Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-12
ABILITY TO ''K|O"
A VALUABLE ASSET

A valuable asset of many of the great
prize fighters of late years has been their
ability to kid their opponents and at the
same time to keep up their own nerve in
acting the part of an entirely confident and
nonchalant scrapper who is doing the
thing just for the fun of 1t, says Left
Hook" in New York Telegraph.
This faculty is generally found in the
fighters whose scientific attachments are
in excess of their power to slug and take
a world of grueling. Mysterious Billy
Smith was one of the first to bring it into
play, and such ring generals as James j.
Corbett, Tommy Ryan, Kid Lavigne, Young
Corbett and Abe Attell have practised it
with good results.
Mysterious Billy Smith fought Joe Wal
colt five times, four of which were draws.
but the negro was at all times Smiths
master, although the latter would keep up
a running fire of taunts and jibes which
made the inky cuticle of the Barbados
Demon often turn an ashy gray, SO f1us-
tered would he become.
You ugly black hyena," Smith would
remark while he skipped around the ring
Il don't believe you realize what a fool you
are to get in here with me. First, I'm going
to spread your nose all over your face and
then I'm going to make you eat the saw
dust on this floor"
The dingy generally lost his nerve and
had Smith possessed the punch he would
undoubtedly have beaten Walcott. In the
battle in which the negro was given the
decision it is said he became so enraged
and wild that he just clustered in and lit
orally smothered Smith.
Kid Broad had a way of threatening his
gargoyle face forward and letting loose
a line of talk that would make the average
sailor hide his head. Notwithstanding the
Kid has palate and generally travels
with an interpreter, his opponent was gem
orally fiuStered so by the jargon that he
would let all sorts of opportunities slip
and leave himself open for one of Broad's
awful punches.
A lot of byplay in the ring before the
handshake often has the effect of rafting
fighter. Mccoy had great way of wear
ing sinister, contemptuous smile and look
ing his man over from top to toe in a man
ner that made the other fighter squirm.
Young Corbett also was on to this game.
Corbett, however, kept up the talk. and
1t Is said that 1t was due to this that he
got and held the Indian sign on Terrible
Terry McGovern.
With a fighter like Jeffries or Marvin
Hart this guying doesn't go. They are
both too intent on the fight itself to hear
anything or see anything, for that matter,
but the man before them. Philadelphia
Jack O'Brien is a grandstander, in this
line, of purest ray. He will enter the ring
IN most nonchalant manner, bow to right
and left to acquaintance in the crowd,
and will see not his his opponent until a
few minutes before the whistle. Then he
generally solicitously inquiries after the
pugs health and chats him in a patroniz-
ing manner He ran this game over young
Al Kaufman, and got the lad, who is
naturally q sober minded undemonstrative
fellow, so ratified that he didn't know what
he was up against
Games ]. Corbett's nerve has always
been with him, and it was his acting and
fourflushing before the fight with John /.
Sullivan that got the big fellow ratified and
went great way to causing his defeat
says a man who saw the contest in New
Orleans.
'Just before the fight every one was
anxious to see Corbett. They thought Jim
would be so nervous when he entered the
ring that he would hardly be able to hold
up his hands. Sullivan was aware OF the
shock his sudden appearance had on oppo-
nents, and, a rule, the mighty John l..
usually allowed his opponent TO enter the
ring first, or rather demanded that he do
so. He tried the same trick on Jim, but
Jim took the cue in a manner that quite
surprised the burly Bostonian IL Is no
ring first and face the mob. His feelings
are akin to those that the Roman gladia-
tors experienced when they were tossed
into cage of wild animals to defend Them
selves against the frantic brutes. rev
pugilistS can fail to succumb to the shock,
and many a good man was half licked by
this stage fright before he was struck
single blow. Sullivan anticipated this. But
he figured without his host Corbett
skipped Into the ring as though he were
going to make little speech. He bowed
gracefully and acknowledged the reception
given to him. Then the form of Sullivan
hove in sight Pandemonium reigned The
circus got glimpse of the mighty John l.,
and they gave to him reception that
would have taken the nerve of less cool
ring politician than Corbett.
"Corbett hardly noticed the advent of the
champion of champions But in minute
it was Corbett's turn to do a little acting
and his stunt would have made stage hit
had some writer made it theme for his
pen.
1.-The applause had hardly subsidized when
corbett began to carry out plan that was
rehearsed many time before he entered
| the ring. When Jim caught Sullivan glar-
| ing and scowlng at him he did not notice
him at all. But. jumping from his stool he
waltzed around the ring, prodded the moor
with his feet to make assurance as to the
| footing. When he seemed to satisfy him
| self on this point, he began pantomiine
| boxing exhibition. This was a new ex-
| perience for Sullivan. AS a rule, Sullivan's
| opponents were frightened half to death by
| that hypnotical scowi. 1t was wasted on
Corbett, however, and this did not please
| Sullivan. But more was to come. Jim sud
| denly got busy with the ropes and pulled
| and hauled on them to make sure of their
| strength. When Jim seemed to satisfy
| himself that the ring would not vanish dur
| ing the contest he commenced to bow to
| imaginary friends. First he walked over to
| Harry Weldon, the sporting editor of the
Cincinnati Enquirer, and clasped his hands
/ In friendly grasp. Then he continued the
| bowling. Now, as a matter of fact. Corbett