The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-01


(Note This is the forty-third chap
ter of series of articles which Mr.
Corbett is writing on John l.. as l
knew Him. 1t relates many hereto
fore unpublished incidents in the life
of the great warrior The next chap
ter will appear tomorrow
For more than a quarter of century
after our New Orleans battle John l..
Sullivan continued to be one of the
most conspicuous figures in the sport
ing life of America. The passin3
years, instead of moving him into OBJ.
livion, merely hallo~ed the greatness
of his warrior days, mellowed his fail
ings and retained him as the pugilistic
idol.
Hardly a month passed during all
that time that John l.. didn't figure in
one way or another in newspaper coll
umns. His picturesque personality, his
keen sense of humor and the frolics
and the outbursts of boyish spirit al
ways made him a good subject for
stories. John L. was born publicity
getter and he was ever doing stunts
which kept him in the public eye.
Through the years of his prime one
of John La ambitions had been to
take fling as bookmaker at the race
track. He realized it in 1901-to his sor-
row.
A day or two after John L. opened
his bookie stall a red-headed youth
slouched up to the stand and asked:
''Whatcha quotin' on Little Ger?"
John l.. hadn't posted his price at
hot tin,a httt no
ring and saw that the other bookies
were laying 100 to l against the chances
of the horse that had made a miserable
showing in every race in which he had
figured.
Hundred to one answere John l..
I'll take dollars WORTH" answered
the red-headed youngster. Thereupon
he laid a dollars worth of silvers and
coppers on John LIS stand. John l.,
looked at the pile of Junk" and then
beloved:
Get away with that stuff! Bring me
back regular money if you want to bet
here"
The 'bricktop" extracted a crumpled
IS bill, saying:
Gould 1 bet as much as dat on de
hossg"
Bet all yer wants. De sky's de limit
wild me- answered John L., grabbing
the liver and giving the youngster
ticket reading 800 to 81 against Little
Gem.
A short time later the red dreaded
youngster returned to bet 81 more with
Sullivan. Just before race time he came
along with So. And each time John L.
generously gave him odds of 100 to /, al
though by that time the other bookies
mad become suspicious of the rather
heavy wagering on 100 to / shot and
had reduced the odds to so and then ~
to /.
Little Gem won the race-by nose
and ever afterward the mere sight OF
red-headed youngster wearing a cap
vas enough to reawaken memories in
John L. Of his tragic bookmaker days
John L., beneath his gruff exterior,
nad keen sense OF humor and often
times permitted himself to be the victim
or Jokes by his friends. One which bears
telling has to do with John L and Nat
GOODWIN, the actor, who was one of his
warmest friends and greatest admirers.
+ John L.. was standing one day with a
group of friends when Goodwin came
along and commenced to upbraid Sulli-
van In loud voice. Goodwin called
/, John l.. all sorts Of names-the kind
whch uttered by anyone else, would
hav.y Sent John l.. into a rage. But all
Though the TRADE the pugilist remained
silent. In the words of movies, John L.
was registering fear" AS a climax to
the abuse. the actor slapped John L.
in the face and openly announced that
John L. was afraid to fight him-that
he could whip John L. with one hand
tied behind his back, etc.
Then Goodwin strutted away while the
friends looked at John L. In amusement
and wonderment whether the champion
of champions at last had lost his cour-
age. John L. offered no explanation al
the time and 1t was not until weeks later
that the real facts leaked out that the
whole stunt had been put on simply tc
win a bet for Goodwin. Goodwin had
boosted to someone who did not know
of the intimate Sullivan Goodwin friend.
ship that he could 50 up. could cal
John L. names and slap his faca with.