Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-06-07
RY RoBERT EnoREN

49, y
rs boxer has never been told. n Is
generally known that he was q horse
shoef IA Australia and that he came
to America as an unknown and leaped
almost at once INTO worldwide fame
as miadleweight champion.
But Fitzsimnions was % years old
when ne came here. He must have
had some history In Australia before
coming to America. Worlds cham
pioiis aren't Dnstle IN few months.
1t takes years Of fighting and hard
work 10 get where f1txsimnaons was
when he beat Dempsey and, later on,
Eofbeft, and then Gardner, taking the
iniddleweighs, heavyweight and light
heavyweight world championships in
succession Recently Bob sat down
and told me the story OF his start,
and here Il IS =
'As,"My mother began by training me
for the ministry said Bob. @Uhtil /
was III years Old went to church
ind sang in the choir twice . week,
ana to Bible class twice on Sundays
Bat for a. box of snuff and a kicked
football would have been minister
to-day. re-
Went on Errand stsst
1--WE were living m New Zealand,
about 1890 miles across the sea from
Australia One day my mother sent
me TO buy q box Of snuff at q chem
list shop near cur home On the way
passed an open field where two foot
balis teams were playing. i walked
ksa,s..., -, - -, - :, !, .s<,I,
ing tnat could get q chance to kick
the bail. Twas very curious TO know
how it would feel Just while I was
wishing. somebody kicked It over the
fence and it rolled right to my feet.
So kicked it back again as hard as
I could.
A second later the captain of one
Of the teams, big fellow over six
feet tall, leaped the fence and ran
straight at me. Before had any idea
what he meant to do he struck me a
terrific blow .on the nose, smashing
It and cutting d gash across the
bridge that Is the only scar carry
today after hundreds OF ring battles
The blow Knocked me senseless. 1
was unconscious for three hours and
4 half. and the blood that ran down
M throat strangled me SO that
came very near dying. At hast they
brought me to. The coin was carry
ing mad flown out Of my hand when
4 was struck. remembered that /
had started for some snuff, but 1
Ind nothing to buy it with, so stag
gered home In the DARK. empty
handed.
Got Z Eickinn
Is When slipped in through the
door my mother only saw that / had
a bloody nose. NY training for the
ministry hadn't included fighting. I'd
|eften been warned that nusf not
Tight. H9rsi ilse1 so s
You've been fighting. have Won p
asked my mother. And without an
other word she turned and took 4
stout whip down from its nail on the
wall and proceeded to give me the
worst whipping ever had in my life.
Then she sent me to bed.
Next morning she came to NV
room. Ny eyes had swelle1 over night
and were closed tight and my nose
was sight. When my. mother saw
Tor the first time how badly / vas
hurt she cried over me and told mo
again and again how sorry she was
she had whipped me. and I told her
how 1t an happened. Then she sanf
for q doctor. 1 was hurt Friday AZ
tefnooh. Saturday there was no
school and on Sunday nv eyes We're
EstfII closed, so FOR the first time /
was let out Of going to church. But
Monday was made to 70 to- school.
There tie scholars laughed at me Sd
much that I ran home. and never
went to either a school or 4 church
afterwartI. NV mother used 10 seua
me to- church. lbnt I'd he n the
grass outside and listen TO the hymns
because .ovca the singing, ard then
ask somebody the. minister's text 50
| | could tell what II was when tbev