As I posted before it was George Siler the famous referee who discovered Jack Johnson ,and recommended him to others ,this was at the very start of his career, when Jack was inside the middleweight limit.. Mendoza has stated several times that Siler did not think much of Johnson , actually the reverse is true. Here is the link ,kindly provided by Boilermaker. It also has Johnson's opinion of Corbett on it. Scroll to page 10. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=SCE0ypLQHGcC&dat=19290422&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
Yes and no. Siler gave him his first opportunity in a big boxing city, Chicago, by recommending him to a Chicago promoter. However, when Johnson lost to Klondike in Chicago, that relegated him to relative obscurity again and he went back to the South. But with time and experience, he improved and re-emerged. But kudos/credit to Siler for having a good eye for talent. He saw something and was eventually proven correct.
Siler first took notice of Johnson in Battle Royals. In Siler's book . Inside Facts On Puglism, he states Johnson was half starved when he fought Klondike.
Correct. Siler saw Johnson win a battle royal. The claim about him being starved is more questionable. Johnson himself did not make that claim. I think he was just not experienced enough and not sufficiently trained for the bout. And yes, he did gradually put on weight over the years, which obviously helped. He proved himself to be much improved in the rematches.
You too. I enjoy all of your posts, especially the ones with the links to old articles. Keeps me on my toes. According to secondary sources, 21-year-old “Klondike” John Haines (a.k.a. Klondyke Haynes), had been twice defeated by another black fighter, Frank Childs, in 1898 via L6 or LKOby6 and LDQby3. However, it is unclear whether those fights took place because the local Chicago reports, where Klondyke was from, did not mention these bouts. Can anyone confirm if those bouts did indeed take place, and if so, when? I suspect they might have taken place later, but am not sure. Looking for primary source confirmation.
Siler also claimed Johnson beat Marvin Hart referring to a Hart victory in that battle as "A lie on the pages of Fistiana." Unclear if he actually saw the S.F. match though.
1898-01-09 Grand Forks Daily Herald (Grand Forks, ND) (page 1) POLICE SAVED HIM. -------- Con Doyle Gets the Worst of a Bout with Billy Stift, and the Cops Step In. Chicago, Jan. 8.--The bout between Billy Stift and Con Doyle of this city, was tonight stopped by the police in the second round. The men began slugging from the start, and Doyle went to the floor time after time. He was very groggy when the police stepped in and saved him. Stift had the better of the fight from the start. Frank Childs knocked out a new boxer who was called Klondike, because he was supposed to be a great find. He was very easy for Childs. The right name of "Klondike" is said to be Frank Haines. 1898-02-27 The Sunday News Tribune (Duluth, MN) (page 1) FOUR ROUNDS ENOUGH. -------- Referee Concludes Haines Is No Match for Childs. CHICAGO, Feb. 26.--Five limited bouts were pulled off before the Chicago Athletic club tonight. A six round go between Frank Childs and "Klondike" Haines, local heavy weights, which was expected to be the principal bout, was stopped by the referee in the fourth round. Haines was no match for his dusky opponent. John Ritchey of St. Louis, got the decision over Eddie Dwyer, of Chicago, after six rounds of clean, clever work. Up to the sixth honors were about even. Ritchey rushed his opponent hard in the last round and had him as the bell tapped. Root and Carroll of Chicago, sparred six rounds, at 158 pounds, very cleverly. Hard in-fighting in the last got the decision for Root. McIntyre of Des Moines, Ia., and James Dewar of Chicago, were down for six rounds, at 145 pounds. Dewar went at his man hammer and tongs. After rushing him to the ropes and clinching, landed a right on the ear and left on the stomach. McIntyre tried hard to get up, but was counted out.
