The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-16
Corbett's Daily Letter
 On Great Sport Topics
By JAMES J. coRBErr

Back in the era when John l.. Sullivan popularized boxing, many enthusiasts de cided to learn how to handle me docks. There weren't enough competent box
 ing teachers at the time to accommo
 date the legions that suddenly decided
 they wanted to take lessons And this
 condition gave to barroom "bouncers'
 and ough-and-tumble fighters a chance
 to mulct "easy money from the ambi.
 tious.
 1 In the later days of Sullivan's glory | there was a big bruiser in New York
 known as Mugs Maloney, whose rep
 ulation as 8 fighter had been gained largely in saloon brawls. He knew but
 but he had a bartending friend who was skrewd enough to recognize an oppor- tunity in Maloney for the fleecing of the pugilistically inclined public. The bartender worked in a saloon in
 New York that was rather popular with some of the sporting fraternity. At his request Maloney made it his hangout
 Whenever customers would enter the bar tender would engineer a conversation on eAAC oupJCCL Ol DO&lIB. f1c. WOuIu com ment on the wonderful advantages of a boxing education and just about the time he had enthused the customer about 1t he would call him aside and whisper:
 See thatxbig fellow sitting over there at the table? We'll, that's Maloney, the great fighter, and the fellow who knows as much about the tricks of boxing as a n ma i, let him teach your"
 Before the customer had a chance to make any reply the bartender would yell over to Maloney who would shuffle over and be introduced.
 "Muggs, this fellow wants to take box. ing lessons" the bartender would say. He's a good friend of mine (perhaps the barkeeper never had seen the man in his life before, but that didn't make any difference), and I want you to give him lessons and give them to him at a fair price. Don't forget, now, he's friend of mine. Treat him square,"
 Sure" Maloney would snort And then. even before the patron of the cafe could dissent, Maloney already having decided how much he could trim the sucker for" would state:
 My usual price is $50 for 12 lessons. But seeing you're good friend of the barkeep here, I'll give you F lessons for $25 Cor $1O, in case the victim did not look extremely prosperous). But you've got to pay 1t in advance"
 The patron might insist that he didn't want to take lessons. That was Malo- ney's-and the bartender's-cue to point out that everybody was taking lessons and if a fellow didn't know how to de- fend himself he might be at handi- cap when attacked Under the oratory of the pair the patron usually would agree to become a pupil and would pay put the sum of money asked.
 i've got a little room fixed up in he back with boxing gloves and every hing" Maloney would say. There's no l lse in wasting time I'll give you the | first lesson right away"
 The two would go into the hack room Maloney would show the victim few | .ricks. Then, of a sudden, Maloney's | luge fist would go crashing against the | aw of the victim for a complete knock | out. When the victim returned to con- 'ciousness, Maloney poured apologies | lpon him-explain fervently that it was Tn accident But the victim never came | pack for the other eleven lessons and