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

Lightweight Champion OF tne "oTio
IT'S a hard task to try to tell
million readers how you man
\ aged to get TO the top of the
heap for it's hard to imagine that
they are very much interested in
YOUR career. OF course, wearing
the lightweight title must have
sone weight. for there is no doubt
that millions are interested in box
Ing.
NV success in my particular line
IS due to the fact that ! was al
uays ambitious. From my limited
view I studied the horizon and fg-
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 will teach me
lesson.
/ was fortunate enough to get an
opportunity. And you can rest as.
sured that when my star sets ! VIII
be able to look any man in the
face and not be forced to beg ana
borrow on lost laurels.
Started as a Teamster.
When I was fifteen years old /
worked for my father driving d
team. As a teamster I realized that
my future was not very bright, so
Immediately looked to where / could
improve.
In 1909 I determined to learn a
trade. l worked in the factory of
an automobile concern; became ac-
Quaihted with the machinery of a
car and gradually worked up until l
became a demonstrator and sales
man. So when my star wanes
can 90 back to that business.
My 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. I never cared for the brutal
part of the sport, but developed a
strong liking for skill. Little did
| dream in those days that by the
careful practice of cleverness /
vas TO win the championship.
Like all youngsters. | had my
particular idol, and he was Jimmy
Britt Every time the papers print
ed q story of Britt read every line
and always wished that the day
would arrive when | would be as
popular as he. Jimmy was GER
tainIy clever and made it steady
practice to initiate every one of his
blows.
Watches Britt Fight.
Whenever he fought / was pres
ent. Many times | was forced TO
get a job as usher to get view OF
my idol in action. I will never for
get the day Nelson knocked him out
in Colma.
II was impossible for me to get
''N usher JOD, ana L Was loi iol H.
There was only one thing for me to
40. | was determined to see that
hight, and l did. The arena was
outdoors and close by were a num-
Der of telegraph poles. selected
the nearest one, Skinned up and
rested on cross post 1t was not
what you would call comfortable,
but that never worried me in the
slightest.
During my experien nee 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 good licking with a small
purse The last year of my bat
ting in the so-called amateur
clubs / had improved so much that
IL was the case Of taking on all
tomers, no matter how heavy. Sell
Gom / received less than $500
bout
] then decided to take a chance
and branch out as real profess