The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-10
Former lightweight Champion
Takes the Count from Grim
Referee.
WONDERFUL CAREER
OF COLORED FIGHTER
Defeated the Best Lightweight
of his Day and Finally
Lost to Battling
Nelson.

BALTIMORE. Md. Aug. 1o.--Joe
Cans, former lightweight champion
pugilist of the world. died at the
home of his foster parents. named
Camp, on Argyle avenue, this city.
at sos this morning, following a
brave battle of months. duration.
Cans end was peaceful. AT the
death bed of the former champion
was surrounded by his loyal wife,
Martha J. Cans, former colored school
teacher. whose untiring attention %
her stricken husband mas won the adj
miration of all: Cans foster mother,
kid" North. an old-time pugil!st.
who accompanied Cans on his home
ward journey from Prescott, Arix. /;
the nurse, Miss Tilghman. and Colonel
Dan" Pendleton. lifelong friend
of the little fighter.
Funeral arrangements will proba-
bly, be announced late to-day.
Cans last public appearance was
on the stage of the Gayety Theater
during the last theatrical engagement
of Battling Nelson. his conqueror. Joe
did not, take any part in the show,
merely making a short address. in
which he told of the great prowess
of the mighty Dane. Cans was given
a grand ovation. The parting of Cans
and Nelson. as the former left the
stage, was most pathetic, both men
visibly showing the human affection.
In the eyes of both were tears.
The following day Cans left for
Arizona to begin training for his last
battle. that OF life and death. The
ri,
back last Friday--came back to die
Sketch Of Career.
In the death of Joe Cans the prize
ring loses one of its most picturesque
characters, and as game lightweight
as ever donned a glove. His real name
was Camp. He was born In Balti-
more in 1874, tn son of a poverty
stricken and illiterate negro family.
When a mere pickaninny Cans went
to work as delivery boy In the o d
Baltimore fish market.
These facts are taken from Cans
own story OF his life:
Once the boss and his brother and
each put in $40 and we bought a
set of IS boxing gloves. / got too
good for the other boys, so they made
me box them two at time. My first
fight was TO finish with another
kid
My boxing with two boys at ence
had taught me how to block, dodge
and lead, so / won my first fight,
which was for SO side bet and COL
lection of $40. 1t looked like n lot
of money to me. and 1 just had to
win. / took the money home In my
mother.
My Mcknight was for 20 rounds and
the purse was IS. Then / began pick
ing up little fights, meeting the box
ers and wrestlers who travelled around
giving exhibitions and earning a few
dollars here and there. took Ii all
home to my mother. 1t worried her
She asked me where l got 1t. ard
told her l won II shooting craps. But
she thought | was stealing 1t, SO
had to take my uncle one night to
see me fight. Then my mother tried
to make nre stop, but liked the game
too much"
IN those days / didn't have much
Of a punch. but ! was awruliy fast
md | could jah with my left hand
in great shape. did not know I
had a right hand"
His Early Fights.
One of Cans early fights was with
the Kentucky Rosebud. who has lust
knocked out George Dixon Cans
beat him in six rounds. Then began
his professional ring career which
took him to the top
Cans first chance for the cham
ptonship came in his fight with Frank
Erne in New York on March IS,
1900. Erne won In the twelfth round
Cans claimed that he had been blind
ed when Erne 'butted him." He was
unable 10 get another fight with the
champion until May IL. 1909. when
they met at Fort Erie, Canada Cans
won in one minute and 40 seconds,
Cans had things all his own way AZ
the lightweight champion until July
4. 1908. His first fight with Nelson
had taken place in September. 1906,
at Goldfield, Nev, Nelson got $22,-
500 for the fight. win. lose or draw,
while Cans got but s11.0e0 though
the house drew s6T.715 up to that
time the largest gate receipts ever
taken in at ring contest. Not only
did Cans agree TO give Nelson the
larger part of the purse. but Nelson
forced Cans to weigh In twice Cans
won In the forty-second round in one
OF the most grueiling fights ever seen
In the American prize ring. After
this fight he defeated Kid Herman,
Jimmy Britt George Memsic. Spike
Sullivan and Rudy Unholx
In the meantime Nelson was
clamoring for a return match. He
and Cans met on July 4, 1908. IT
was my fatal move said Cans.
Nelson proved too strong for me,
making me take the count In the
seventeenth round. On September i.
1908, we clashed for d third time
and while ! made valiant struggle
to wrest back the title had held %
long the Battler wore me down again
was counted out In the twenty
second round. My last battle was
with Jabez White. the Engliah fighter.
know made a miserable showing
but I was FAR from being myself. III
I had been the Cans OF old. the
would never have STAYED
ten rounds"
When Ad wolgast beat Bat.
Nelson for the title I thought could
defeat the new champion but though
posted a forfeit OF $1,000 II re-
NAMED uncovered. AT that time my
health was pretty good. but when I
1na1ly went to New York to take down
the money I contracted severe cold
which finally put me out Of the game
FOR good
Cans returned TO his RaltimoYe
hotel. but consumption had the best
II him and he was sent TO Arizona
in the hope that he might recover,
He was too far gone.
ATT leisure moments,"a. said Cans
,nce, Il have figured my earnings and
know that during the time L waSf
II. sr-tr n ~ -