Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-19
By Willie Ritchie.
lightweight Champion of the World

IT'S a hard task to try to tell
million readers how you man
aged to get to the top of the
bean for it's hard to imagine that
they are very much interested in
YOUR career OF course, wearing
the lightweight title must have
some weight. for there is no doubt
that millions are interested in box
ing.
NV success in my particular me
is due to the fact that I was al
WAYS ambitious. From my limited
view / studied the horizon and ng-
ured that boxing was as good as
any other profession to follow. The
stories OF fortunes being made by
Sullivan. Corbett, Nelson and others
reused me up.
some of the stars allowed the
money to slip through their fingers
That impressed me greatly. Give
me a chance" | always murmured'
"and the wrecks win teach me
lesson
was fortunate enough to get an
opportunity And you can rest as
sured that when my star sets Will
be able to look any man IN the
face and not be forced to beg and
borrow on lost laurels.
Started as a Teamster.
When | was fifteen years old l
worked for my father driving
team. AS a teamster l realized that
my future was not very bright so l
Immediately looked to where could
improve.
In 1909 I determined TO learn a
trade. ! worked in the factory Oh
an automobile concern: became &C
ouainted with the machinery Of a
car and gradually worked up until |
became a demonstrator and sales
man. So when my star wanes
can go back to that business.
Nv fondness for boxing dates
back to my youthful days. l was
always athletically inclined and at
every spare moment had the gloves
on with some of my kid compan-
ions. 1 never cared for the brutal
part of the sport, but developed a
strong liking for skill. Little ala
I dream in those days that by the
careful practice of cleverness l
was to win the championship.
Like all youngsters, I had my
particular idol, and he was Jimmy
Britt. Every time the papers print
ed a story of Britt I read every line
and always wished that the day
would arrive when ! would be as
popular as he. Jimmy was GER
tainly clever and I made it a steady
practice TO initiate every one Of his
blows.
Watches Britt Fight.
Whenever he fought l was pres
emit Many times ] was forced 10
get a job as usher to get view OF
my idol in action. ! will never for
get the day Nelson knocked him out
in Colma.
1t was impossible for me TO get
my usher job. and l was forlorn.
There was only one thing for me TO
DO. I was determined to see that
hight, and l did. The arena was
outdoors and close by were a num-
Der Of telegraph poles. I selected
the nearest one, Skinned up and
rested on a cross post. 1t was not
what you would call comfortable,
but that never worried me in the
slightest.
During my experience as an auto
salesman l took up boxing as a
livelihood. In three and a half
Years l engaged in close to SO con-
tests and in many cases had to
take a good licking with a small
purse. The last year of my bat
Ting in the so-called amateur
clubs | had improved so much that
II was the case Of taking on all
"omers no matter how heavy. Sci
dom ] received less than $500
bout.
! then decided To take a chance
and branch out as real profess