The San Francisco call., 1905-05-14

who speaks by rote Of the benefits
hghting, scene on the Ooncas.a- race
course IL England, on the greatest day
and the greatest race Of The year. the
day OF the st. Leger, which ranks with,
indeed. caps the Derby. Ali England
all the England Of wealth and fashion
and pleasure, of Burke's, of the So
ciety and the sporting columns was
there, and just before the great race was
to be run, when all minds were turned
TO that event, the news was licked into
the press-stand that Corbett was
champion Of the fighting world, that
Sullivan was shorn of his honors. Like
tongue of flame across dry grass the
news swept through the tremendous
crowd, an eager murmur of excitement
rising, and Lord Marcus Beresford,
who was running the favorite in the
big race Of the day. forgetting for the
moment his own and the sporting in
terest, came straight to Colonel Tom
Ochiltree and me, who were of the few
Americans there. to tell us the news
that was being chalked on the board
Think of it, his voice thick with
FEELING and his eyes afire, Jared out
OF his British and his class composure,
think of old John L. getting upon his
hands and knees and saying there's a
light in him yet-think of his pluck!'
And all England felt like that on that
day.
L thought also of Market street and
Kearny and Third on the night of
NHn 1 inc
men, women and children, some under
umbrellas and some under the peIting
rain, some with babies asleep on their
shoulders and some with pet dogs
snuggled under their arms, stood there
for hours to read the bulletins-just
the bulletins-of what two stripped
men were doing in little roped quad.
rangle a half hours ride away.
saw, too, in my minds eye once
again the thousands that packed the
same thoroughfares on the starry
night, when this dapper little man
facing me was fighting for his right TO
stay on the top of the heap, and how
stranger would engage with stranger
ia fierce argument as TO the merits OF
each fighter, or in friendly converse
tion on the ground of a common choice.
If this sort of thing means so much
to the mere spectator, to the non-par-
ticipant, if ii excites such long-distance
interest, what does it mean to the man
who participates-and wins?
Pep. The lid, flies up.
1t isn't riveted down. after all.
Say, let me tell you'd rather be
Jimmy Britt the Fighter. Jimmy Britt
the Champion of the World in my
class, than anything else on earth. Yes,
1 would,
Jimmy Britt the Fighter is better
fellow. better in every way, and he
amounts to more. than Jimmy Britt the
bookkeeper. or Jimmy Britt the lawyer
yes, 1 thought some of studying law
once-ever would have been.
IF 1t was Jimmy Britt the Book
keeper, who would turn his head to
look at me?
''Or her head?'
Yes" with a big laugh and chest
expansion, "or HER head-who would?
What would l have in my
pocket. or in the bank, or on
pay day? Where would I be? Just in
the common ruck! or course, I could
sneer and turn I'D my nose at some
other fellow and say, oh, he's nothing
but prizefighter.' but nobody would
pay any attention to me if did.
wouldn't count, and what 1 said or
thought wouldn't count, except in my
own little circle OF acquaintances, who
wouldn't count on their own account
either. I'd be a nobody among no.
bodies, and instead OF that I'm the best
in my line and I'm known all over the
world.
"Why"-the lid is off now. clear off.
The champion Of the world-in his class
starts UP from his -publica-
ton, which he hates In his inmost soul
as much as 1 do, and he is himself, all
alive, keen, the real heart of the real
man boiling to the top. Why" he re-
peats, when I win a fight, and I've
won every time-twelve times, I've
never known what itswas to get licked,
er-be defeated; even when the deci-
sion was against me it was on a foul;
l whipped the other fellow even IL he
did get the money. Well, when I win
a fight
"Oh. pehaw! 1 can't tell you what
the feeling isl can't put in into
words.
DQL OH EIlQdS AlG hch DOs INV
decision, when I knocked out White,
for it was a knockout in reality IL not
technically, I felt
well, I wouldn't have changed
places with Roosevelt at that moment.
He's the biggest man in this coun-
try, isn't he? There's lots of men would
like to be Roosevelt!
well. wouldn't have changed
places with ROOSEVELT
'I'd rather be Jimmy Britt the
Fighter standing there in that ring,
the best in my line in the world.
'I never for a moment thought I
wasn't going to win. 1 felt sure of
myself from first to last I always do;
but when the thing was settled, when
it was at an end. when at last / had
the decision, I wouldn't have changed
places with anybody on this earth
at that moment.
when 1 stood there in the ring
the winner, and heard the cheering and
-