The evening world., 1911-08-15
Johnnie Griffin's Original Idea in
Adopting PuglIism Was to
Earn Money Enough to Get a
College Education. So
Johnnie Griffin.

JOpyrlght, lNll. by Inc lrsss IuOllsnlDG W,
THE New York World.
johnnie GRIFFIN. the third worlds
champion and the fourth American
champion Of the featherweight d.
vision, was born at Braintree. Mass,
not far from Boston. 1t was from his
native tow that lie got his sobr.quet
Of the "Braintree Lad" Griffin was
born IN this little village on Oct. ID.
1869. At the time johnnie won the
worlds title ne stood s feet ) inches
and weighed 100 or i2l pounds.
GriHin's parents were irish. They
lived on a small farm In the vicinity OF
Bra!ntree and Johnn!e's boyhood was
that of a typical New England farmer
boy. 1t was to hts parents, particu-
larly to his mother, that ohnnie owed
his education. his intellectual attain
nents and his sentlemanly Instincts.
Griffin received his early education IN
the Braintree schools and later went to
the Boston Latin School. He was very
skilled in the use OF the language OF
the ancient Romans and also displayed
an aptitude for other languages. Bot
any, astronomy, chemistry. natural
philosophy and English literature APP
pealed to him very strongly. II was
Johnnie's ambition during early life to
Mt himself tor the vocation OF teacher.
his goal being a professorship at Har-
ward. What the particular subject was
that he contemplated l dc not know.
In later years he turned aside from
seeking this goal and became "A dentist.
but all his early efforts were devoted 10
this end. AS Il farmer boy he had am
pie opportunity 70 indulge his love OF
plants, trees and flowers. and long.
starlit nights afforded abundant chances
to study the geography OF the skies.
Griffin had the puritanical conscience,
also the Puritanical stubbornness. once
he had made up his mind hours OF ar
gument would fail to move him. Ha
stood firmly for principle, not policy.
Griffin was as fair and square as he
knew how to be and honest to the core.
but very suspicious. Although no did
not hay the quick Irish wit. he pos
sessed a very effective dry huInor. Ills
language was BostunCse. lie was what
some would call a long-wluded talker.
Instead of expressing his thoughts IN
tcrse, forcetul language, Johnnie would
wander all Urouud the bush" like a
Congressman out for n l1nE-d!stauce
talking record. until his hearers wished
Ia would hurry up and get it out OF
his system. Johnnie posed as a uni
versity graduate, dressed Ike a coll
lege hoy ana talked awav over the head
OF the average puSllist. iiuf he estab-
lished a reputation 'pr squGrcpess aud
gameness scconC 30 no man In The ring,
and these qu9li'iCs made him deserved
~ popular.
As a boy Griffin vas very fond of
athletics, lie was a bug on physical
culture and in later years conducted a
physical culture school. i!o was a fine
ball player and the leading member of
the local baseball nine. Later he be-
came catcher for IN" famous Brockton
nine. His pusl.iStic tgc.n.ng was re-
ccived In athletic clu's around Brain
tree and Brockt"n, Whetc lie met many
of the prominen. leItherwelghts Of the
day. There were probably a hundred OF
more feathers, blntams ana llghtWeishts
round Boston at that time, and many
OF them were rafting good men. Johnnie
put on the gloves with many of them In
friendly bouts, always conducting him
self creditably. But T. was not until
he was over seventeen years old tina,
Johnnie began to consider pugilism as
u profession. lie then decided 10 try to
earn enough money by fighting to put
himself through college and enable him
to attain his goal OF Il professorship.
In March. 1857, Griffin went up to Bos
ton looking for matches. After much
difficulty. he finally secured one Will
Young" Badger OF North Weymouth
Mass. This fight took place on Marct
20. at Weymouth, n Griffin wa.
knocked out In four rounds, The boys
fought with small gloves in a private
han. Badger ontWeighed Griffin by
many pounds n was also ar expe'
rienced fighter,
This fight showed Johnnie that h,
had a great deal to learn. lie there
fore stopped looking for fights and wen
back to Braintree, whore he put II
his time boxing and getting as much
experience as possible, In Septembei
he judged himself in condition to entel
the ring again and was matched with
Jack Curley OF Brockton on Sept, %
The match was an inter-town AFFAIR
1T was held at Brockton. The mel
ought for \ purse and gate receipts
snA used twe-ouues gloves Grtfil