Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-29
The Old Reporters Story

I LIKE to tell this story to my youngsters
i because there's moral in II. One night
in the spring of 1892 came in from a
story that hadn't panned out and A. M.
Gillian, whose desk was near mine, said to
me: '1f you haven't anything else to do
I'd like you to do me a favor. Did you ever
hear OF James ]. Corbett?" I told him that
had. WELL" he said, hes showing up
at the Lyceum Theater and we've just got
a def from Joe Choynski for Corbett and
we want to see what he's got to say about
it." 1 went to the Lyceum and was ushered
into Mr.. Corbett's dressing room. 1 thought
him very handsome and very gentlemanly
young fellow. When I told him my mis-
sion he said: II don't want to fight Choyn-
ski. l have fought him twice and 1 have
nothing to gain and everything to lose by
fighting him again, but l will fight the
winner of the F'Itzsimmons.NIaher go Chen
about to be pulled off at New orleans) or
I'll fight John L. Sullivan"
went back to the Office and wrote my
little story. The Associated Press took 1t
and spread 1t over the country and II at.
tracted the attention Of Mr. John l.. Sulli.
van. In those days there wasn't 30 much
talk preliminary to a battle us we have
now. The result is history. In the follow.
Ing September at New Orleans Corbett beat
Sullivan and snatched the championship
from him in the 21st round. don't think
any one was more delighted than I, and In
the years that followed when ugly stories
began to be circulated about the pompadour
champion didn't believe them. I had met
him and knew him TO be gentleman.
In the fall OF 1895 on certain Sunday
morning a telegram came 10 me from the
New York Sun calling for an interview with
Fitzsimmons and Corbett. the principals In
a barroom alteration in Philadelphia the
night before. hurried down to the hotel
and came upon Corbett surrounded by some
of his satellites who were boarding an Sth
street summer car for Fairmount Park I
climbed aboard the car, took a seat along
side of Mr.. Corbett and asked him for his
story, This is what he said:
WELL you see, young feller. 1t was like
this. see? I was standin' with me back up
TO the counter OF the hotel talkin to some
of me friends when felt somebody pushin'
behind me. I didn't pay no attention at
first, but pushed back. After while some
body said, Please give me some room,' and
l looked around and l seen II was the big.
freckled monkey. What do you want with
room?' says, I want to sign me name
he said 'Gonr said, you know you gotta
git somebody to sign your name for you
He didn't have any comeback. 30 ! says:
I hear you've been up to your old tricks
again What's thatr he says, Why I
says. standin' with your back UP agin the
bar and shootin' on your face about me-
NO. ne says, 7 amt been doin' nothin' OF
the sort Yes you have l says and If
you do It again I'll pull your nose for you.
/ got a good mind to do II now and ]
reaches out 10 grab his nose. But some
Of me friends gifts in between US aud see
couldn't reach him, 30 I-hccck-spit in
his face, seer What does he do? Why, ne
wipes on his face and says, That's nice
thing for a gentleman TO do
''whad'ya think OF the white,livered
blankety blank? Why, vou wouldn't let me
spit in your face. Well. young feller with
a final gesture), that's my story"
It wasn't until year and a half after
that-lf I remember, upon the 17th OF
March, 1s9T-thRt Mr.. FitEsimmons proved
to Mr.. Corbstt that the big, treckled monkey
was not so yellow. Mr.. Corbett has since
become as we'll hammered as he was when |
] first met him in 1892. But what / want |
in this case TO point out Is
that the story sent over to the New York |
sun was the first TO appear In the news |
papers in which prize fighter was quoted |
in his exact language and not IN the talk |
OF the college professor.