The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-03

wears ago in Galveston, Tex, there was negro hoy so fearful of physical com hot that whenever he got into quarrel with any of his boy companions ne ran home and tried to get his sisters to tight his battles for him. The boy became known as a coward among his associates and this condition continued for num- Der of years.
 Finally the mother of the little negro disgusted by the tactics of her son. threatened one day to give him the worst licking of your life" the very next time that he ran away from fight. She told him that he had grown big enough to fight his own battles and that in future his sisters wouldn't take his part And so the boy, when forced irto another quarrel by the taunts of his companions remembered the threat of his mother and fought back, made the fight not because of bravery, but re- cause of the greater fear of being whipped at home if he avoided it.
 A score of years later that same boy developed into the greatest fighter Of his time, the champion of champions, for he was none other than Jack Johnson, king of the heavyweight division from lJUS unLll ne Was uetHi cASu py oSoS w A lard in 1915.
 The discovery of Johnson was made in 1899, in Springfield, Ill, by George Siler- The famous referee had gone to that city to officiate at some boxing bouts. The man who was giving the tourna- msnt opened the show with battle royal" with negroes participating. Siler was impressed with the work of six foot negro. This chap, who was none other tha- Jack Johnson, showed skill and cleverness far beyond the average battle royaP' performer. After the fight, which Johnson won in a decisive way, Siler turned to Sam Pooler, a we'll known promoter of pugilism in that era, and said:
 That negro looks like a conner. Why don tyou take him to Chicago and give him try-out?
 Pooler declared that he couldn't see anything in Johnson as a fighter and so Siler, still enthusiastic about Johnsons work, took up the matter with Johnny Corners. The latter, who knew of Si- ler's splendid judgment concerning box CTS, took him at his word, and Johnson was taken to Chicago for a trial In a real boxing bout.
 During his Springfield days Jack was fighting the free lunch counters, and when Johnson got to Chicago he was in half starved condition for his first fight with "Klondike," then quite a favorite among the negro heavyweights. | Johnson put up a strong battle for three rounds. but after that his strength failed him owing to the fact that he hadn't eaten a real meal for nearly week, and Johnson lost the decision. However, he got enough money for his work in that contest to fill the wrinkles in his stom- ach," and having had one taste of pros- perity that falls to the lot of ring per formers, decided to stick.
 After Johnson engaged in two fights early in 1901 and accumulated few hun dred dollars, he decided upon a trip back to his home town, Galveston. Soon after his arrival there he learned that Joe ChoynslSi was taking on all corners. Johnson sought a bout with Choynski and Joe promptly obliged him. The affair was staged on February 25, 1s0t
 Johnson lasted just three rounds with the wonderful white fighter. He put up good fight for two sessions, but in the third Joe battered him so much that the police stopped the contest and John- 1 son was charged with a knockout Je- feat. It was his first "Kayo" beating, l and from that day until Willard fIoored him in Havana in 1915 he never took the count from any man.
 Choynski is largely responsible for Johnson's advancement in fistiana Joe was in. pressed with the awkward clever ness of the negro and decided he was "comer." So he taught him many of the rudimentary ring tricks and advised Johnson to put himself in charge of good teacher. The negro, who looked upon Choynskf as man who knew box ing from beginning to end, accepted Choynski's advice Johnson always was a rather smart negro, quick to learn and always ready to add to his knowledge Of ring lore.
 During the rest of 1901 Johnson fought half dozen bouts winning three by knockouts. In the return match with "K!ondike" he held him to a draw in 20 rounds. Through 1902 Johnson mingled in ahout 21 battles and only one resulted in a defeat-on decision.
 By that time the accomplishments of the negro had awakened promoters to
 the fact that new warrior of consider