The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-02
AT THE TOPEKA CLUB.
James J. Corbett Entertained There After
the Performance.

James J. Corbett Entertained There After
the Performance
James J. Corbett was entertained at
the Topeka club after Gentleman Jack"
last evening. The Elks Lodge was
waiting to initiate him as an honorary
member into that organization, but Mr..
John Moller OF New York, who has met
Corbett at the Athletic clubs in that city
aud knows him we'll, invited him to
go to the Topeka club and he
went accompanied by Frank Belcher, a
fine heavy baritone singer. and an old
schOolmate of Corbett's and John McVey
a member of the company. By the way
COrbett has five former schoolmates in
his com pany, and rather prides himself
on not forgetting his friends in his days
of prosperity.
There were about forty of the Topeka
club members present and Mr.. Alfred
Farland. the banjOist who gave a concert
in Library hall last night played several
selections. He has wonderful faculty
Of making classic music sound we'll on
the banjo, and the overture from Will
lam Tell was received with much q
thusiasm. Mr.. Moller is a very fine am
ateur banjo player and Mr.. Bslcher's
voice was especially good in several SCI
lectiona from "Robin Hood" Corbett
was the center of attraction and he i'm
pressed them as being "a very decent sort
of a fellow" according to one of
the club men. In response to a ques-
tioL about the requirements of a prize
fighter, Corbett said: "Brute strength is
in its decadence. activity and cleverness
are of more importance and Jem Mace
was the first man to exemplifv the ad
vantage Of these two things. 1 spared
with EN- Mace in England and while he
is a back number now, he was the
greatest prize fighter of his time. There
are number of young men who could
give him points in 'shiftliness' now.
Strength IS not the prime requisite. Mr..
McVey is stronger than l am and can lift
more. but when he is his feet
to box he is not as strong as /.
Your strength must come in the right
place. A big armed or a big legged
man can't fight. He must have sym
metrical proportions. I have taken all
my exercise standing from the time l
was little child
A prominent lawyer in the city asked
Corbett what he thought of certain
mans book on training.
Il have never read book on physical
training" he answered. Il pay no at
tention to theories. l eat aud drink any
thing I want while l am in training, and
I think every man can tell what work
he needs from the way he feels. L
drink two or three glasses of beer
every night after the performance and
three days before the fight with Mitchell
l drank a bottle of cham payne because L
felt worn out and had worked too much"
When questioned about the Fitzsim-
mons fight Corbett said it would be a
prolonged struggle, because Fitzsim-
mons would fight hard and he could
fight from 100 to TO pounds, but he
couldn't tell how many rounds
Why he remarked, Eat the last fight
I told my friends not to bet on less than
twenty rounds and IN five minutes it was
all over"
The champion explained and also
illustrated the pivotal" blow to the club
men, and said that his exhibition Of bag
punching last night was not represen-
tative performance because the light was
SO poor. The club men told him
if he would stay over they
thought they could arrange a small
fight, and Corbett good naturedly
told them that he was making too much
money
Courage Is written all over Corbett's
face, and he has fewer signs of brutality
than most men of his class. lie has
many English mannerisms and an affected
drawl, but he does not care to be made
lion OF and he objects to the attention
that is invar ly paid him. 81 have
lxissen more baoles than could count"
said the good looking man, and .@hile il
pleases me to do it, little OF that sort of
thing goes d long ways"