The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-19


 Note: This is the second chapter of a series of articles which MT. Corbett is writing on John L. as Knew Him. It relates many heretofore unpublished incidents in the career of the mighty warrior. The next instalment will ap- pear tomorrow.)
 John LIS fondness for baseball was the primary cause for his entry into the ranks of pugilism which he dominated for more than a decade.
 The mighty warrior was born in Rox- bury, Mass, of Irish parents, October 15, 1858. Early in his boyhood he formed an aversion for school and quit to take job as laborer with pick and shovel gang doing sewer and gas trench work in Boston As he grew into young man. hood, John l.. exhibited lot of natural baseball ability which earned him an outfielding job with one of the strongest amateur teams playing Sunday baseball in the Boston district.
 One day orders were issued by the contractor for whom John l.. was work ing that the pick and shovel crew was
  a job. John decided that he wanted to play ball that afternoon and went to the foreman and asked to get away The foreman began to curse Sullivan in louo tones for his nerve John l.. silenced him by doubling his huge right fist and sending it crashing against the jaw ot his burly boss. It was about five mln- utes later when the foreman awoke.
 John LIS knockout victory, scored with the first punch that he ever landed on human being. gave him neighborhooo fame as a walloper. It served to focus attention upon him and 1t was then dis covered that John l.. had powerful physique Anxious to have John L. show just how strong he was, friends asked him to attempt feats of strength. Jonr consented and amazed the crowd by his accomplishments. Immediately he pe- came termed "the Boston Highland Strong Boy"
 Forget your ambitions to become 2 professional ball player one of Johr Els friends suggested "Go in for prize fighting. You have the makings of . champion"
 John l.. needed the advice and from then on directed all his energies to per fectfng himself as ring warrior. But he always declared that if it hadn' beer TOT ms love Tor DaSeDaI ne never WOuiU have hit that gang foreman and per- haps meyer gone into the prize ring. In 1873 some amateur boxing tourna. ments were staged in Boston. John l.. at the behest of his friends, entered them. Although lacking utterly in knowledge of the science, John l.. sur prised even his most ardent supporters by his easy victories. His strength wa. amazing, his punching power tremen dous. And the fame of Sullivan grad ually spread until it embraced all O l Boston.
 l In 1879 Mike Donovan, middleweigh I champion, arrived in Boston. A da! I later a fellow named Ryan, who wal 1 friend of Mikes. called on the cham pion, accompanied by powerfully built ruddy-faced. shabbily clad youngstel l of 21.
 This boy would like to box with you Mir. Donovan" introduced Ryan. Hi l name is Sullivan and some of his frienu
 think that he will some day become 1 1 champion
 l Donovan made an engagement to worl 1 out with Sullivan the latter part of thu week. But the next day an abscess de veloped under his arm. which made i l necessary for him to cancel all Bostol engagements and go back to New York