Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-24
O. 'BRIEN TELLS
OF TRAINING
PHlLADELPHIAN PRIZE PRESS
AGENT
Gets Away with Letter Which Refers
to Ancient Athletic Heroes.
Pats Angelenos on
the Back

If there be better press agent in the
country than Jack O'Brien let him step
forth and make noise. For wondrous
connections Mr.. OBrien has every
thing in the press gag line beaten by
several city blocks Whether he wins
from Tommy Burns next Wednesday
evening is something OF disputed
question, but that he is there with all
the bull which could possibly be accu-
mulated no one will deny.
Under ordinary circumstances a let
ter of such tenure as the following
might be overlooked, but we could not
consign the epistle to a waste bas-
ket without twinges of conscience that
an epic was being tossed aside. There
fore listen to the following:
Feeling that the public in general
is interested in my coming contest
and my method of training 1 propose
to give short account of my work and
my Impressions of this young city of
the west have been quite carried
away by the splendor of it's scenery
and the immense wealth of it's natural
dover.
The latter will place Los Angeles at
no distant date among the first cities
of the world; the former should Undue
her citizens with such a desire for
health, strength and athletic beauty as
should bring them to a rivalry with
the ancient Greeks in all those lofty
arts that tend to make life possession
OF low Let this be said I never look
from my windows in the ship at Venice
but l remember-like some old dream
as il were flashing over my awakened
memory-the outlines of old Greece and
= the homes of her immortal athletes.
oI. fnfr
such a sea Telemachus hurled his
kissing spear and with peering eyes
searched the wide main for the return
of his sire: while from such world
of fruit and flowers Ulysses strove to
break from the charms of CalypSis
isle and the love light in the eyes of its
queen. In such hidden Wales as here
abound Glacus might have been found
mending his plow with his iron fist,
or, later, training for his Olympian con-
tests won with such artless grace.
/ fear that in point of physique Gla-
Gus would have made me appear as
greyhound by the side of dray horse.
but I feel that what we may have lost
in size and weight we have gained in
science and perfect training. 1t is
probable that Corbett, Mccoy or my
self could give the old boxers with the
cestus in the Olympiads some startling
wringles, not to mention a few scientific
jolts on vital points that are not con-
ducive to a name equilibrium when
thus jabbed.
But let me put these "reminiscences
of my books and dreams apart. l will
saw that l have never been in harder
training or more satisfied with all the
work accomplished. Whatever else may
be, / assert with all the power l pos
sess that in all my contests the best
man has won. If ] ever do anything
to deservedly forfeit the friendship I
have met with everywhere in these
big-hearted United States then l will
hide myself from the face of their peo-
pies and sink to a well earned OBJ
livion.
1t is time that the Augean stables of
professional sport and athletics in
America were cleansed.
1t is my hope and ambition that some
day not far hence l may prove myself
worthy of recognition from the citizens
of the United States in line of work
far above the position / occupy at pres
ent as her exponent of scientific boxing,
athletic training and clean living.
Our genial host, Frank Lawton, of
the good ship Cabrillo at Venice is ca
tering to our every need and l must
say that I have never been in better
or more adaptable quarters.
1 am ably assisted in my good work
by my faithful Mortimer" who, as
my personal attendant has proved HIM
self invaluable. Bob" Ward. who re-
Gently won the amateur heavyweight
championship at San Francisco, and
Abdul the Turk are assisting me dur
ing the final two weeks of my training.
I have every confidence in my ability
to defend my title as I have done in
the past
realize that in meeting Burns I am
cOOcadinor hptWppn fftean and tNVantu
ponds and contesting with him under
rules that have proved his stronghold
in the past.
1 shall train diligently and hope to
have the good news flashed across the
country in my favor on the night of
the 2Sth Respectfully,
PHILA. JACK O'BRIEN.