The sun., 1909-02-14

Corbett's first wife, Ollie Lake. grew
tired OF Gentleman jim after he had
presented her with q $4,000 house In
West Eighty-seventh street. She OBJ
tained divorce and married the son OF
mulumillionaire paint manufacturer
This throwdown didn't break Corbetts
heart, however. for he soon married again
and has been very happy ever since.
Mrs. Corbett No. 2 presides over n hand
some home at Bay Side, l.. l., and. like
Mrs. Jeffries. abe forced Gentleman Jim
70 give up prizefghting some time ago.
had TO laugh the other day when l read
about Corbett declaring that he would
fight johnson and bring back the cham
pionship TO the white race. Why, boys,
you couldn't get Corbett into ring again
with derrick. He told me only recently
In his dressing room that neither money
nor influence would ever induce him 10
return TO the boxing game. Jim's ambi-
ton Is TO keep on studying until he be-
comes great comedian. Jim certainly
has the phiz for IL. Did you ever look
1t over carefully It's rather comic
mug at that, more especially when James
gives that hard, horsey laugh Of his.
A friend OF mine says Corbett's face
in profile always reminds him Of clean
shaven horse but | think Jim 10 not at
all bad looking. considering he fought
his way to the championship, which as a
rule does not improve manly beauty
Corbett has no marks TO indicate his ring
career-no caulifower ear or broken
nose. It's a strange fact that few Of
the great fighters were ever marked in
this way. Look at Burns, Attell. Sulli-
Mitchell and score Of other crackajacks
and they show no disfigurements. II
seems TO 30 the bum scrappcrs -ho get
smashed mus and fancy ears.
Jack McAuliffe. who has sentimental
side to his character has often told me
that the death Of his first wife was the
hardest blow he ever received in or out
Of the ring. According to Jack she was
the loveliest woman that ever lived and
he mourns her loss to tfisday, even though
she died nearly twenty years ago,
-'If my wife had lived. said Nc
Aulife TO me the other day, i would still
be the lightweight champion OF the world,
for my life would have been quiet. and
domestic under her influence.
Il know McAuliffe means Just what
he says about his first love. Kitty Hart
and Jack grew up together over in
Williams burg. IL was a romance from
early childhood, and McAuliffe did most
Of his courting when he toiled for his
daily bread In cooper's shop. long be-
fore he ever dreamed Of being a pro-
fessional fighter.
About twenty years ago there was
hard scrapper from Australia named
Jim Burge, the Ironman.' He was only
a lightweight. but yet he'd fight any one
II he saw bit Of change in 1t. no matter
how much the other fellow weighed
He was one Of the gamest men l ever
saw In a ring. When he landed in New
York he had fought $50 battles. light
middle and heavy weights. II some one
would take the trouble to hunt up Burgess
record 1t would show that he was the
greatest fighting man in point OF actual
battles the world has ever known. It's
a cinch that no living champion ever
took part In 30 many mills. Yet in spite
Of all his fighting / never met fellow
who was 80 peaceful. domestic and
thoughtful Of his wife and children, whom
he had left behind him in the Antipodes
Every time Burge fought here he insisted
on loeer's end as we'll as a winners.
''You know, must send something
yer to the missus and kids he would
say. SO from every one OF his battles
Mrs Burge received her end Of the purse,
and she always got the best end OF II too.
Burge soon became homesick here. and
finally unable to stand IL longer he sailed
for Australia. The missus had sent him
a letter asking him 20 come home. and he
obeyed her like a little boy.
''It would never do TO offend the
missus,' he said and must go home.
There are few fighters who love their
homes and families like Burge. He was
still fighting the last | heard Of him, and
the missus was getting her bit as usual