The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-30
yAMOST PUC|uSTS
DISLIKE ROWS
Only Ncar-C Champions Are Prone
to Engage III Street
Drawls.
C0RBETT A REAL GENTLEMAN
l"Gentleman jim Was Most
Peaceful and Law-Abiding When
v. Outside the Squared Circle.

Though fighting Is their profess
sion, tile average knight OF the
squared circle 10 pcace-!oving cti-
zen. Put this down as a real live
frct. Mr. Pugiist Will walk six
blocks out of his way to avoid a street
brawl with some pcsty hoodlum, and
he Will swallow more sassy talk from
huttiniskis and smile than a politician
campaigning for Office. 1t Is only when
he Is crowded into a corner and forced
20 show his hands that he will use
his skill or course. there are mixed
ale scrappers who never miss
chance to take part in an impromp-
tn fight. They love the glory which
comes from cleaning out some dirty
bar-room, breaking noses and discol-
orlng eyes.
sixth-rate pugs rather relish this,
and some would prefer winning
down $4,000 purse in the arena.
But the topnotch fighters are beings
OF another species. When In the cons
pany of gentlemen they behave AS
such. and If disturbance Is started
Mr.. Champion Will do his best to
anaugurate a peace conference.
In the Olden Days.
In the palmy days OF John L. Sui
Ivan he broughtt much unpleasant
notoriety upon the profession by his
drunken antics. While on a rampage
he was liable to strike newsboy, or
shy beer bottle at some poor bar
tendsi,'i::d the papers would be full
or Suilivan's escapades days after.
4 The champions who followed John L.
were made of different stuff
The man that raised tho crown from
i,,na 1T to-.
tlon as Gentleman jim. and he stu
4 diously lived up to HIS soubriquet as
lcns as he was champion. Corbett was
the type OF fighter who was equally
at home in the ring, or in the bali
room. or at the club. In crowd he
vas the last man you would pick as
the tighter, but some might aim that
IT was no effort to be q gentleman
when one has the world salaaming Ia
him like Corbett did.
But listen to what Billy Delaney has
TO say on this score: when / was
With W.T.; Jim Corbett he; was frequently
lose his temper or head. Sullivan's nd
mlrers, who were many. were fire.
quently saying nasty things to Jim. AZ
even temper as have, It provoke
me the way some talked to Corbett.
nave seen Jim get mad in tho collar
as a., the boys say, but Just when he Eel,
= NAAAo oo'AcllllhS ne checked
himself.
Had Great seIf-ControI.
In this respect Jim had great contro
over himself. which any Fighter WIN
expects to make a success in the RIM
must have. Really I think fighter!
have to put UP with more abuse thar
any other class of people. and the ia 3
that they do submit to It is a credit t.
them" y
From Corbett down the line you fnt
q class of men who are seldom seer
an police court Take Jeftries. for ex
ample. He is one OF the best nat,iref
men IN the world and he wouldn,
harm child. To get a fight out of tn
big fellow on the street ruffin woul,
certainly have to make a spectacle o
himself. Peter Jackson, black as night
was gentleman through and through
and so was George Dixon another so,
OF Ham. Bob Fitzsmmons, when /,
his cups. might start q little fracas
but sober he had the disposition OF
schoolboy. and was never so happy a
wien playing with his pet dogs an,
liens Tommy Ryan, Terry A1cGoverr
Young Corbett. Jimmy Britt, Bat
ting Nelson, Jack OBrien, Tomn,,
Burns. Jack Root. Joe Cans, Tor
E Sharkey, Frank Erne, kid" Lavigne
George Dawson, Dan Creedon, Tomm
Tracey and a dozen others might b
named who are gentlemen out OF tn
ring. though fighters in.