Evening journal., 1903-12-30
low FIGHTERS
GET QUEER NAMES
ome Boxers Adopt Those
That Are Not Their
Own
IERE is A PERFECT FLOOD uKIOS''

'W Fighters, like other individuals who
M prominent in the public eye. re-
Is ice in some sort of nickname. From
& champions down TO the humblest
eliminary boxer have been received
me soubriquet from those who follow
~ c game Probably the most common
ssignation IN later years has been the
&. ord kid" says the New York World.
# This soubriquet has been applied to
M ores of pugilists, and no matter how
S i the possessors become the name
t# iclks. The only one of the latter-day
~ oxers nick-named Kid who became
M champion was Kid Lavigne. although
s. Id Carter and Kid Mccoy attained
S. rominence In their respective classes.
avigne became known as the Kid be-
luse of his youthful appearance. Nor
IAN Selby, otherwise known as Kid
lccoy, battled under the latter cogno-
zen for many years before his real
S ientity became known
zN Jim Corbett is known as Pompadour
Z i'm and Gentleman Jim because he
sed to wear his hair in pompadour
81 ashton and for the smart style in
yhich he dressed. When he appeared
the streets he always wore the lat
n st styles in clothes and he was billed
$ Gentleman Jim in one of his theat-
ical ventures.
Jim Jeffries. the Boilermaker. was a
oilermaker before he became the
might of the ring. Joe Walcott re-
eived his title of Joe the Giant Killer
,ecause of his feariessness in meeting
nen heavier than himself and through
his victory over Joe Choynski a few
u ears ago. He has also been known as
he Black Demon for his wonderfully
4 aggressive style Of fighting.
Spike Sullivan, whose first name is
ANilliam. got his nickname in a pecu-
lar way Sullivan began boxing in
Ss2. In 1895 in Boston he met a fellow
named Eddie Burke. The latter had
a great local reputation, while Sullivan
was practically unknown. Sullivan
won in three rounds, and the young
81 Irishman demonstrated such terrific
u hitting powers in that encounter that
81 Burke was completely knocked out and
Remained unconscious for some time
When he came to he weakly asked to
see his conqueror. Sullivan came for
ward and extended his hand.
You're an awful puncher," said
81 Burke partly dazed.
Il didn't know that" responded
4 Spike proudly. 'E hope you're not
much hurt"
80. I'm not hurt" said Burke. "bui
81 7 am still dizzy. But I'm afraid thai
4 you had a couple OF spikes in youi
4 glove when you smashed me. That las
4 blow felt as though it was landed Will
spike"
.r. a.. c...t,s..,. -.. 4..tt.-.
Spike.
4 Mysterious Billy Smith, whose cor.
4 rect name is Anon Smith. got his nick
name just prior TO his first public ap-
4 pearance in the East. Although borr
4 at Eastport, Maine. Smith fought most
4 " on the Pacific Coast. In 1892 Ton
4 Williams. champion welterweight o.
4 Australia, came to this country in
search of a fight. Ex-Judge Newton
who was matchmaker OF the old Cone,
Island Athletic Club and who had seei
. Smith flght, sent for the latter to conn
here and meet the Antipodean. Yer.
little was known OF Smith I'm the Eas
and there was much speculation as t.
his identity. Some of the sports guess
ed that he was a ringer" while othe
conjectured that he was a fourth-rate
who was selected TO merely try vii
liams out. Others figured that Smitl
was a bank clerk, while some hear
that he was a college youth who wa
in financial straits and becamea fighte
because he needed ready money. Hi
movements and everything appertain
ing TO him were kept so secret by tn
club management that he finally be
came known as the Mysterious One.
After Smith fought Williams and whip
ped him so quickly the newspaper
called him Mysterious Billy Smith.
Frank Craig, the Harlem Coffee Cool
er, colored, came by his name when
lived in Washington. That was in 1ss
and he had not thought of becomin
a pugilist. Craig is an intelligent fe
low. and from boyhood had to hustl
for himself. One day he found himse
ont Of a job, so he applied for a pos
tion in a cheap restaurant as a waite
The proprietor. a white man, wa
averse to employing negroes. and tol
Craig so. Craig was disappointed an
was about TO go when he turned to III
boss and said
whats the difference whether II
colored or not, so long as I do III
work?'
"A great difference" returned tn
proprietor angrily. you better e
out of here or I'll smash your head of
"IIl tell you what I'll do. boss" Graf
said. III you give me some work 1
wait for nothing. All / want is M
grub and a place to sleep"
Tho proprietor admired Craig's pc
sistency. ana in order to get rid Of hi
finally said: "All right. I'll give you
job. III employ you as a coffee COO
or"
what is that? asked the negro.
After a cup of coffee is drawn" al
swercd the man, you just go ahea
and wait until it cools Off. Then whC
It Is cool make it hot again."
Somehow the story got about. ar
when Craig came TO New York al
Joined the fighting ranks one OF h
friends hailed him as the champiS
"conee cooler"
Benny Yanger. who is often oalll
the Tipton Slasher. was nicknamed
this wise By his present manager, Jol
Hertz. Before Yanger became prom
ncnt he used to count on victory
slnshing at his opponents. one d'
Hertz remarked:
III you don't stop that slashing, Be
ny, some day you'l land in Upton
Whether Hertz used the word in III
OF another name OF a certain war
place has not been divulged. At al
trate, Yanger has been called the Tipt'
Slasher ever since.
In England Pedlar Palmer is know
as the Box OF Tricks because Of
tricky way of fighting. The ex-ba
tamwcight champion adopts diffcre
tactics every time he engages in a ba