im Corbett Says the Giant White Hope Has Improved

[rob snell]

THE CONSTITUTION, ATLANTA, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1913.

Jim Corbett Says the Giant White Hope Has Improved
Enough to Give Them All A Battle.

BY JAMES J. CORBETT.

Former Heavyweight Champion of the
World.

New York. October 18.

Who's white champion now , We all know the Athletics are champions of the baseball world, but now about the boxers?

Around town here fight fans had come to regard "Gunboat" Smith as the class of all the white fellows, and his record looked pretty good at that. Until last week, anyhow, when the huge battleship Carl Morris was warped alongside. Smith didn't look quite so good then as we had him figured.

Ever since experts and newspaper critics have been divided over what happened in the fifth round of that match - when the gigantic Morris was disqualified by the Referee for fouling his lighter but harder hitting opponent. Some contend the "Gunboat" was a beaten man at the time, and, realizing that he was up against it, decided the easiest way to escape a beating was to claim a foul - which the referee allowed.

Still others argue the "Gunboat" had the original white hope licked to a frazzle and that Morris deliberately fouled to escape the ignominy of a knock-out.

Unfortunately I did not see the bout. Being a baseball fan I was in Philadelphia to watch the Giants and Athletics play and am therefore not in position to speak, except from hearsay. However, my representative was on the ground, and I consider him as good a judge of a boxing match as anyone I know. From what he tells me the “Gunboat? was struck a foul blow in the fourth round, but that it was unintentional on Morris’s part and anyway it did no damage and did not warrant punishment.

Not Foul Blow.

In the fifth round - when the claim went in and was allowed - my representative states the blow was not foul at all and furthermore it looked as if it had been blocked by the "Gunboat's arm. Nevertheless the latter immediately put in his claim and the referee allowed it. It looked to those who sat in the neighborhood of Carl's corner, where the men were engaged at the time, as if Smith quit "cold turkey."

Now, I am not going to attempt to judge any fight I have not seen, although I have talked with at least a dozen well-posted men since the bout took place and they have confirmed my representatives story ?that Carl was given the worst of it and it looked like he had the “Gunboat?going. None of these men is prejudiced one way or the other, either and even so I believe would tell me the truth.

Instead of helping clear up the heavy-weight situation, the fight just sort of tangled things up more .There is only one way out of the difficulty that I can see and that is to have them fight it over again. Morris is willing, I understand, but Smith's manager says the "Gunboat" is booked for a trip abroad and that he will do no more fighting until he returns.

Meanwhile Carl is willing to take on any heavy-weight in the business Morris is no longer the big, green boy of two years ago, when he came east to "conquer the pugilistic world. At that time he knew absolutely nothing about the game of fighting at all. He was just a big target for everything in the shape of a punch that was aimed at him. He was the best wallop assimilator that had happened along in many a year, and when it ticked over the wires not so very long ago that he had been knocked out by Luther McCarty, the fight public was greatly surprised.

He had seemed a bit more than human when it came to taking punishment, and, knowing McCarty was no demon walloper, local fans who had seen both in action could hardly believe the report. Later Carl said he had been "robbed." and after looking the big fellow over again one is inclined to believe that there is something in his story.

[rob snell]

part 2

Morris is Coming.

Morris will give any heavy-weight a battle from now on, white or black. His enormous bulk and weight give him a great advantage over his rivals, with the possible exception of Jess Willard, who has him tied or perhaps beaten in size. But Willard is not the type of
fighter Morris is, or at least was not the last time he showed here, about a year ago. Jess is too easy going in his methods to accomplish much.

On the other hand, Morris is all business in the ring and never loafs a minute. Naturally, with his weight and size, he is on the aggressive from the start of the bell. Furthermore, he has learned considerable about boxing, and for such a huge piece of humanity, moves around fairly well.

There is nothing flashy about the Oklahoman. He is a steady plodder, but his style is effective just the same. Give him another year and I think he will whip any heavy now before the public. A little more skill at hitting and it will take a tough man to stand
up before him any great length of time. He has the strength, and he has the wallop, too, but he don't know how to use either to the best advantage as yet.

But for a man who was whipped to a standstill two years ago by roly-poly Jim Flynn. fifty pounds lighter than he. Morris has done remarkably well. One thins to his credit is that he did not permit the setback by Flynn to discourage him in his ambition to become
champion. In spite of all the unkind and thoughtless things said about him.

Morris kept steadily on the job, until today he would enter the ring favorite over any other white heavy-weight in the business, not excepting the "Gunboat." who has just been awarded a victory on a foul.

A word or two about the "Gunboat." He put up a wonderful battle while it
lasted, according to all accounts. He may have been fouled, as he says, and he may not, as others say. He knows better than anyone else. But he must be given credit for putting up such a grand contest against such great physical odds. It must be remembered that he was outweighed about 50 pounds, and if he was really hit low by Morris he should not be accused of "dogging"it. His record has been so splendid and he has shown such determination and courage in all his previous starts that he should be given the benefit of the doubt.Still if he does not grant Morris a return match it will give his enemies the chance to say he is afraid of the outcome of a second engagement.