Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-08-19
FORMER CHAMP
PASSES Away
LIGHTWEIGHT BOXER HAD
WONDERFUL RING RECORD
Fought for Sixteen Years and Beat
the Best Boxers-Longest Bat.
tie Was With Nelson-Game to
the Last.

WV SooNs
BALTIMORE, Aug. lO.--Joe Cans,
former lightweight champion pugiliJt,
is dead at his home in this city.
Cans died of consumption, which
manifested itself about a 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 no failed rapidly. lie was
brought here last week.
Joe Cans true name was Cant, the
name Cans having fastened upon him
early in his ring career by a mistake
of referee. lie began his ring ca
reer in 1894. but prior to that time
he had made a name for himself as IA
fighter about hshmarket In this
city, where he was employed.
In all the annals of pugilism there.
Is no record OF more remarkable or
picturesque figure than that OF Joe
Cans. For nearly twenty years he was
III Nllt DllHt AhlEs
and up until his final defeat by Bat
Ting Nelson IN 1908, was just deemed
one of the most scientific, aggressive
and game fighters. that ever donncd
the gloves. tttH
About Thlrty.Six Years Old.
Cans often declared he did not know
his exact age. lie reckoned that 1874
was about the year Of his birth. He
began fighting In an amateurish way
about 1890. For the following ten
years he engaged in over 1875 battles.
easily defeating men OF minor rcputa-
tion. Had he been directed Alright at
lac time, he would have easily forged
TO the front and become champion
years before he finally achieved that
coveted distinction.
Cans beca mixed up with his
manager in 'eries of "lay-down" or
fake fights, D., which he might readily
have gained the victory. but In which
as he always said at his managers
solicitation-he deliberately pcrmittCd
himself to be beaten. In consequence,
for a period the fighting public would
have none OF him. Try as hard as lie
might to sign UP fight, there was
always n sneer and suspicion that
he would throw II. About five years
before his death. however, he did such
excellent and palpably 'squarr work"
that the animus against him had In "A
great part vanished and his great vie
tories we're received with the entire
appreciation Of the ring fans
At the age of thirty-four years ut
, least eight years past the time when
most prizefghters have received their
Iuietus-Gans fought within one year
the two most bloody battles OF his
career: his two fights with Battling
Nelson. For gameness and skill. these
fights stand without a parallel.
All-ArouBd Fighter.
Cans was considered by the greatest
analyzers of prize-hghting to be the
best combination of hitter, boxer aud
ring general that ever essayed tho
| game Although negro OF humble
origin. he was model of considera-
ton and politeness. He never sought
| the limelight, kept among his own
race. and was the personlicatior OF
! cheerfulness He began his bread
winning career in Baltimore fish
market BY prudence he saved good
part Of his ring earnings and invested
prohtably in Baltimore hotel, which
he said frequently paid Inn all ia
| needed.
After his last battle with Battling
| Nelson, Cans went West and reports
came East almost Immediately that
| the beating he had received and the
strain TO train down had undermined
his constitution, Cans denied the re-
ports, hut sporting men who met him
declared him 10 be but shadow OF
his former self.
Cans was married three times. In
1900 he welded Miss Madge Watkins
Of Cincinnati, a member OF negro
theatrical company. In 1905 the AN
nouncemeht OF his third marriage
this time TO Miss Martha Davis OF
| Baltimore-was made.