Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-04-23
NATURAL FIGHTERS.
How Some of the Professionals Start.
 ed in the Business.

It is as natural for some men to be
 prizefighters as it is for others to be i poets, musicians and artists. Cir 1 cumstances often develop the pugil'
 istic nature in the successful fighting
 man, but nobody can become top
 notcher in the prize ring unless he
 has the natural requirements in his
 makeup.
 John l.. Sullivans parents often
 declared that they intended their
 husky son for the church, but that
 nature made the big fellow cham
 pion prize fighter. It was about the
 same with the parents of Jeffries. His father, who is a travelling preach
 CT up and down the western rivers, tried hard to have his big son follow
 in the same path, but again nature stepped in and declared Jim sladi-
 ator. It is almost always the case that parents of pugilists are opposed
 to the fighting game
 When Sullivan was young fellow
 in South Boston his father put him to work in a tin factory to learn the
 trade of tinker John had refused to study for the priesthood and want ed to be his own boss. He developed fondness for base ball, and at each dinner hour he would join his friends in game in a nearby lot. The boss of the factory was big ourly fellow who ruled apprentices with an iron hand. When the whistle blew at 1 o'clock he would accept no excuses from the boys who were a few min utes late. .,
 One afternoon Sullivan was so taken up with his ball playing that
 he did not hear the factory whistle and was about ten minutes late when
 he came back to the shop. With no word of warning the boss rushed at John l.. like a cyclone, clouted him in the face and kicked him in the
 body. Like an infuriated tiger Sul- liyan turned, and shooting out his mighty right fist, he landed on the
 boss's jaw, sending the latter flying through window into the yard Sullivan lost his job, but it was not long after that he came to be known as the strong boy" The first time he ever put on q pair of boxing gloves was at a variety enter- tainment in the Dudley 3treet opera house in Roxbury, Mass. John at- tended the show not expecting to take any part in it. But 1t so hap pened that muscular young man named Scannel came out on the stage and announced that he was ready to in of Sullivan's friends induced him to accept the challenge. So after a par ley John climbed over the foot lights. He had no boxing togs with him, but just pulled off his coat, rolled up his shirt sleeves and drew on the gloves.
 Sullivan and Scannel went at it hammer and tongs. In nlixup John received a terrific blow on the back of his head. His eyes flashed fire, and he came back at his antagonist with a punch so hard that Scannel was knocked clear over the piano, which was near at hand. That set tied Scannel and also started Sulli- van on his pugilistic career. From that night on his sole ambition was to become a champion fighter
 Jim Corbett began his bread-win- ming career as an employe of bank in San Francisco when he was only 3 years old. As he grew into man. hood he naturally took to athletics. He became a member of the Olympic Athletic club, and under Walter Watson, a past master of .he manly art. he soon developed into clever boxer. Fistic science was d natural quality, and it was not long before he had bested all of the best sparrers in the club. Corbett says that the night John L. Sullivan met George Robinson at the Mechanics pavilion in Frisco he was the first person to pass the gates, at , o'clock in the af- ternoon. He went early to get seat close to the ropes and to avoid the bowling mob that damned the building that night.
 That was my first real lesson in practical professional pugilism," de- clares Corbett. 1t was only few years later that Corbett became one of the leading fstic stars of the Pacific coast. When he was matched to fight Peter Jackson. Corbett's father filed an. objection 10 Jim's to become Yugilist and also to his willingness to meet a negro in the ring. The old gentle man was fairly beside himself with 1 rage over the match and declared | that he would have Jim arrested. | But Corbett took his father aside | and said:
 Now. father, I've signed articles | to meet Jackson. True. ne's color ed man, and I appreciate your feel ings, but I've signed the agreement I and can't get out of the fight without myself and losing the friendship as we'll as the money of a whole lot of good people. If you prevent me from meeting Jackson in Frisco will go to Australia and light him. You wouldn't want me To gO of into a strange country where [ wouldn't receive fair play, would you?" This was too much for Inc elder Corbett, who shook his head and walked away.
 Jeffries began his business career IS a boilermaker fin Los Angeles. He was fond of swinging the heavy hammer and soon developed great physical strength. Jim was never n the habit of looking tor trouble, lut when it was up to him he gener- llly sailed in and won. Among his in the boiler factory Jen ioon gained a reputation for his 'ongh and ready fighting ability, so hat very few cared to cross his ,ath