The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-25
By GUS MALnERT.

THE greatest actor -pugilist and the
greatest pugilist actor" is what some
wiseacrc has called James J.. Corbctt,
and he proved it last night, when he
told the people OF Richmond-or as
many as could get in the Academy
the reason or reasons Tor the defeat
OF the great boilermaker of tho coast.
Gentleman Jim. boxer par excellence.
redeemer Of the ring from the sloughs
into which the prize lighters had
thrown it. establisher OF new code
of ring ethics, and maker OF new
style OF boxing. held that audience.
corner OF the Academy last night, for
exactly eighteen minutes, while he
spun his yarn and narrated the
many incidents Immediately preceding
and Immediately after the recent un-
pleasantness" at Reno
Corbett is born actor. If he had
cssayed any particular role on the
boards prior TO his entree into pugi-
took many hard battles to get him
before the people, but he's there now,
and he puts his talk over in such style
that you Ike it. What is more, he
tells you his story so that you
50 that you believe it. c fhlyhpreceding
you believe IT, Not single man or
woman in that audience but is now
firmly convinced that jeff met his
Waterloo because Of the TACT that ne
lacked confidence: gave way to lit
OF nerves.
JEFF No Coward.
1t didn't come all of sudden. 1t
was growing all the time. From the
moment the pompadour one arrived in
camp to box with the native son." TO
the time when he was introduced to
that Immense gathering at Reno. where
the Alkali bites and the sun shines
hot, 1t was growing. Corbett drew a
fine distinction between cowardice and
nerves.
jeff is no coward" he said MANY
a brave man suffers from nervous
collapse. and that's what happened 10
Jeffries. There were many things con
tributing TO this condition. The first
came when the Governor Of California
issued an ultimatum to the effect that
the fight could not take place in that
State Jcffries went all TO pieces. He
was used to the climate, knew the peo-
pie, was in fine condition. and the sud
den order to move TO Reno shook him
up a bit,
the only quarters we could get were
in q roadhouse. The piano was GO
ing all night. automobiles were COM
ms and going. everybody wanted to
see Jeffries. and most of them did, and
each fight fan would come up to him,
slap him on the back and say, jeff old
man, you've got to win this fight
Fans worry Big Feliew.
1T had an awful effect upon him.
He would worry and .Worry about what
the public would say If he lost l told
him frequently that he shouldn't worry
about the outcome. to let the public
do the Worrying. The public had made
him fight when he didn't want to. and
so it was the public's business
JEFF is hard man TO get close TO.
He didn't make conhdant Of any
body. He wouldn't even tell me what
II was that bothered him. found out
some things after the light, but it was
too late then"
Corbett then went on to tell Of the.
days before the fight. days III which
he pleaded with the big fellow to I'M
burden himself, to brace up and for
get everything: Then he told of the
effect that Billy Deianey's being In.
Johnson's corner had on Jeff.
you may not SEQ this point" con-
tinued Jim. but to those OF ns who
knew him. 81 meant n whole lot. You
see, Delaney had been Jeff's manager
had always been his chief trainer, and
JEFF simply could not get over the