The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-03-18

| and present. is full of stories related
concerning former champions of the
squared circle who tried to come
back" and failed dismally AS a gen
eral rule the man who once retires
| from active service makes an awful
mess of it If he undertakes to begin
| over again. Jim Jeffries was case
in point, SO was Battling Nelson, Jim
Corbett, Kid Mccoy, Tom Sharkey,
Bob Fitzsimmons-the list could be
| strung out to an indefinite length.
| Once in a great while a fighter hobs
| into view who manages to achieve
the seemingly impossible by return
| ing to the scenes of former triumphs
and making good. He may be called
the exception who proves the rule"
and such a one is Harry Forbes, ex-
champion Of the bantam weight di-
vision
Forbes began boxing in 1897, and
| from the beginning showed the I'M
usual speed and punching power that
helped to make him worlds cham
pion in the future. He won the title
in 1903 by defeating Andy Tokell, the
British champion; having previously
| Knocked out Danny Dougherty, who
had succeeded Terry McGovern, as
American champion. Forbes retired
from the ring in 1905 Up to that
time he had participated in Ill bat
ties, and was one of the most popu-
lar boxers that ever donned the
gloves.
Just year ago the fighting fever
seized the retired champion again,
anc he resolved to tempt fortune be
tween the ropes again. Under the
management of Howard Carr, more
popularity known as Kid Howard, he
went east, and despite his four years
absence from the ring, the matchmak-
ers thought well enough of his chan
ces to pit him against Knockout
Brown. who was then fighting in the
featherweight ranks. Brown, how
ever, refused to make 118 rounds the
weight agreed upon, and the match
was called off. The fight was to have
taken place at Troy. N. Y. and Jack
Ray was substituted for Brown Ray
was knocked out in the second round,
Forbes showing clearly that his old
time punch had not deserted him.
His next match was with Joe Cos
ter OF New York. before Brooklyn
club. Coster was considered the best
man of the bantamweight division in
the east, and early in the battle he
caught Forbes with short hook on
the jaw that tioored the Chicagoan.
Forbes was knocked groggy by the
fall. and for six rounds he fought
mechanically, being sent to the floor
repeatedly and frightfully punished.
Had not his physical condition been
absolutely perfect, he could never had
stood up under the terrible gruelling
TO which he was subjected But he
stuck it out, and by degrees his head
cleared. and he began fighting back.
In the seventh round Forbes landed
a right on Coster's jaw that foored
the New York lad in his turn Cos
ter was in bad shape and clinching to
T save himself.
Early in the eighth round Forbes
went after his man in tiger fashion.
rushed him to the ropes. slammed
right and left to his jaw, and dropped
HIM for the full count, and something
ever.
1t was this victory which convinced
Forbes friends that he was as. good
as eyer. In q bout at Troy he lost a
decision to Abe Attell, the feather
weight cfa7ppion, but this did MT
detract from his reputation, as Forbes
was plainly oTermatehed in weight,
and lighting out OF his class.
Forbes last appearance in the ring