Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-03-18

for Professionalism Australian
was Originally a Journeyman
Blacksmith With a Sporting
Turn.
Carson City, Nevo March 17.-Among
the Frisco arrivals were some of Cor
belts boyhood friends, and they were
full of anecdotes about him. OF his
youthful days it has been said that he
was an energetic lad, given to standing
in with the under dog on all occasions.
At the grammar school, where jim
attended until he was about Is, he was,
after years diligence, at the head of
both the physical and mental depart
ments. Many Of the bigger boys grad
ually faded to back seat, as the results
Of trials Of mawleys. When Jim got
licked or thrown down he set a task
for himself of trying the fellow with
fresh tactics so, it is said, but one Of
his school fellows-fve years older and
a foot taller-ever got out of a success
full engagement with him without being
made to put up his props later. This
one soon after left school and jim
could not secure revenge.
After Jim finished his common school
education he thought he would like the
banking business. He obtained a po-
sitiOn with the Nevada Bank of San
Francisco as errand boy, from which
he soon rose to more respectable posi-
tions, and it was while poring over fig
ures that an incident happened one af-
ternoon to change the course of his
life to the stream foreOrdained to it.
Come up to the Olympic Club with
me this evening, jim" said an acqualnt-
ance to him of the banking firm. You
can look on, and if you like it will
get you in
Jim was amazed at the display o1
athletics. particularly with the boxing.
He became a member and went to the
boxing gloves, as if it was his destiny
Louis Geritchen. a squatty German with
a crooked nose. was the maSter-at-armS
of fencing. boxing and collateral things.
Geritchen was the man that implanted
in Corbett the art of circular ducking,
which was a fad with the instructor.
The German was pleased to behold as
big a man as the new pupil whirllng
his head with such accuracy. Gerltchen
spent most of his time in the gymna-
sium with the big pupil, for jim was
then about six feet high. until, feeling
one fine day that the professor was due
for downfall. Jim at out and boxed
all over him. There was a GOODNESS al
ter that. with the professor on stllI
blInt for some other big man to do Jim
mn. But he never found him, and the
incident cot the Californian quite
following in the club. BY sure. steady
stages he mastered all his friends any
wise inclined toward the gloves, and
everybody they could bring him.
Corbett was fight struck as they
coui+ His fathers ba5'n in Hayes Val
lev was turned into a'gymnasium, and
tbare each Sunday, jim announced
himself omen for finish fights. The val
Low was famed in those days for its
healthy growth Of hoodlums. Ihe
cboice of the Hayes Valleyites licked
the cravings. one by one. before the on
e1auobt of the big bank clerk. In an
otber nart of Frisco, working in
candy store, there was another youth
who thought he was master at gloves
The candy-puller heard with a sneer
about Corbett's knocking around the
Haves' Valley hoodlums and others, and
wanted 10 know what he did it on. III
on over to his barn said the candy
nuller. and I'll go him to a finish or
dozen of them" His name was Joe
C,bovnslli son Of a Polish Jew of note.
One Sunday Choynski. with his brother
for second. was on hand. Joe dldn [
know much. and. according to Corbett,
II was a case Of being smOthered for the
Polish invader. But Joe came back
again. This was also on a Sunday. The
friends of the boys had talked it among
them and by the time the fighters were
etrinDed for the fray several hundred
paoDIe we're jammed about the prem
isas Corbett. Sr. when he found what
was ND. wedged through the crowd,
nuIled Jim into the house and broke up
tho meeting. The candy man figured
il out a put-up job to save young Cor
bett q tanning COrhett angrily went
to the house of the Choynskis on the
very next Sunday. demanding a finish.
Choynski and his brother and Corbett
and his brother then took a walk over
toward the Cliff House, in the sand
hills. and there stripped and had it out.
Corbett SAYS he put Choynsh out in
three rounds. having so much left of his
fighting ginger that he also smashed
Chovnskfs brotherLater on Choynski
ioined the Olympic Club. Then there
was another bout. Corbett then be-
came instructor If the Olympic Club.
and Joe went to the California Athletic
Club. where he was assistant instructor
with Peter Jackson. He had got some
Doints from the great Australian. and
was also intimate with Jack Dempsey.
Chovnski challenged jim Corbett al
most every day. He wanted to down
him in the name of the California Ath-
letic Club as against the Olympic. They
finally nut up $500 each and went up the
country about forty miles. After four
rounds with twO-OnCe gloves. the pO-
lice Jailed the whole outfit Then they
made q new match. with Jack Dempsey
handling Chovnski. COrbett won in
twentv-seven rounds Corbett's hard
fight with Chovnski sent him on a pro-
fessional career. So far, they said, he
was a boxer. not a fighter His out
chasing Of Jake Kilrain and Dominick
NcCaffrey helped along the sparring
theorists But his ordeal came through
his sixtv-one round bout in San Fran
cisco with Peter Jackson. The talent
of the east regarded Corbett yet as
fancy boxer. The battle proved an en-
durance contest. lasting over four
hours. Jackson they say grew shy as
the event progressed.
Corbett got sufficient standing 10