The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-08-10
.PuCDOMS' GREATEST
LITTLE FIGHTER DIES
AT MOTHERS HOME

condition imposed by Nolan, who
insisted that the negro step on the
scales twice before the ringside
scaling. Fearful lest he be over
weight, Cans worked until almost
the last minute, and when he
stepped on the scales for the last
time he was drawn, haggard,
gaunt. He had failed to put on his
protector, a fact that Nolan
quickly discovered.
BILLY NoLAN'S SNARE.
"If you are going to fight with
a protector" snarled Nolan, you
will have to put it on before you
weigh"
"Ah, Billy" said Joe, in quiet,
pleading tones. why don't you be
reasonable. You don't want your
boy to whip a dead man, do you?
Why don't you show some sports
manship?"
Nolan was memorable and the
protector was put on.
The result of that battle is too
we'll known to require more than
passing mention. For AZ rounds
the boys fought savagely under a
blazing Nevada sun, Cans. lowing to
his weakened condition, being put
to the severest test of his life to
keep the onrushing Dane from
overcoming him. He was forced to
resort to every trick he knew and
the exhibition he gave under such
trying conditions was simply mar
velous. A few seconds after the
opening of the final round Cans
went down from what Referee Siler
declared to be a foul punch and the
negro was awarded the battle. 1t
was his last great fight, however.
The weight had killed him and the
Cans that won the championship
from Frank Erne in round began
to fade and when he made his last
battle, which was with Jabez
Whitpe. the Englishman, in New
York on March II. 1909, he was
merely shadow of his former self.
The two beatings that Nelson gave
him in their battles in San Fran
cisco in 1908 were the finishing
touches.
FOUGHT FIRST FOR IS.
Cans was born in Baltimore in
1876, had his first fight when he
was 16 years old. substituting for
a boWy who had failed to show up
at little boxing show in his home
city. Joe whipped two boys that
night and his reward was So. He
had taken up boxing and other ath-
letics because he was inclined to
be weak and sickly. He immedi-
ately showed unusual cleverness as
a boxer and after his first appear
ance in the ring he was urged to
follow boxing as a profession. 1t
was not until 1894, however, that
Cans began to show the real stuff
in him and from that time until he
fell before Nelson he fought every
lightweight that sought a battle
with him, and sometimes he took
on the welters. After fighting his
way through the second and third
raters he challenged Frank Erne
The champion was then at his best
and Cans was forced to stop in II
rounds, his eyelid having been al
most completely severed, the blood
binding him so that he could not
see Erne. In their next meeting
however, Cans won in the first
round.
FELL INTO BAD HANDS.
When Cans became champion he
fell into bad hands and for several
years he was known as the crook
eldest fighter that ever stepped be-
tween the ropes. His greatest fake
fight was with Terry McGovern in
Chicago in 1900. He had agreed to
lay down for the benefit of CO.
terie of negro gamblers, who made
thousands of dollars on the fake.
Cans tried to lay down in the first
round, but he was afraid of being
mobbed but in the second he kept
his agreement.
From that time until his memoir
able fake fight with Jimmy Britt
| in San Francisco in 1904 he particl-
pated in a number of crooked bat
| ties, allowing his opponents to
stay so that he and his hackers
could win the round money. His
fake with Britt was one OF the
rawest ever attempted aud almost
| forced his retirement from the
ring. He confessed his sins, how
ever, placed himself In decent
| hands and from that time until his
! last fight he was absolutely on the
level and his worst enemies be-
came his best friends.
HIS GOOD POINTS.
Cans, always quiet and retiring.
was OF a religious turn. recall
very clearly an instance in proof
of this Soon after Cans fought
Dave Holly in Seattle in 1906, he
came to San Francisco. Holly had
BACKED his eye and to cover up
the discoloration the champion
wore smoked glasses. As soon as
/ saw him said: Joe, YOU look
like the ideal colored parson.
think you would make good one,
with your voice. solemn copnte.
nance and command of English"
Joe's face fell sober in q minute
aud in "A voice that showed come
emotion he replied; "My old moth
er always wanted me to be Il min
/ lister aud wish TO God now that