The San Francisco call., 1896-06-20
Believes Him to Be a Magnificent
Specimen of "Old Man
hood"
THEY WILL PLAY HANDBALL.
Former Methods of Training Have Been
Broken Away From by Both
Pugilists.
Handball is the fin de steele method of

ling IS only used In moderauoni and even
sparring is now INDUCED in but
moderately. AS to dieting, it is no longer
thought of, excepting when it is necessary
so as to reduce the fighter to certain
weight.
Corbett at the Olympic Club on this
side OF the bay, and Sharkey at the Acme
Club on the other side, are exemplifica-
tions of the new system of training, and
both men are in fit condition to-day to
enter the ring.
They have nearly a week more to wait
for results, and they will not allow them
selves TO become "stale," nor will they
overtrain. They will simply continue
playing hand ball at the rate OF half
dozen games each day.
Sharkey, however, in addition to this
does considerable walking and sprintlng
to better his limbs as well as his wind.
He drinks nothing but tea, coffee and ale
very little of the latter. Corbett, on the
other hand, stints himself IN nothing his
appetite or taste dictates.
These handball games in which Corbett
INDUCES are witnessed daily by an inter
ested crowd, who marvel at the supple
ness of the champions limbs and the
rapidity with which he can run his i'm
mense frame around his smaller oppo-
nents.
Hampton, the Olympic Clubs champion
handball player. and Corbett make mag
nihcent pair of players. Up to date their
games have been tie after many hours of
hard and clever playing. Corbett is firm
in the belief that in number of sue
cessive games he could outlast the little
man, and it is quite likely he could, his
physique and condition coming to his as
sistance.
Jim NeaIop, the other man of handball
renown who has come against Corbett, is
not so young as Ham pton, nor is he as
+ ght on his feet; still he has been able to
hustle CoTbett around very lively in
strange court with a smaller area and
softer ball than he has been in the habit OF
playing.
Corbett is one of Nealons greatest ad-
mirers. He was speaking about him yes
terday afternoon in his brothers place,
where a number of newspaper men met
him.
"Do you know" said the champion,
"that / don't think that | have ever met
man in my life | have found to be so per-
feet in constitution and physique as Jim
Neaion2 OF course / m talking now about
men of his age.
Lets see. My father is past 55 years of
age and Jim Nealon is older than he. He
must be going on so. Still, he's as lively
as lad of 20 and as strong as an OK. He
know that have got anything to boast OF
if ! do beat Jim. Why shouldn't /, con-
! sidering am a young man and he is so
| OLD? / will back him If he would play
against any handbaIl- player in the world
| OF his age"
! Corbett's admiration for James Nealon' S
| ability represents the sentiment of all the
people who know him. He is certainly an
! athletic man of note, and he is a man who
|
| pipe, nor has he ever taken a drink OF
| strong liquor in his life.
But to get back to Corbett.
The newsboys on Powell and Eddy
streets take a recess every afternoon about
the time the champion is on his way
from exercise at the club to his brother
| Harry's saloon. They cease peddling
their papers and their traffic in transfers
| to ''lay" for Suliivan's victor.
| AS soon as he comes in sight they make
a run for him, and like giant he stands
among so many pigmies.
Scramble fur US, Jimn they yell on all
sides, and Jim can't help laughing as he
gazes upon the earnest faces OF the
expectant little fellows. He knows
quite well what they mean, and he
reaches down into his trousers pockets for
dimes and nickels. He gets this every day
and he is always prepared
Hauling out handful of small coins he
hurls them as far up the street as
he can and watches the gamins
''scram BILE" to pick them up. 1t is great
| fun, out before it is quite over Corbett
starts on run for his brothers resort to
| get away from the returning youngsters
| Corbett's exercise yesterday consisted of
| a nine-minute boxing bout with heavy
weight Van Buskirk, after which he i'm
medlately spared round with e. Hislop
and one with Bob McCord.
-.
| interruption excepting the change of
opponents, Corbett being by far the fresher
man of the quartet at the end of the exer-
| else.
Following this Corbett and Fred Butz
played and won three games of handball
against Edward w. Lewis and James G..
Neelon. In these four handed games the
last TWO gentlemen did not show to anv
great advantage, the Corbett COMPANY
winning easily with scores of to q, 10 to
II and to u. The last game came very
near being a SKUNK" Corbett and his
partner reaching nineteen points before
their opponents got chalkmark.
James G. Nealon, when seen after the
play, stated that he did not care very
much, anyhow, for four-handed game.
II will meet Corbett next Sunday in a
single handed game and l will come pretty
near showing him what handbal playing
is. / believe | can defeat him, and l shall
certainly try"
Mr. Nealon is the crack player of the
Occidental Handball Club and his recent
defeats by Corbett have caused much COM
ment.
In explaining them yesterday he said:
81 am not used to playing in a small
court, nor do l care to play with a soft
ball. But | am getting used to the
Olympic's court and on Sunday Iil be as
familiar with it as Corbett is"
The seats for the contest have been going
so fast that the entire downstairs part of
the Mechanics Pavilion will be sold out
before Tuesday next. No seats will be
sold for the gallery until the night of the
contest, when they viii be handed out at
So apiece at the box office.
The National Athletic Club has certainly
made a great stroke Of business, imam
cialy, in getting up this contest. and is
seriously considering building UP more
seats on the lower floor to accommodate
the demand.
Some of the people who have been
rendered the choice boxes and seats are:
Civic Federation, box AZ. section B; Gov.