a dozen.

Eighteenth Round.--Daly's legs were not in the best shape now, for they were bridged a good part of the time. Gans began to fight at closer range and landed several jabs on the damaged nose. Daly tried a couple of rushes, but Gans was too nimble. In a corner both landed, and then at long range Gans sent a swift right to the throat that made Daly stagger. Jack came back hard just before the gong sounded.

Nineteenth Round.--Daly was the first to start things with a left on the forehead. He came again with a great swing that passed over Gans's head. Daly rushed, and Joe got away like a sprinter, only to turn quickly and hammer Jack's nose. Again Daly rushed, and this time he reached the neck with a heavy jolt. They mixed it near the end, with honors even.

Twentieth Round.--Daly took a drink out of a black bottle and smacked his lips as he came out of his corner. He possessed renewed vigor, it seemed, for he promptly rushed. Gans just stepped aside and rapped him on the jaw with a beautiful left. Daly tried more rushing until Gans shook him up with a terrific right on the neck. Joe followed quickly with a left on the nose, Daly retreating. Jack, however, rallied and both were hard at work when time was up.

Twenty-first Round.--Daly tried a couple of desperate swings, but the Baltimore man got away as if on springs. Daly kept coming, Gans putting up a pretty defence and also whipping in sharp drives to the face and neck. Then Gans did a little rushing on his own hook, and his sharp, cutting blows put Jack on the defensive. Daly rushed toward the close but did not harm. Both were tired.

Twenty-second Round.--Gans did some neat blocking, but Daly with rough tactics beat down his guard in a rally near the ropes. Gans, a moment later, met a rush with a heavy right on the chin which made Daly clinch. Daly got momentum by bounding off the ropes and landed right on Gans's ear. Gans laughed and then they sparred lightly to the end.

Twenty-third Round.--Daly ran in with a left on the nose. Then he got Gans into a corner and threw in left and right swings on the neck, Gans working both hands on the wind. Daly did more rough attacking, and reached the body with a right. He came again, and Gans almost lifted him off his feet with a straight one on the chin. Daly braced and rushed some more, Gans meeting him with uppercuts. It was Daly's round, much to the surprise of those who thought he had shot his bolt.

Twenty-fourth Round.--Gans seemed slightly tired and let Daly begin operations with the usual rush. Jack was desperate and also inclined to be rough. He bored in with heavy swings, but had to let up when Gans caught him on the jaw with a left that came straight from the shoulder. Daly kept on with his attack in the last minute, but his blows were not effective enough to make any great impression. He had the round, though, on work.

Twenty-fifth Round.--Gans opened with a quick left on the nose. He put another on the same spot, and the blood began to flow again; but Daly was full of fight and renewed strength, and, with a heavy smash on the eye, he made Gans retreat. Daly rushed like a tiger all through the round and landed some fine punches, with the result that Gans was on the defensive at the end.

Gans got the decision on points, which was just, but half of the crowd booed.


1898-12-28 The World (New York, NY) (page 4)

JOE GANS WON FIGHT FROM JACK DALY.
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Little Negro Outpointed the Wilmington Man in a Twenty-five Round Battle.
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TOOK THE LEAD AT THE START.
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Daly Went to the Floor in the Third Round from a Terrific Right Hand Swing on the Head.
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HE RECOVERED AND FOUGHT HARD.
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Gans Had More Science, Much Better Judgment and So Held Daly Safe All Through the Bout.
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Joe Gans, the clever lightweight negro from Baltimore, defeated Jack Daly, of Wilmington, in a scientific fight at the Lenox A. C. last night.

Daly did most of the leading, but the negro countered hard with both right and left, knocking the white man down with a right swing on the jaw early in the fight.

The referee's decision was received with mingled cheers and hisses, but the best judges considered the decision just.

There was one of the largest crowds present since the Corbett-Sharkey fiasco.

Entered the Ring at 9.30.

Gans was favorite in the betting and a crowd of Baltimore sporting men who were present put up money on their townsman at odds of 100 to 75.

Gans entered the ring at 9.30, followed by his seconds, Al Herford, Jack McCue, Jim Dougherty and Jere Marshall. He was greeted by slight applause as he walked across the ring. His habitual stolid expression was still with him.

Daly appeared a few moments later, smiling and bowing to his friends. His seconds were Sam Fitzgerald, George Lawler and Tony Stannard.

Both men seemed to be in perfect condition, and weighed 135 pounds.

They consulted in the centre of the ring a short while and agreed to fight under Queensberry rules and to break clean.

Round 1--As they came to the centre Daly was swinging his arms in his wild, reckless, awkward fashion, while Gans moved cautiously. Daly led for the face and the negro blocked. They sparred for about a minute and exchanged light taps on breast and face. Neither struck a good blow during the round.

Gans Scores a Knockdown.

Round 2--Daly continued swinging his arms, while Gans kept his hands up in front of him. Daly led for the face and missed. Gans slipped in and swung his right square on the jaw, scoring a clean knockdown. Jack was up in three seconds, smiling, while the stolid expression on the negro's face never changed. Light taps on the face and a chop that Daly landed on the top of Gans's head completed the round.

Round 3--Daly tried his right-hand chop without effect. The negro was agile as a cat and got away each time. Daly landed a straight left punch on the nose and then a light right on the stomach. He put another light punch on the nose and received a jab on the mouth from Joe's left.

Round 4--Daly began to mix it up, and they exchanged hard jabs on the head and face. Gans ripped his left into the stomach and Daly crossed his right on the neck. They mixed and Joe stepped inside Jack's guard and shot his right into the neck. Daly's swings were wild and the negro ducked out of danger.

Round 5--Daly began to chop with his right, but was blocked each time. He was very strong, but the Baltimore man was too clever. They mixed, and Daly put two hard punches over the heart at close range. They were the best blows he had delivered thus far, but they seemed to have no effect on Gans.

Round 6--They sparred a few moments, and as Gans led Daly stopped him and landed hard on the neck, and a little later he ripped his left into Gans's stomach and got away without a return. Daly rushed, and as his fists went around the neck Joe gave him a heavy punch in the jaw.

Round 7--Both men were fresh and still fast. Jack rushed and Joe ducked and clinched. A moment later Gans received a light tap on the neck and another hard one in the stomach. Both countered on the body lightly as the bell rang.

Daly Gets Best of the Round.

Round 8--Daly swung his left and missed a wild right swing; he then rushed, and as they came together he shot his right hard to the ribs. He followed it up with a smash on the face and later put another hard one on the ribs. It was clearly Daly's round.

Round 9--Gans led for the face and as they clinched both countered lightly with lefts on body. Jack rushed several times but was unable to land. He came so fast, however, that Gans could not land either. They exchanged jabs on face as the bell rang.

Round 10--The condition of the men was perfect; both were strong and comparatively fresh. They sparred cautiously for a while and then Gans rushed. His left landed square in Daly's face, but Jack came across with his right on the neck and turned the negro around. Joe jabbed his left to the face again and got away without a return.

Round 11--Gans became the aggressor and backed Daly around the ring. He jabbed his left in Jack's face and then swung his right to the body. As they danced about the ring Jack shot his long left out and landed fairly on the nose. They sparred until the end of the round.

Round 12--They mixed it up at the start of this round. Daly rushed, and they exchanged rights and lefts at close range three times. Jack rushed, and both were hooking and swinging with one arm free. Neither could land an effective blow, and they were clinched when the bell rang.

Round 13--Each one led once during the round. Gans caught Daly with his left on the nose and brought the blood, and then Daly rushed without effect.

Round 14--The fighting was very slow and only two good blows were delivered. Jack swung wild with his right twice, and each time Joe side-stepped him and sent his right on the neck.

Round 15--They livened matters in this round by taking turns at rushing, but neither got in a good blow, all the swings were wild, and they were beginning to get tired. Daly's nose was bleeding.

Daly Slips and Falls.

Round 16--Daly swung with his right and Joe side-stepped and sent his right to the neck. Jack hugged with his left arm and put in two terrific right hooks in the side. A little later Gans rushed his man to the ropes and Jack's foot slipped out; he fell. He was tiring badly when the bell rang.

Round 17--Daly began to rush at once, but Gans blocked each time and seemed to be waiting to cross his right. Daly was tired, but continued to rush.

Round 18--Gans put his right and left on Daly's eye and mouth and Jack returned it with a hard jolt in the stomach that made Gans wince. They both put rights and lefts hard on body and neck. Gans rushed and Daly crossed him with a hard right in the face; they were clinched when the bell rang.

Round 19--They sparred for half a minute and then Daly chopped for the face, the blow was blocked and both swings wild; they danced about the ring and Joe jabbed his right on the mouth. Jack swung viciously with his right, but Joe ducked. Gans rushed and they exchanged lefts on the body.

Round 20--Both came up fast and Daly rushed without effect. Gans was still waiting with his right, but failed to find an opportunity suited to him. Jack rushed again with his chopping blows and Joe stepped aside and shot the right into the ribs, the round ended with them sparring.

Not a Blow Delivered.

Round 21--The round was slow and neither man delivered a single blow. Daly did all the leading, but was blocked each time.

Round 22--Daly led for the stomach, and Gans uppercut him hard with his right. They danced around the ring for the rest of the round, with an occasional clinch.

Round 23--Daly put two hard right punches in the ribs. Gans swung for the jaw as he came in, but missed each time. Jack continued to rush Gans, but neither could land hard. Daly's nose and eyes were marked, while the negro was without a scratch.

Round 24--Daly continued to lead, and they clinched constantly, without damage to either. They were clinched when the bell rang.

Round 25--Both came up fast, and Gans led for the jaw. Daly blocked and crossed on the neck with his right. Daly shot his left on the nose and again in the stomach. They exchanged rights as they clinched, and the next time Gans uppercut, Jack put his left in the face hard, but missed a right swing. Gans landed a left swing on the jaw, but Jack swung and landed with his right on the head. It was the fiercest round of the fight, and White gave the fight to Gans on points.

The preliminary was a veritable slugging match between Jim Janey, a Baltimore negro, and Dan Sullivan, of Boston. They pounded each other terribly until the middle of the fourth round, when Referee White stopped the bout to prevent Sullivan from being knocked out and gave the bout to Janey. Both men were knocked down repeatedly and were bleeding profusely.

1904-12-26 Young Peter Jackson D-PTS15 Dixie Kid [Eureka Athletic Club, Germania Maennerchor Hall, Baltimore, MD, USA]

1904-12-27 Baltimore American (Baltimore, MD) (page 7)

PETER JACKSON IN MERRY MOOD
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HE MADE THE BOUTS EASY FOR THE DIXIE KID.
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Conqueror of the English Pugs Didn't Put on Steam and the Man Whose Name Savors of the Southland Trotted the Course and Made It a Draw--A Little Rough-house at the Start, After Which There Was Nothing Doing--Butte Man's Poor Showing.
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Filled with the good will that makes Christmas the most joyous of festivals, Young Peter Jackson permitted the Dixie Kid to go 15 rounds to a draw yesterday afternoon before the members of the Eureka Athletic Club at Germania Maennerchor Hall. It was apparent to the old stagers among the spectators that Jackson had no vicious designs against his opponent, and that for him to go the limit was mutually satisfactory.

Jackson had returned from an all-conquering trip to England, and it was figured that the Dixie Kid would be an easy mark. This impression and the Christmas cheer on the outside caused the hall to be lacking the huge crowd that generally turn out to the bouts of the Eureka Club.

Both men seemed in good condition, but Jackson had the better of the weight, and when they stepped into the center of the ring the appearance of the men strengthened the belief that it would be a short horse soon curried. There was a delay while the men and their henchmen quarreled over the question as to whether it should be a clean break or protect yourself in the break, the Dixie Kid crowd holding out for the clean break. This point once conceded by the Jackson crowd, and the men got busy. In the first round Jackson was credited with trying out his man, but in the second he went to work, and in the old-school Jacksonian way put down the Kid for the count of nine with a shower of rights and lefts and shoved him through the ropes.

Roughed in the Third.

That was the only flash of real Peter Jackson fighting in the whole bout. In the third round the men roughed it, but Jackson did not put into his work all the power of which he is capable. From the third round on Jackson was sleigh-riding. He made it up to the Kid to do most of the leading, which he did, but the results were as though he had tapped with his fists the well-nigh impregnable defenses of Port Arthur. For reasons best known to himself, Jackson did not go about it as though he were in earnest, while the Kid undoubtedly sent out the best he had in the shop.

Some good solid body wallops were landed on Jackson, and the crowd whooped its glee, for it will ever be popular for the under dog to get in good licks. In the fourth round the Kid's nose bled slightly, and after the sixth round he frequently vomited while in his corner. In the clinches Jackson pounded on the Kid's kidneys, but did not even do that with his well-known power, else this would have been a different tale. In the fourteenth and fifteenth rounds the Kid went his best. He put it on Jackson and caused him to tin-can around the ring, and once shoved him over the ropes--a thing rarely done to Jackson, and which probably would not have been done had Jackson been really in earnest.

'Twas Herford's Joke.

Among the bunch of Dixie Kid's seconds the pretty little story about the Kid's wedding to follow the battle was shattered by the statement that the Kid is already married, which goes to again prove that the Eureka Athletic Club and its managers are not good tutors in the school of veracity, and that editors would be wise to take a huge grain of salt, whatever they may see fit to say about a fighter.

The Dixie Kid was seconded by his manager, Denny Murray; Eddie Haney, Billy Reynolds and Pete Schwartz--a scrappy bunch that gave Referee Jim O'Hara so much trouble that Deputy Marshal Manning was forced to interfere for the sake of that peace and good order which are the boast of the management of the club.

Jackson was seconded by Al Herford, Joe Gans, Harry Lyons and Rag Watkins.

About the Prelims.

The preliminaries were unusually dull. Charles Borax and Young Mitchell went a prosaic three-round draw. Young Buck Washington defeated Little Dick in three rounds. Jim Langley, of West Point, and Kid O'Brien did a three-round whirl, and Matty Knox, of Sandy Bottom, won in three rounds from Jim McGrath. The funniest of the preliminaries was between Young Munroe, who claims Butte, Mont., as his hailing port, and Kid Brown, of Buxton. Munroe had an idea that he was a fighter and began full of ginger, but a punch from Brown put him down to take the count and ruminate on the folly of mundane things. After that Munroe was slower and wiser and lasted through the three rounds, although Brown was given the decision.

It was announced that Larry Temple and Young Peter Jackson will meet next Monday afternoon.

During the ceremonies Manager Al Herford was presented a diamond stud in a neat speech by Dr. H. Lee Clarke, the stud being the gift from some of the enthusiastic members of the club.


1904-12-27 The Sun (Baltimore, MD) (page 9)

IT'S ONLY A DRAW
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Young Peter Jackson And Dixie Kid Get This Verdict.
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NEITHER HURT VERY MUCH
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Baltimore Boxer Excelled At Close Range And The Other At Long-Arm Fighting--No Wedding.

Young Peter Jackson and the Dixie Kid, colored welterweights, fought at 15-round draw yesterday afternoon before the Eureka Athletic Club, at Germania Maennerchor Hall.

After the fighters had entered the ring President Al Herford, of the club, was given a beautiful diamond ring as a Christmas present. The present had been purchased with money subscribed by the club members.

The Dixie Kid proved to be a good, clever, two-handed man. At long range he was able to reach Jackson and successfully outfight him. In close work Jackson was the master. In the clinches he landed many good blows on the body over the kidneys.

It had been announced that the Dixie Kid was to be married a few hours after the set-to. Mr. Maurice J. Herford, secretary of the Eureka Club, later stated that the contemplated marriage ceremony could not be performed, as license clerks of the court were keeping holiday and could not be located.

The fight between the Dixie Kid and Jackson was one on which no one could lose money had they bet on a winner or a knockout.

In the course of the entire 15 rounds Jackson hit the Kid, and the Kid hit Jackson time and again on such points as looked as if the blows should result in a knockout. Both men, however, were strong at the finish and showed but little results from their endeavor.

It had been stated that Jackson since his return from a successful fighting tour in England, would show that he had changed his style and would box more openly. He proved this assertion in a few rounds, but then went back to his crouch and close-cover style.

The Kid was a shifty negro and was game. He proved that he could, with right or left, reach Jackson so long as Peter would stand up and fight. At infighting the Dixie Kid was not so good a punisher, but was nevertheless clever.

Not much was done in the first round. In the second Jackson sent the Kid through the ropes and hit him often about the face and body in the clinches. The blows of each lacked force. It then looked, as it did to the finish, as if one or the other would win on points, since each lacked force in hitting.

Clinches, mixes and ineffectual short arm work marked the remainder of the fight. In clinches Jackson got in the fast blows invariably. When the fifteenth round was ended and the decision of a draw was given by Referee James O'Hara there was no dissent, as both men were in shape to continue, and the Kid could have had no excuse because of any punishment inflicted by Jackson to postpone his contemplated marriage.

Dixie Kid's seconds were Dan Murray, Billy Reynolds and Edward Harvey. Jackson was cared for by Al Herford, Joe Gans, Kid Sullivan and Harry Lyons.

Before the preliminaries started, Manager Al Herford had his troubles. All the boxers, led by Kid Reason, went on a strike, wanting more money. Some joker said that Reason had enough reasons to bear out the fact that he was not misnamed. "Mistah Herford," he said, "dis here is Christmas and we wants more money. Times is hard, money tight and chickens is high, and if we don't get more money, there ain't nuthin' doin'." After a long argument the strikers decided that their "frenzied finance" argument did not go and gave in to the management.

Referee Sweigert called a draw the first bout of three rounds between Charles Borax and Young Mitchell. The decision met approval, though Mitchell had done the better fighting.

Young Buck Washington and Little Dick, both colored, gave three rounds of good fighting.

Kid O'Brien and James Langley went three rounds of hard slugging, both boys bleeding and being tired at the end, the referee giving a draw.

Matty Knox received the decision over James McGrath after three rounds.

Kid Brown and Young Monroe, both colored, made a fair showing, and Brown won the decision.