The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-15
A SON OF THE GOLDEN WEST

"Ohi the bruiserS of Old England!
Will the world ever see their like
again"
So lamented George Borrow the
gifted English author, in those mid
Victorian days when the manly art
was outlawed, and all the, strength
and cunning seemed departed from
British fists. From the picture gal
Iery of his memory he conjured vi
sions of the great fighters of the past
Tom Spring, with his huge, mas
tsive figure and face wonderfully like
that of a lion; Tom BeIcher, the
most scientific pugilist that ever en-
tered ring, with his white hat, white
greatcoat, thin, gentee1 figure, spring
ing step, and keen, determined eye;
grim, savage Shelton, who has a civ
il word for nobody and grim word for
anybody; Jack Randall, the original
ftNonparetl,'' understood, and who
looks anything but what he is-the
king of the Iightweights''; Richmond,
1.-THE most terrible of bIacks4 with a
broken thigh; aye, host of other
g1adiators who passed in review be-
fore the author of "Lamengro'' and
'"The Romany Rye each in turn to
receive an illuminating phrase which
have given them immortality.
Where is the Borrow who can do a
like service for the bruisers of Cali
fornia? Those sons of the golden
west occupy a class by themselves,
in literature as the bruisers of the
days of Englands pugilistic glory.
And the list is a long One-"Gentle-
man JIM Corbett, big but clever,
who lowered the co1ors Of Boston's
pride; Joe Choynslxi, the Jew master
of ring science, only wanting bulk and
beef to be the master of them all;
Sam McVey, one of the best of the
blacks in that era, now happily past,
when the ebony sons of Africa sue
,cessfully challenged the boosted SUI
premacy of the white race; AurelIo
gIadfators who demonstrated that
MeMcans can fight with fists face to
face with the foe; George Green, the
first Young &orbett," who reigned
briefly over the welterweights; Dial
Hawkins, small in stature but very
devil for ferocity; Jimmy Britt, Beau
Brumme1 of ring men, once the light
weight idol; Eddie HanlonI a school
boy of fourteen when he entered the
arena to pit his infantile skill and
gameness against the veteran glove
men; Tommy Warren, Solly Smith,
and Abe AttelI, the Hebrew, all of
whom achieved featherweight honors,
frankie Neil, and host of others.
including, last but not least, Willie
Ritchie, Ca1ifornia's latest-perhaps
1ast-champion.
It was Just a quarter of a century
ago, on the thirteenth of February,
1891 that Geary Steffen made his
mundane debut in that section of San
Francisco known as south OF the
sIot''-a district already famous as
the home of several of the fighting
sons of the golden west. His father
was of German blood, and the owner
of a coal yard. He attended the pub
lie schools, and worked off his Ju-
veni1e pugnacity by indu1ging in I'M
promptu bouts with Brother Ben and
CT Of a
gang"
In his early teens young Geary was
put to work, during vacation time, IN
his paternaI ancestors coal yard. He
developed his muscles by loading and
coal, and often played the
tered the employ of an automobile
concern, having previously served a
brief term of employment as an Of
flee boy with a hardware and mach1n-
cry company. Geary was an apt pu-
nil. and soon learned the true inward
ness of an automobile, advancing from
chauffeur to 'demonstrator and sa1esN
man.
AS a, youngster he had been fond
of all sports, and was a fair baseball
PLAYER, but boxing was his favorite
Jimmy Britt was the hero
of his boyhood days, and he never
missed a chance tP see James Edward |
Perform in the ring. When employed
during the day he spent his evenings
at an athletic club, where he con
stant1y practiced with the gloves
Whenever a big fight was on, espee-
ALLY when Britt was to appear, young
Steffen always applied for a job as |
usher and this enabled him to see |
most. CT the good bouts staged in the |
vicinity of San Francisco. When Britt |
and Nelson fought at Colma at 1905, |
Steffen failed to get the usher job, /
and had to witness thee ontest while
perched on a telegraph pole That
was the kind of a fight fan he was
His first appearance in public, was
at a four-round bout in an amateur
tournament pulled off in Dreamland
pavilion a boxer named Willie
was billed to appear, but
he didn't show up, and the young
Dutchman volunteered to act as
substitute He didn't want to be
known by his real name, and, after
with the announcer, VIII
lie Richardson's name was shortened /
to Richie. and the lad was introduced
as Willie Ritchie. His opponent,
Monk Enoch, lasted less than two
,ounds, and the newly-christened Will
10 Ritchie became a hero among his
companions. II
After a. number of other bouts at
Dreamland rink, Willie decided that
he boxing game offered financial op- :
oortunities superior to the motor car
,usiness His first important pro-
bout was with frankie
Burns, the Californian, at Oakland.
Willie was outpointed in six rounds.
After defeating number Of local
,ovs, Richie was matched in 1911
With Mattv Baldwin. the veteran Bos-
oman This was a 20-round af2ir,
2itchie's first try over the long route,
nd he lost the decision. He then out
,ointed Jack Britton in a short bout.
nd late in 1911 went to Los Angeles ;
o meet Freddie Welsh OTer the 20
ound course at Vernon. Again the Y
Dung Californian had to be satisfied s
With the losers end. 6
Within a, year after his defeat by
Welsh, Rttchie was hailed as the :
champion of the world. In
he Welsh affair he had substituted on s