JACKSON IS IN FINE FORM. The Colored Pugilist Was Examined by an Olympic Club Physician. According to Dr. C. E. Parent, a physician selected by the Olympic Club to examine into the physical condition of the colored pugilist, Peter Jackson, the great heavy-weight champion of England and the Australias, will give a first-rate account of himself when he meets Jeffries. This is what Dr. Parent says: SAN FRANCISCO, March 7. 1898. Editor of The Call-Dear Sir: By request of the Olympic Club I called on Peter Jackson at his training quarters in Alameda to make a physical examination in order to ascertain if the reports of his being a physical wreck and a mere 'shell' of his former self were true, and I must say I was surprised to find him in such fine shape. On a careful examination I found him to be in perfect condition; his heart, lungs and liver in perfect order. After the examination I watched him spar three rounds and punch the bag, and he did it with his old-time vim. DR. CHARLES E. PARENT. 926 Sutter street, city.
DISSIPATION AND JEFFRIES DOWN JACKSON Poor Old Peter No Match for the Young California Giant. The Olympic Club's Uneven Contest Ended in Three Short Rounds. "He may have seen better days" is the title of a song that a number of Peter Jackson's old admirers sang last evening when on the cars on their way from the fistlc entertainment at Woodward's Pavilion. Poor old Peter was put to rest by Jeffries, the powerful young heavyweight from Southern California, shortly after the commencement of the third round. It was virtually a walkover for Jeffries, who found little or no difficulty in hitting Jackson when and where he pleased. The colored man was physically unable to either resist attack or give punishment. As The Call said yesterday, "if Jeffries will sail in and fight from the sound of the gong he should certainly defeat Jackson in short order." The Olympic Club did not act wisely-that is, according to the opinions of the best judges of pugilism and pugilists-when it matched Jackson against a man who handicapped him in every particular excepting possibly in science. It is a well known fact that Jackson was a physical and financial wreck when he arrived in this city from England and during the past year of his life he was continually in a maudlin state, the result of his love for strong liquor. But the Olympic Club did not take into consideration when it matched Jackson to fight Jeffries that it was possibly taking a life in its hands. The directors must have looked at the match from a pecuniary point of view, otherwise they, as supposed judges of athletic form, would certainly have informed Jackson when he asked for a fight that the club could not risk its reputation by matching a big and powerful man like Jeffries against an opponent who had wrecked by dissipation a constitution which had been several years ago physically sound. But the match was made, and to fool the public on the wretched condition of Jackson a physician was engaged to visit the training quarters of the pugilist and report to the club the condition in which he found the men. This is what the club's doctor said after having made a "thorough" examination of Jackson's anatomy; that was two days before the colored pugilist met an inglorious defeat: By request of the Olympic Club. I called on Mr. Jeffries at his training quarters, the Reliance Club building, Oakland, and found him in the pink of condition. I also called upon Mr. Jackson, and found him much improved since my first examination, which was two weeks ago. No two men could be more unlike physically. Mr. Jeffries has a wonderful muscular development: huge bundles of muscle stand out prominently at every movement of any portion of his body. Mr. Jackson's development is superb, especially of those muscles he requires the most. They do not stand out too prominently, however. I consider the two men in the best of conditlon. They will enter the ring fit to make the battle of their lives. DR. CHARLES E. PARENT. 926 Sutter street. Dr. Parent, who was a spectator of last night's cake walk, must have felt rather sick at heart when he saw Jackson's feeble attempt at fighting. As a judge of a man's physical condition he is sadly wanting, considering Jackson's performance. The club can in a measure congratulate itself that Jeffries did not kill Jackson by a punch in the stomach when the last-named fighter was leaning helplessly against the ropes with his hands hanging down by his side.
