The Alaska citizen., 1912-04-01
1 -atest Outside Sporting Dope

to what he calls good old Irish corn beef and cabbage dinner" and 1t is no exaggeration to say that the feast he places before his guests is fit for king. And Johnny is witty lad, too. and he appreciates a good story so keenly that he is ever ready to walk a distance out of his way to hear one.
 cIeveIand's First Champ. It is safe 10 say that there never i lived champion pugilist who pos sessed a more remarkably likeable personality than this little Cleye- lander Every man who knows him is his friend, and even fighters who have met him in the ring have good word for him. Abe Attell when here a few months after his first bout with Johnny KH- bane told the writer that he never met finer gentleman in or out of the ring than Johnny Kilbane. It is for these reasons that people of Cleveland are just wild with en- thusiasm over their champion. He is Cleveland's first fistic cham pion, and to state that his fellow toUnspeople are proud Cf him puts it mildly. Nothing else is talked of cir ll ,1t .s was announced Even the women folk are interested.
 When Kilbane stepped into the ring at the La Sale clubs smoker one night in the winter of 1907. he was a frail looking smiling youth. He was on fer a three-rOund bout with a rugged West Side boy named Paddy kilbane
 Johnny looked anything but fighter on that occasion But he displayed natural speed with hands and feet. He landed blows and got away in surprising manner for a green youth. The boys all knew him and Fixed him. and their ap- pause on that night encouraged him He determined to learn some Cf the finer points of the game. Short ly after that time Jimmy Dunn. who had quite reputation as a featherweight boxer, arrived in Cleveland and went in training near Vermillion for match with Phil Brock Johnny heard of this and. without saying word to anyone he bearded a suburban trolley car and went down to Dunn's training quarters and told Jimmy that he would like to help him train. He explained that he did not want pay. but would be very well pleased if Dunn would permit him to work about the training quarters doing chores and helping about the gym nasium.
 Dunn liked the boys appearance and told him to get off his coat and go to work, Jimmy had no one to box with him that day, so he told Johnny to put on the gloves and work out with him. Jimmy set a apid pace and landed on Johnny freely, but of course made no attempt to hurt him. Kilbane took his medicine like a man and surprised Dunn by the courageous manner in which he fought back Jimmy decided at once that the boy had the right material for a high-class boxer and he took him under his managerial wing He de veloped the boy gradually and a few months later he sent him against a sturdy boy named Tom Managan Johnny surprised the natives by knocking his man out in the third round
 Beaten by Namesake, Tommy.
 Dunn became more enthusiastic than ever and he matched Johnny with three different boys during the month, and he won each bout de- cisively. Then he sent him against his namesake and present sparring partner, Tommy Kilbane, for a six round bout at Lorain, Ohio, and Tommy was awarded the decision He was matched with Jack White of Chicago at Windsor, Ont, in the following month, and secured a draw, making great showing. His speed startled the Canadians. A victory over Tommy Kilbane in a 25-round bout followed, and after that the boy climbed rapidly, adding to his ring tricks with every bout. He won decisions over several good boys, including Paul Kohler, Young Say Tor, Clyde Lemaster, Jack White, Johnny Whitaker, Biz Mackey, Jeff Gaffney, Marty Heffron, Al Belmont, Bobby Tickle, Patsy Brannigan Jim my Walsh, Gussie Wilson, Charley White and several others.
 He was then matched with Cham pion Abe Attell for a ten-round bout at Kansas City, and he put up ratflinp good fipht but tho raf