The Washington times., 1906-12-19
MOST PUGILISTS
ARE VERY VAIN
Dandy" Jim COrbett, Jack
O'Brien, Nelson, and Nc
Govern Worst of Lot.
SHARKEY ALONE DIFFERENT
Sailor Tom Was Proud of His Tin"
Ear as a Badge of HOnoT-Some
Peculiar Incidents.

DID ycu ever see fighter looking
into a mirror asks "Old Sport in the
the New York Press.
Well. the average lighting man has
more varity in his makeup than
woman. Watch q fighter waiting for
\ train in the Subway. It's funnier tnan
a circus First ne saunters over care
Iessly and drops a cent into a slot ma
chine TO get 8 piece OF gum. He doesn't
chew anything milder than plug cut
He doesn't want that gum any more
than you do All he wants is "A caance
at the mirror that hangs over the ma
chine.
Does My Scar Show?
First. he takes a quick glance as he
drops the penny. While he is reaching
for the package he has time 10 raise his
eyebrows twice to see il that scar over
his eve shows in the dim light He is
satisfied until he sees the reflection OF
his cauliflOWer ear. Leaning closer, he
scovls as he inspects il carefully FL
nally. convinced that II will pass Tor an
ear. he straightens his nose with the
fingers OF his left hand.
The result satisfies him, and he smiles.
About that time the bell rings. lie
1umDs for a car-and carefully selects
81 seat that will let him see his own
reflection in the mirror across the aisle
while pretending to read the aos and
watch the station signs
Takes Another Look.
II YOU follow him out of the car
youth find Sim five minutes later lean
ing on a bar with both elbows 10 make
his shoulders look broad. and grinning
at his reflection in the mirror behind it,
lie orders a lemonade because It takes
longer to make one than 10 draw a
glass OF beer. and he gets more time to
look at himself.
The coming chPmpion." as long as
he keeps on coming Is usually petted
until he learns to look upon himself
as one OF the most perfect works of a
wise providence. and he likes TO look
the part.
Bats CaulihOwer Ear.
The tougher the fighter the more SEN
sitive he is about his appearance.
Bat Nelson isn't a thing of beauty
now. He may have beer. long ago. But
Bat likes his looks, The only thing that
worries him is an undeniable cau!ilow-
er ear. He Will let a photographer take
any number of pictures OF him, but
ear toward the camera
In the late Nelson-Gans night Bat was
going along in his usual style. paying
no attention 10 anything oil side of the
ring. Cans, the sharpshoOter. picked
out Bats bad ear and made a target of
il. hammering away until the blood
flowed and the ear began to grow.
There wasn't a mirror in the ring, so
Bat didn't worry. But Jimmy Britt.
who doesn't like Nelson At all, nearly
broke up the night. Turning 10 Nolan,
he yelled loud enough for Nelson TO
hear il: "Hey. Nolan. you'll have TO en-
gage another berth for Nelson 10 take
that car home in" Bat turned around
10 scowl at Britt. and for a few minutes
Cans peppered him at will.
ShaIkey Proud of the Badge.
Jim Jeffries tried to kid" SharKey
about his tin ear at Coney Island, nut
Sharkey Is the one fighter who is proud
Of the badge Jeffs jibes never touched
lim.
Philadelphia Jack O'Brien is the vain
est man that ever fought. Jack is a
hard fighter. When he can cut the other
fellow Up he takes pride in his work.
The fTst thing he SAYS after the fight.
is, Look at me-nOt mark" told
Jack once that his face was beginning
10 show signs of wear. He pulled out a
pocket mirror and sidestepped over TO
the nearest window,
Seeing an old picture of Terry Nc
Govern printed in a Philadel phia paper
Just before the fight with Corbett, I
flashed it on Terri. It. was a nice
smooth. boyish picture. just like Terry
when ne was putting them all out so
fast they didn't have time 90 reach him.
Terry smiled. Gee" he said, that
a good picture OF me-
Corbett Another Vain One.
Jim Corbett was training at Carson
for tho night with Fitz. Jim was
pampered favorite about that time, and
had the Adonis idea fixed in his mind.
Jim was always a good looking fellow.
at that A Frisco photographer came
mp 10 take pictures OF Jim in all sorts
OF poses. No star actress was ever
harder to pose, and James even insist
ed upon seeing all the proofs before
the pictures were sent out for publi-
cation
Jim was being measured. The doe
tors tane showed Il very small chest
expansion Here Lhat > WioHBs
Corbett exclaimed TRY il again. -
This time Jim caught the tape under his
arms and uulled his shoulders back
until the measure showed an increase OF
about six inches. When he was meas
ured for height she mark on the wall
showed feet ~ inches. Jeffries step
ped up and measured a quarter OF an
inch taller. Corbett was the sOrest man
in Nevada. and that afternoon he iabbed
away at Jeff's face until the big fellow S
lips were so badly cut that he could
hardly eat his dinner.
Corbett and Britt Still Good.
Both Young Corbett and Jimmy Britt
claim the honor of having given Nelson
his tin ear. and both proudly exhibit
their own perfect hearing apparatus to
show that they have something on Mel
son. anyhow
Every fighter hates TO be known as