New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-29
Boxing World
Pays Tribute
To Fitzsimmons
Jim Corbett Chief Speaker at
Memorial Services for
Famous Fighter

Memorial services for Bob Fitzsim-
mons, the ex-prize ring champion, were
held yesterday afternoon at the Frank
Campbell Funeral Chapel, and the al
fair attracted a crowd of about i've
hundred persons, among whom were
several women. For the most part,
those who crept mutely into the little
chapel we're a hardfaced, glossy-eycd
lot, while n number bore the battle
Scared traces OF the squared circle.
All were not fight fans, Of course,
and scattered here and there were
movie actors, amateur boxers, billiard
players, tennis players, golfers, fight
promoters and LOT Of Bob's friends
from New Jersey. The services were
conducted by the Rev. DR.. Nathan A.
Seagle, Of St. Stephens Episcopal
Church, and he subsequently delivered
an appropriate obsequial panegyric.
Praise from Gentleman Jim
Jim Corbett WAS scheduled for
speech, and nc came and delivered his
tribute to his dead conqueror. He as
serted that there never was a better
OF DluChitl VI civ "
be beaten by him was an honor. As
Corbett stepped off the little stand he
said: "May the Lord have mercy on
his soul"
Not few In the audience were In
,elined TO give Jim the hand. but when
they were about to applaud they re-
membered that they were in church
and not at the ringside and the noise
dropped.
Corbett was followed by DR.. John
Hendricks. Of Dunellen, n. j., an old
friend of the pugilistic hero. He said
that the great secret of Fits success
sprang from his love for Rose Julian,
his second wife, and added that she
was mainly responsible for his victory
over Corbett AS he reached this point
n strong necked veteran, with bulged
cars and other marks of boxing fame,
whispered to a friend Of his, Oats
right; she told Bob to hit Jim in de
Stats, and Bob, taking her tip, landed
de solar plexus an sint Jim TO sleep"
Although Bob was fighter, the
doctor said, he had soft heart for
mankind. like all good big men. Yet
when aroused Bob possessed the real
temper of the prizefghter, and in
polished way the speaker rendered the
old adage that the race that's good
for loving is also good for fighting"
The Rev. Dr. Seagle found text
from the precepts Of st. John the Di-
vine in the quotation that righteous
ness must conquer, and that, as Fitz
was a clean, honest man, his profession
was no sin. His good in life, DR.. Sea-
gle said, was that he gave the boys
type of hero and aroused the right kind
of spirit of emulation.
Kid NcPartland on Hand
Outside of Corbett, the most notable
fighter there was Kid Mcfarland, and
then there were Joe Humphries, Sam
Fitzpatrick, DR.. Joseph B. Knipe, the
ex-amateur heavyweight champion; w.
II. Recap, the famous referee and time
keeper, and G.. NJ. Lawrence, an Aus
tralian fight manager
Old-timers in an athletic way in
cluded Frank Fullgraf, Of the New
York A. c., an amateur boxer of
couple of generations ago, and Dick
Schell, the manager of the old Manhat-
tan A. c., when the club was on the
same site as Sherrys. Pete Golden, the
old six-day walker, sat in front Of Jim
Daily, who acted as sparring partner to
Fitz and sometimes to Corbett. A
large photo of the dead champion in
his typical fighting pose was draped
behind the speakers.