The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-07

(Note: This is the forty-ninth anc
final chapter of a series of articles whicl
Mr.. Corbett is writing on John L. AS
! Knew Hfm.')
| My last meeting with John L. Sullivan
is one that l never shall forget, because
it was the meeting that bridged the
chasm that had divided us ever since
that day in New Orleans. 1t was the day
that made us friends at last
John L. went to New York in March
1916, to serve as a reporter for one 81
I the press associations at the Jess Will
lard Frank Moran match. The veteran
warrior arrived in todwn day or SO be-
| fore the contest. On the morning of the
| day that the fight took place, mutual
friend came to me and said
Jim, John L. is up atthe Cumberland
hotel. Why don't you go up and see
him? It's about time for you fellows to
let bygones be bygones''
welcomed such an opportunity.
Through many years / had tried in vari-
GUS ways to change, John LIS feeling to-
ward me. Somehow or other he never
fully forgave me for the New Orleans
battle. | had won it fairly and squareIy
and John L. himself admiYed it. But,
just the same, the very fact that he had
gone down to defeat before me made it
impossible for him to feel kindly to
ward me.
So, with the hope in my heart that the
feeling John l.. had held toward me for
nearly 25 years might have dimmed
through passing time, | jumped INFO IL
taxi, went up to John LIS hotel and had
the clerk announce that / was down.
stairs waiting to see him.
In second the clerk said to me:
Mr.. Sullivan wants you to come Up
to his room right away"
1t wasn't necessary for me to rap to
gain entrance. John L. had opened the
door and was standing in the hallway
ready to greet me. That very fact cou-
pied with smile on his face. made me
feel that all the rancor John L. had felt
for me had been dispelled; that at last
he was willing to greet me as frienc.
How are you, Jim?'' exclaimed Jonn
L., pushing out his mighty right hand
and almost pulling me across the thresh-
hold into his room
For time we discussed commonplaces
and the fight that was to be staged
that night. John L. was strong for
Moran, while | felt sure that Willard
would Win good-natured argument
followed. At last there came a pause.
John l. looked out of the window for a
lew seconds, then turned toward me.
got up from his chair, walked over out
his left hand on my shoulder and ax
tended his right:
Here you are, Jiil take this: le1's
shake and be friends" Z
jumped from my chair and wrung
the hand of Sullivan. Before I could
speak 'John T., still holding my hand.
said:
Jim. it hurt me an awful lot TO ne
beaten down there in New Orleans. | had
lot OF pride about my fighting ability
ana always felt that no man could beat
me- You came along and YOU whipped
me without letting me land really hard
punch. | certainly was sore about II
simply couldn't get rid Of that feeling
for years. But lately have been think
ing that it isn't fair for me to feel that
way and I'm through. =
MY own feelings while John i. was
taking are hard to describe If there
was one mans friendship that I had
wanted 1t was that of Sullivan Yet for
more than 20 years it had been denied
me- had idolized Sullivan from the
days Of my boyhood and even after that
New Orleans battle, / still regarded him
as pne of the most remarkable fighters
that ever lived. He had been a king
ana he. was still an idol of mine. But
always ne had looked upon me as one
OF his bitterest enemies merely because
l mad defeated him in 1892 So, one can