The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-20
Corbett's Daily Letter
 On Great Sport Topics
By JAMES J. coRBETT

The name of Mike McCoole is listed among the heavyweight champions of America And Mike McCoole richly de- served all the glory and fame that came to him during his pugilistic days
 Like most fighters of the early era in America, McCoole was born in Ire- land-in 1SS7-came to this country at an early age and followed the occupation of boatman on the Mississippi. Even developed into powerful human, weigh ing 200 pounds and standing over six feet tall
 The life of boatman on the Missis- sippi was a rather hazardous one in those days and the man who knew how to defend himself against all corners found it very helpful asset McCoole CTS was a necessary aid in his business and he schooled considerably in rough and tumble fighting.
 When he was 21 years old he had gained a great reputation as a warrior and this brought about his matching in his first ring battle with Bill Nary in April. 1858.
 Nary had acquired practically as much fame in his own district as had Me- Coole and the battle between the two i was witnessed by big crowd of support 1 CTS of each man, Nary was taller and heavier than McCoole but the fight hadn't gone one round before it was evil ! dent that McCoole was Nary's master. Nary lasted exactly eight rounds-l7 minutes of actual fighting-and then crumpled before the irresistible attack of Mike McCoole.
 In those days the usual method oi fighting was to adhere strictly to the London Prize Ring rules. Ringmen made all possible efforts to get wrestling holds l on their rivals, figuring that such g method of fighting was an advantage te | them. They reckoned that by getting hold on the other man they could triI 1 and throw him to the ground and by thi. method subdue him in the quickest pos sible way. In that era only few fight CTS used their fists for punching pur poses-and then only on rare occasions But McCoole, in his fight with Nary convinced the crowd of the extreme valu'
 of fist in a fight. Nary attempte,
 wrestling tactics but every time he cam
 in close to McCoole, the latter woul,
 swing ponderous fist to the face o
 to the body. In a very short time thos
 powerful blows had reduced Nary's fac
 to a battered pulp, had broken two rib
 and had reduced him to a staggerinl
 and beaten condition.
 The crowd. which never before ha'
 seen a man use his fists so effectivel.
 as had McCoole, decided then and ther
 that MeCoole's method of fighting wa
 more effective than the old wrestlin
 game which was popular among tn pugilists of that time.
 News of McCoo1e's new style of fight
 ing reached Bill Blake, who was fight
 ing under the name of Dublin Tricks. land had established a great reputation
 around St. Louis. Blake scoffing at tn
 claims of McCoole's friends that he wa
 the greatest warrior in the Mssissipr
 district, challenged for $400 side bet. Tn
 two men fought at Twelve Mile Island
 Mo-. and McCoole triumphed in 29 rounds each of which lasted a trifle more thai
 one minute.
 The victories over Nary and Blah
 decided McCoole to follow prize fight
 ing for a tusiness-and he abandone that of Mississippi river boatman. Nc
 Coole knew little about science and tao