FIGHTERS I HAVE SECONDED.

NZ Truth, Issue 82, 12 January 1907, Page 3

FIGHTERS I HAVE SECONDED.

; .■:'■. (By "Spider" Kelly,) Jim Corbett When I think of "Gentleman Jim" Corbett, he is one man m ringdom whom I believe almost worthy of reference. Corbett was, beyond the peradventure of a doubt, the greatest uprising influence Mv ; ripn- h** qvpx known. lie was the one whn raised the rine; m the estimation of the better clas-

ses. This same Cottett caused more "bloods" to witness boxing; contests than any other man m the world. Prior to the time of Corbett pugilism was the short-haired sport. Fighters used to enter the ring with their hair shaved close to the scalp, and when the "wise ones" of two decades ago saw "Gentleman Jim" Cdrbett with hair sleek and well groomed and pompadoured, they could not concede Mm a chance.

Predictions were freely made that the ponderous Sullivan, the migjhtv Boston gladiator, would make piecemeal of Corbett. Well, their battle at New Orleans is ring history. Corbett made piecemeal of Sullivan.

No big man ever lived who- was the equal of Corbett m either brains or cleverness, so far as pugilism is concerned. I used to lj^ve to laugh at Jim. He was of a pecuilar and eccentric nature. Jim Corbett would keep bowing around Before a fight. Many persons never nnoerstood the method m this macmess. I asked Corbett about it once. He told me smilinclv : "Why. Spider, that is the wav I count the house."

When Corbefet was Corbet* the man never lived who could equal him m speed or cleverness. He was fast on his feet, the greatest living judge of distance the world has evei known, and his equal m the liner points of me same has ' never been seen . If I were to name the chiefs characteristic pf . Jim. Oor-bett ?I ; frould say that "it was, generosity. This fellow never knew what it was to turn down a friend.

Any man who ever had a slight acquaintance with Corbett had the key to his purse, Jim gave more money away than any fighter that ever lived. He made fortunes and spent the: , '

The big fellow had a peculiar weakness for native sons. He was the greatest booster California ever had, and was never known to turn down a Californian m his life.

It- wan funny when he was training for his n>ht with "Kid" McCoy. At that time -hundreds of prominent New Yorkers used to visit Corbett's trainin"- quarters. Any time any native son was around, Corbett would sute1^ send him m, introduce him to the swells, and give to him the send off of his life.

.Corbett was the Beau Brummel of nudlism. When he was chammon he was the best dresser m New York, and swell tailors used to think themselves honored when Corbett gave to them an or<le T .

Californians never saw the real Jim Corbett. His last fight here with Jeffries ■%'as no criterion of his real ability. It was only the shadow of Jini ; .Coibett who boxed Jeffries.

The first time Corbett met Jeffries he was badly on the decline, yet for 23 rounds he made the alfalfa man look Hike a wooden Indian. What would he ha ?e done m his very- prime?

SG22S wise persons declare that Corbett could not hit. When Jim Corbett was training at Carton, Jeffries told me that Corbett hit Mm harder than any man he had evelr met. The big fellow was always a social lion, and he was, wined and dined and oigarred out of the game.

* trained Jim for his fight with "Kid" McCoy This was the last fight under the Horton law' m New York. Such men as Richard Groker, August Belm<mt, Jim Kecoie. John W. Gates, and Stuyvesant Fish vis-ited the Corbett headquarters .. and many women prominent m the social world called to see him. Mrs Stuyvesant Fish and a party of social belles' called to see Corbebt work on more than one occasion.

The big fellow was a great "kidder.' He and Billy Delaney had a great habit of "ribbing" up opponents who met Jim when he was touring the country. •

When Jim was dtressing for the "suckers" he and Delaney used to go through a line of lingo like this :

"Gee, Jim, that last fellow you knocked put may never come to. Never saw a fellow so bad." Corbett would immediately take up the string, and would say : ''Goodness, Billy. I didn't think I hit that fellow so hard. Really, I didn't half tiunch him.' Jim would then glare at Mr Sucker, and that would be his finish. .

Yes, sir. Jim Corbet* w.&s the greatest ring general the world has ever known the bes* fellow with Ms money, and, a ll m all, Ido not think that rin>e;doin will ever look upon his like again.