THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 17, 1839.
He Talked To Jess Willard And
Frightened Him Into Losing, Did The
By Leo Fuller
UNSCRUPULOUS JOHNSON BOXING'S "BOY BANDIT"
●ALLYHOO, bluff, stunts and Boer War finished, Jimmy secured
Back
publicity and night
Johnston knew perfectly well that, Rodel hadn't a dog's chance when it came to a straight combat, but he was determined to throw a spanner into Willard's fighting machinery in some
for his protege, and eventually a match was made with been an integral part of the box- Jess Williard, who at that time was ing game.
But of all the 'wise on his way to the world's heavyweight guys' that have ever lived, few title, and a formidable fighter; equal Jimmy Johnston as a fistic faker. The boy bandit', with his bowler hat cocked jauntily over one eye, talking with mach- ine gun rapidity, has thought up brain worked overtime.
way. Yot against his resourceful some fast ones in his career as* Before the fight Johnston walked manager and promoter that have into Willard's dressing room, and had broken the hearts of his rivals.
a few words with Jess. He knew that There was a time when his pro- a few weeks perviously a fighter nam- motions were
a little slack, and ed Bull Young had died in the ring during a contest with Willard, With Jimmy decided that a colourful
solemn face Jimmy asked Willard how personality was needed to entice he felt, and, when the latter said he,. the fans into his New York arena, was going to knock Rodel out within He found a boy living in Brookland, two rounds, Jimmy shook his head and
answered: made him up to look like a China- man, called him Ah Chung, and announced that he was the light- weight champion of Asia, especially imported from Peking at enormous expense..
The lad was merely a fair fighter, but by the time Johnston had finished beating the ballyhoo drums, he was the sensation of New York boxing circles. Johnston and Chung cleaned up considerable purses.
"You'd better go easy on the kid to- night. You just killed one man, and this boy has a weak heart just like Bull Young had."
Willard looked startled, and asked plaintively why his manager made such a match.
"Well," continued Johnston, "you know what managers are, Jess. Just greedy for money, Anyway, you'd bet- ter not hit Rodel too hard. You'd bet- ter be careful, because you might go to gaol for the rest of your life if you put the kid's lights out!"
All went well until Ah Chung took his girl friend for a taxi ride in Cen- tral Park. There was an accident, in which they collided with a private car. No damage was done, but when the police arrived they found an as- tonished crowd gathered around, was to walk into his swinging. listening to a young Chinese, dressed in traditional costume, fluently cursing. the car driver, his own taxi driver, his girl friend and everyone in sight!
With these comforting words, John- ston left the dressing room,, and, re- turning to Rodel, told him that Wil- lard couldn't punch his way out of a paper bag, and that all he had to do
He was led away by the police, still protesting violently, his pigtail a trifle askew! And that was the end off Ah Chung.
Next Effort
Willard Nervous
Rodel carried out these instructions perfectly, and tore into a extremely cautious foe, who handled him like a crate of eggs. Their fans were amazed to see the giant Jess nervously poking out his left hand, and scarcely using his right. Whenever Rodel stung him with a stiff blow, Willard was almost Johnston's next international effort startled out of his caution, but some concerned an awkward young South how Johnston crouching in his man's African by the name of George Bodel. corner, would catch Willard's eye, wag He couldn't fight much either, but a warning finger, and point dramati- that was the last thing to bother 'Jab- cally to his heart. At once Willard bering Jimmy. He changed the lad's would pull the right hook he was on name to 'Boer Rodel', swore he had the point of throwing. been a general in the Boer War, and The fight went ten rounds on these started a campaign with the heavy-. terms, Rodel won an overwhelming weight championship of the world as points decision, and Jess Willard, the its object.
man who, two years later was to be the world Undeterred by the fact that Rodel. heavyweight champion of was about three years old when the was booed from the ring..
LOCAL BASEBALL
Jimmy Johnston.
Once again Johnston had bluffed a victory!
Yet the qualities which make up Jimmy Johnson's extraordinary charac ter are by no means confined to his fast-thinking brain. He has equally agile fists, and undaunted courage. And when he first took over the old Madison Square Garden he needed all three in no uncertain way.
At that time the Garden was ter rorised by the pre-war hoodlums of the worst type. They bullied the box office, never paid for their seats, dictated which way a fight should go, picked the pockets of the paying patrons, and generally turned this famous boxing hall into a veritable Fagan's den,"
In despair the proprietors gave the volatile little Johnston the job as match was between maker. His first fight Freddie Welsh, the Englishman and world's lightweight champion, and Al Right from the start the Wolgast. boys' decided to give Johnston a hot reception, and to show him where he got off, if he had any silly ideas about 'cleaning up' the place..
To impress Jimmy with his entire worthlessness, two infamous characters by the names of Gyp the: Blood and Lefty Loù elected to sit in the press seats. First of all they threw out two boxing reporters, and then they waited
.
for Mr. Johnston. Their wait was short. Cocking his bowler a little further over hia: eye, Johnston marched up.
A Worm!
"These are the press seats. Get out,”. he snarled.
"And who's going to put us out?" sweetly enquired Gyp the Blood with a crooked grin, as he surveyed the nine stone little man who stood regarding him as if he had crawled out from un- der some wet stone,
Jimmy's left hand shot out like a striking adder; his right smacked the gangster's hat over his eyes, and a swift kick in the stomach knocked him ̈· to the floor. Then, grabbing him by the heels, Johnston dragged him down the aisle, through the doors, and then flung him into the gutter outside!'
There was immediate uproar. The Welsh-Wolgast fight was being bitter ly contested in the ring; the police disappeared as if by magic; the ring- siders made á rush for the doors; every- one waited for the blood and hair to start flying they had seen the hoodlums in action before. Yet, miracle of miracles, the tough guy satelites stood still; completely dumb-struck at the sight of this incredible little man who had handled their formidable leader as if he were a child.
At this moment Johnston trotted up again, and met Lefty Lou, who, hav ing recovered somewhat from his sur- prise, was ready for trouble-complete with knuckle dusters. A flying kick on his shins brought him to the ground, and the 'Boy Bandit' fell upon him like
a
wild cat, hitting, kicking and scratch- ing, a veritable fury incarnate. Two minutes later Lefty Lou joined his pal, Gyp, elegantly draped along the gut- ter
Within five minutes Johnston had broken the underworld rule of the Madi- son Square Gardens; within five weeks he had made it a paying proposition; and in considerably less than five years Jimmy Johnston was, the most famous personality in the boxing world.
Later he was to become head of the new Madison Square Garden, built by the great Tex Rickard, and known as "The house that Tex Built! Only re- cently has Johnston left to start pro- moting again on his own. and although he has been somewhat overshadowed by his rival, Mike Jacobs, there is no question that he will be coming back. in a big way one of these days..
Pretty soon the 'Boy Bandit's' guns will start, cracking again..
(COPYRIGHT) Onday-The Battling Bridegroom saga of Tiger. Sullivan.
FRENCH TENNIS
WALKER ABSENTEE 'MILE OF CENTURY' TO-NIGHT MCNEILL TO
FROM CLUB TEAM
Weather permitting Hong Kong
Baseball Club meet
Chinese
at
Baseball Club in their return League game this afternoon Caroline Hill.
In the first meeting the Chinese won by 8 runs to 6 but Club gave a much better display than anticipated.
In to-day's game Lawrence will again do the pitching with Higgins catching as Walker is still resting his arm.
To-morrow Recreio should beat South China in the first game of the morning as South China will be without Pau Ka-ping and Fung King-cheong while Recreio have improved greatly since the start of the season.
U.B. should retain their unbeat en record at the expense of the Hong Kong Baseball Club but should not take things too easily.
I have fought M'Avoy three times, so that I know as, much about his box- ing as I want to. He has nothing new to show meLen Harvey.
SYDNEY WOODERSON
I do not find my golf interferes with my tennis, but do find that tennis in- terferes with golf. They don't mix at all-Ellsworth Vines.
Princeton, To-day.-Sydney Wooder- son, the British mile world record-holdi er, will run against the pick of Ameri- Palmer Stadium "here can milers at this evening in the "mile of the cen tury."
The four other runners will be Glenn Cunningham, former holder of the re cord, Charles Fenske, whom Wooder- son beat at White City in August, Ar- chie San Romani and Blaine Rideout.
Wooderson said that he was concen- trating on beating Cunningham and "hang the time."
The betting is 3 to 1 on Wooderson winning and 7 to 4 against his break- ing the record. Reuter,
K. I. T. C. TENNIS TEAMS
The following players have been selected to play for K.IT.C. against K.C.C.
TUESDAY
"B" Division (Home)~
S. A. Hussain and S. S. Hussain: Firdós Khan and M. A. Khan: A. Rahmin and M. O, Hoosen
THURSDAY
"D" Division (Away)
G. M. Khan and Y. H. Esmail; Ahmed Khan and S. R. Balleb; A. R. Azan and Mit Singh.
MEET RIGGS
Paris, To-day. McNeill (Amer- ica) beat Cooke (America) 6-2, -7—5, 7—9, 6-2 to qualify to meet Bobby Riggs in the final of the. French singles championship. Reuter.
PENFOLD TOURNEY
London, To-day-The following are the latest scores in the Penfold Pro- fessional Golf Tournament:
NINTH SERIES – Lacey beat Perry 3 and 2. King beat Padgham one up. -Gadd beat Adams one up.
R. Whitcombe beat Alliss 4 and 3. Burton beat Rees 2 and 1.
C. Whitcombe beat Cotton 4 and
TENTH SERIES
Adams beat Perry 5 and 4. Padgham beat R. Whitcombe
and 4.
Gadd beat Alliss 2 and 1. Rees and King: balved.
C. WIhitcombe beat Lacey 5 and 4, Cotton beat Burton 4 and 8.
Reuter.