The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-04
CORBETT's OWN STORY
win or Lose He Will Put Tn n Flo
Ahat His Friends VIII Re Proud 81

Win or Lose He Will Put Up q Fight
mat His Friends Will Re Proud of.
peiieve 1t is customary to begin
biography with the date of birth. That is
ieahy very important event in a mans
NE, ana l don't mind saying that ON
sepfember /, 1s92. was just 26 years old.
l stand six feet one and one-half inches
IN my stocking feet" as We nut it out
west. and l am going to convince nv
friends very soon that their confidence in
every inch of me is not misplaced.
don't mean by that that am certain of
whipping Sullivan. / only want to saw
that l feel as confident as do my friends
ana that am going to fight the contest of
my life.
was born in the city where the setting
sun giistened through golden gates at as
pretty place as there is in the universe
San Francisco. My father is Patrick ].
Corbett. man about So years old and
fully as tall as am. He is straight as an
arrow and still very strong and active
man. 1t was In 1854 that he came to San
Francisco from New Orleans, to which place
he had come from his Irish home at Tuame.
My mother is still a young woman. and as
proud OF all her boys and girls as they are
OF her. She was married to my father in
1898. and the family consists of mother and
father, Frank. Harry, Thomas, Joseph,
Esther, Theresa. Kate, Mary and myself.
am the third of the boys
received my education at Sacred Heart
college, from which institution l was
graduated. and soon after, when about
is, accepted position in the Nevada bank.
AT Ia did great deal of boxing, but it
was always in a boyish very amateurish
way. but | repeatedly bested boys older
and larger than myself.
After went into the bank took part in
many amateur ciub tournaments. almost
invariably meeting heavyweichts. al
though at the time l was hardly a middle
weight. When l was Is l fought Dave
Eiseman, now pool seller, and finished
him In two rounds 1t was about this
time that l joined the Olympic Club, of
which l later became boxing instructor.
My first fight of any consequence was
with Jack Burke, 1.-The Irish lad" a man
who had stood up before Sullivan, Mitch
ell, Slavln and Dempsey. The experience
had had In the amateur ring served me
we'll in this fight, but my failing to knock
Burke out was due to my great careful
ness. l recognize now that / still lack
that confidence which comes with pro-
fessional work. We fought eight rounds
to draw.
/ next fought Joe Choynski and
whipped him in four rounds. All told, 1
have had four '.goes" with Choynski, two
of which were during my amateur days
and two in the professional ring
whipped him every time.
My next fight was with Mike Brennan,
the Port Costa giant. He had fought forty
rounds with Joe McAuiiife, and SO we all
thought him strong man. l think he
outweighed me twenty pounds and over,
but three rounds sufficed to knock him
out.
MY next fight was with Captain James
Daily, and two rounds finished him. Frank
Smith, of Salt Lake, succumbed to me in
three rounds.
As recall it now, my next fight was
with George Atkinson, who went into the
ring weighing go pounds. | finished him
in two rounds, although l myself weighed
only 165 pounds. l then bested Frank
Glover i'll two rounds.
1t was after this that l had my second
professional fight with Joe ChoyEski. He
weighed in at l53 and l at l69. There was
big money up in the fight and both the
friends of Choynski and myself had q great
deal of money at stake. The fight oc-
Cured on Il barge In the middle of the Sac
ramento river, and, as is we'll known, was
simply a continuation of the contest that
had been stopped q week before by the
authorities. / broke both hands in the
third round, but beyond tina. had hardly
a scratch on my body Mt the end of the
twenty-seyenth round. when Jack Demp-
sey, who was back of Choynski. threw up
the sponge.
shortly after that resumed my position
as instructor in the Olympic Club, and
left II TO meet Jake kllrain before the
Southern Athletic Ciuh III a six-round
fight for points for a purse OF S2.5e. |
came ont of that contest without scratch,
and could easily have finished ki!rain.
The purse was awarded ME.
| then started on my hrst sparring tour
and on my first visit as professional 10
n ~, ~.~~s-t
CattTey III four rounds, aud my friends at
once arranged a tight with Peter Jackson
for a purse of $1,000. We fought sixty
one rounds, as every body knows, and |
am convinced, and 50 were all those at
the fight that Jackson was tired out and
that had the contest won. But TO my
CONSERVATION and surprise 1t was declared
a draw The decision was All outrageous
one, unfair and unjust TO me and 10 the
friends who had backed ME. Il was really
an unheard-of decision. We fought four
hours. Jackson had weighed ia a; 34
and at rs, and at the end Jackson had
lost So pounds in weight. | determined
then never 20 fight before that club again.
then continued my sparring tour
through the East, offering to stop anybody
in four rounds. For three weeks met 4
different man every night. They secured
the country for strong amateurs and good
professionals, but | failed 10 hnd man
time. Then came 10 New York anu met
three men in one night at the Madison
square Garden. | finished William Spill
uncs of Muidoon's combination, a heavy
weight in titty-tvc seconds: Bob" COT
fee, a Philadelphia boy. IN twenty seconds,
and Joe I.annon, OF Boston, another
heayy-welghi, in three rounds Then |
went AS far vest az California on the tour,
meeting and finishing M least twenty men.
| was very ANXIOUS TO get light on with
Charley Mitchell AZ this time, but couldn't
draw him out.
Then came Suliivan's challenge, and, As
7 would not admit that he - my superior,
| accepted the challenge. teei as If had
an even chance, and If splendid physical
condition, good hard work and careful
training count for anything Will make
good showing IN the ring.
@2Q~~@
The Post Intelligence
80