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Another exhibition fight that was billed as such:
At the time, Sam had no way of knowing that he would never be able to get Jack Johnson to officially meet him in the ring again. He did however, face him in an exhibition that was arranged to benefit the April 18th San Francisco earthquake survivors. The day after the fight with Johnson, Sam was asked if he’d be willing to appear in an exhibition that coming Saturday night at the Hub Theatre. When he accepted, they asked if there was anyone special he’d like to box, and he told them it didn’t matter but if they could get Jack Johnson he’d be much obliged. And that’s exactly who they lined up.
The exhibition against Johnson was just one of many that had been arranged for the benefit, and it was reported on the morning of the 28th that based upon advance sales the theatre probably would be unable to accommodate all who wished to attend. The program included twenty-one boxing bouts, two wrestling bouts and six vaudeville acts. All of the bouts were reportedly lively and evoked considerable applause from the crowd. There were no ropes and no ring; the boxers simply exhibited their skills on a theatre stage. The exhibition proceedings were briefly halted while Johnson was presented with a watch and chain, supposedly given by some admirers. A short acceptance speech by Johnson followed. Sam claimed to know the watch wasn’t from anybody but Johnson himself, and that Johnson had staged this little event in an effort to make himself appear popular. This annoyed Sam, who was also angered because he had heard that the day after their fight Johnson had issued a statement saying that he had taken it easy on Sam during their match. Sam claimed that when the first exhibition round began, he made it a point to get Jack into a clinch and let him know it wasn’t going to be an exhibition. This was going to be a real fight. [15] As soon as he broke loose of the clinch, Sam went after Johnson, slinging leather fast and furious. Johnson tried to hold off the onslaught as Sam rushed him across the stage, punching all the while. Quickly realizing Sam was serious, Johnson started to respond in kind. The pair fought from one side of the stage to the other, back to the curtains and forward towards the front of the stage, each determined to knock the other out. Before the round concluded they had knocked over their water buckets, chairs and anything else in their path. The referee became the invisible man.
Midway through the second round, Sam drove Johnson into the stage scenery, and they clinched as they fell into it. A second later the scenery fell upon them, splitting the canvas where their bodies poked out of it. Pushing the scenery to the floor, the pair emerged to resume fighting as furiously as ever! The crowd was in an uproar at the sight before them. They continued to battle this way into the third round, maneuvering their way around a cluttered floor. At one point they clinched and tried to toss one another. When that failed, they went back to brawling until someone called time, and the so-called “exhibition of the art of boxing” came to an end.
At the time, Sam had no way of knowing that he would never be able to get Jack Johnson to officially meet him in the ring again. He did however, face him in an exhibition that was arranged to benefit the April 18th San Francisco earthquake survivors. The day after the fight with Johnson, Sam was asked if he’d be willing to appear in an exhibition that coming Saturday night at the Hub Theatre. When he accepted, they asked if there was anyone special he’d like to box, and he told them it didn’t matter but if they could get Jack Johnson he’d be much obliged. And that’s exactly who they lined up.
The exhibition against Johnson was just one of many that had been arranged for the benefit, and it was reported on the morning of the 28th that based upon advance sales the theatre probably would be unable to accommodate all who wished to attend. The program included twenty-one boxing bouts, two wrestling bouts and six vaudeville acts. All of the bouts were reportedly lively and evoked considerable applause from the crowd. There were no ropes and no ring; the boxers simply exhibited their skills on a theatre stage. The exhibition proceedings were briefly halted while Johnson was presented with a watch and chain, supposedly given by some admirers. A short acceptance speech by Johnson followed. Sam claimed to know the watch wasn’t from anybody but Johnson himself, and that Johnson had staged this little event in an effort to make himself appear popular. This annoyed Sam, who was also angered because he had heard that the day after their fight Johnson had issued a statement saying that he had taken it easy on Sam during their match. Sam claimed that when the first exhibition round began, he made it a point to get Jack into a clinch and let him know it wasn’t going to be an exhibition. This was going to be a real fight. [15] As soon as he broke loose of the clinch, Sam went after Johnson, slinging leather fast and furious. Johnson tried to hold off the onslaught as Sam rushed him across the stage, punching all the while. Quickly realizing Sam was serious, Johnson started to respond in kind. The pair fought from one side of the stage to the other, back to the curtains and forward towards the front of the stage, each determined to knock the other out. Before the round concluded they had knocked over their water buckets, chairs and anything else in their path. The referee became the invisible man.
Midway through the second round, Sam drove Johnson into the stage scenery, and they clinched as they fell into it. A second later the scenery fell upon them, splitting the canvas where their bodies poked out of it. Pushing the scenery to the floor, the pair emerged to resume fighting as furiously as ever! The crowd was in an uproar at the sight before them. They continued to battle this way into the third round, maneuvering their way around a cluttered floor. At one point they clinched and tried to toss one another. When that failed, they went back to brawling until someone called time, and the so-called “exhibition of the art of boxing” came to an end.
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