The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-10
JOE CANS is DEAD
Former Lightweight Champion
q Tuberculosis Victim.
He Had Won a Race With Death
From Prescott, Ariz.
START WAS HUMBLE.
Title Was Won i'm One Round
From Frank Erne.
H. y ores N ID
START WAS HUMBLE.
Earnings as Ring Fighter Melted
More Than $500, 600.

Baltimore, Nd, Aug. 10.-Joe Cans,
former lightweight champion pugilist.
who won his race with death from
Prescott, Ariz.. to Baltimore in time
to bid his family farewell. died here
this morning. He was in the last
stages of tuberculosis.
Cans beginning as a boxer was
most humble. He was general utility
man at a fish and produce commits
sion house on Marsh Market space,
and as he developed a peculiar deft-
ness at cleaning fish that became his
speciality. All of the boys of the
neighborhood were fond of boxing. and
Cans would put on the gloves in one
of the spare rooms of the commission
house. At the nearby Monumental
theater weekly battles royal were held
as an after attraction. Cans found
he could survive these battles royal
and make some extra money, and they
were his real beginning as a pug1l1sr.
Among the attendants was Al Her
ford, who, with his parents, was in
terested in saloon on Canton avenue,
near Broadway. Herford's interest in
boxing at that time was as spec
tator, and he was particularly struck
at the cleverness of the colored boy.
Herford searched out Cans and tbey
worked up preliminaries to local
fights. Then the pair entered into
partnership lIIdL drought IuuCl IlOnCy
to both. Cans as a fighter had moth
ing on HEREFORD as manager and
matchmaker, and the colored fish
cleaner and oyster opener became the
champion lightweight of the world.
Cans was always an interesting
tallzer and only a few days before an
nouncing his retirement from the ring,
issued the following statement regard
ing his earnings in pugilism, ETC.;
I'm leisure moments I have figured
my earnings They run above the
$500, 900 mark. About three years ago
began to manage my own fighting
game. Since then / have earned
about 100000. 1 date this from the
time fought Mike CTwin) Sullivan.
1.-The first big winning in this time
was $11, 900. I got this by beating
Nelson, who later beat me. In this
fight, in which I got $1,000, the gate
receipts were the largest ever taken .n
on fight.
81 had to concede to Nelson the big
end, win, lose or draw. Nelson got
715-the largest in the history of my
fighting.
IT got $4,000 for beating Britt, and
in the next two bouts I beat Jimmy
Burns and pocketed $1,000 and then
beat Kid Herman. winning $4,000. In
a short while I banked $1,000 more for
beating Rudolph Unholtz-
Theatrical engagements at $1,000 A
week increased my bank account ma
terially. This was under my own
management. I have managed my
self since 1905 and 1 began fighting in
1891.
Il held the worlds championship
lightweight title seven years and have
boxed Is years. I won the title in 1902
by beating the champion, Frank Erne.
in one round. This was the quickest
championship win on record. think
my record will stand while and am
not sorry that I am out of the game"
In all he fought 1856 battles and lost
only 5 decisions. He has 50 knock
outs to his credit.
Cans died of consumption, which
manifested itself about year ago.
Late last spring he went to Arizona
with the hope of restoring his health,
but the disease had been too deeply
seated and he declined rapidly. He
was brought here last week. He was
"a years old.
Joe Cans true name was Cant, the
name of Cans having been fastened
on him early in his ring career by
mistake of a referee. He began his
ring career in 1894, but prior to that
time he had made a. name for himself
AS a fighter about fish market in
this city, where he was employed.
His first fight for money is said to
have brought him 81. The largest
purse for which he ever fought was
OF this Cans received but $1,000. he
having agreed to give Nelson the re-
mainder, win, lose or draw.
Cans won the title of lightweight
champion from Frank Erne at Fort
Erie in one round in 1902, and lost 1t
to Battling" Nelson in 1908 in the
seventeenth round.