The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-03
FTTZ WAS GREAT JOKER
AND ALWAYS GENEROUS
BY JAMES J. CORBETT.
Copyright, 1917, by King Features Syndicate, Inc)

I doubt whether Bob F1tzsimmons
knew his real strength. Time and
time again it was tested and found to
BIZ almost superhuman. The stories
OF how he used to wrestle with a fun
grown lion and make that animal look
like doll in his hands are actually
true. ..
Fttz had q fondness for that lion,
but I doubt whether 1t was reciprocal
ed. He probably figured that Fitz was
too rough. Whenever the great old
warrior was In a jovial mood and had
no one else to play tricks on. the lion
was the victim. He used to grab the
ANIMAL and roll him around until the
king of the jungle was perfectly Will
ing to run for his life when released.
II got so that after a time whenever
the lion saw Fitz approaching he
would beat it."
Titz had lot of sport with his
lion. Nothing used to give him great
er pleasure than to trot him around
once in a while at the end of rope
through crowded thoroughfares. IT
gave Fitz boyish delight to see the
crowds running heller SHELTER. Quite
often Fitz would take him out with
out a rope and panic would result.
When Fitz found that his lion
couldn't give him as much workout as
he thought he needed. he got a bear.
The big beast was a plaything in the
hands of the blacksmith fighter. Fitz
had a trick of wrapping his arms
around the bears neck In such way
that he could choke the animal with
ont getting harmed by his claws, He
would double UP the paws OF the ami
ma! in such n way that. sautvm as he
might. the bear could not free his
paws
Fitz was never go happy az when
he could play Jokes on hts friends. He
was a good natured. likahie fellow.
Quaint IN his manners and sometimes
rough with his jokes. Fitz unlike
most practical jokers, could submit
gracefully when he was the victim of
a joke
F7itz was liberal Money meant but
little to him. He made a fortune dur
ing his ring career-perhars S25o.oee
or 5000 .ooo--but he left almost moth
ing He didn't rquandar his money
in rfotous living He lost a. lot %
II tn unwise investments. but many
thousands Of his earnings were given
up to help those who were down and
oft Rarely did anyone attempt -
touch FTtz'' without success.
The great batter came from Au-
stralsa in 1890 almost broke. He tried
tn every way TO gain recognition and
TO get fights. But he was ignored by
promoters during his first few months
here. he had no friends. and was al
most penniiess Few men have ever
gone to q foreign country who had
to put up with as much prfvation and
suffering as ala Fitz during his first
few r,ortha In the United States.
r-rfz revsrs forgot wfrzt ne hzd to
go through--and that made him
mark" Whenever anyone went to
Fitx with hard-iuck story the Au-
stralian's big heart would open--and
so would his pockethook-and out
would come the money.
81 know what II In to be broke and
hungry" Fob often said, IT don't want
anyone to go througf, what ! had to.
when first came to this country. and
M one will have TO as long as ! have
a little money to help them out. Some
OF the fellows who come with hard
luck stories are fakes but ! cannot tell
who they are. and so I'd rather help
the unworthy than take the chance of
turning down those who really need
my help"
Great was the heart OF the old war
rior!