On the same afternoon as the Independence Day parade a crowd gathered on Union Street – clogged it – beside The Times building to follow the wire reports on James J.Jeffries vs. Jack Johnson “fight of the century” in Reno. Jeffries, a former world champion, came out of retirement, he said, “to demonstrate that the white man is king of them all.” Rather than be knocked out, Jeffries withdrew in the 15th round and Johnson held on to his heavyweight campion status. With the ambitions of the “great white hope” dashed riots followed. By the following morning 25 blacks and 3 whites had died because of them.