Evening journal., 1919-03-31
five ring TITLES
Held BY YANKEES
Willard, O'DcwJ. Britton,
LeonArd and Herman
Born in America
HEENAN'S PATH
A IHORNY ONE


welter champion marks the elimination
OF the only forslgn-born champion
boxer America has had In some years
past. Lewis is a native Of London and
has held titles In two count;les, the
weatherwelght ln England and the vel
Ter in the United States. He still was
the fealherwelght champion OF Amer
lea. but as he renounced allegiance toI
Great Britain and became a citizen OF
the United States. he thus relinquished
his British title, the same as Welsh
forfeited his lightweight championship
Of England. Lewis took on weight sol
rapidly after reaching New York that
he was forced into the lightweight d.
vision and later into the welter class.
So far as the acquiring OF titles Isl
conce ned America Is broader than
other nations England. France and
Australia do not permit foreigners toI
acquire national titles, even II the as
pirants stile In one Of those countries.
America on the other hand has per-
mltted foreign boxers who made this
country their home 10 compete for ma
tional titles.
Al the present time every champion
OF America Is native born Willard lrst
saw the light In Pottawatomle county,
Kan; Battling Levlnsky, the light
heavyweight champion. was born 10
Philadelphia; Mike O'DOwd. the middle
weight king, In St. Paul. ana Brltton.
the new welter weight champion In
Clinton. y. Y. Benny Leonard Is ma
tive Of Now York, Johnny Kilbane Of
Cleveland, and Pete Herman Of New Or
leans.
n also is an interesting fact that ma
tive Americans hold worlds titles in
i've OF the seven classes, Willard,
.ODowd, Brltton, Leonard and Herman
are champions OF the world.
Levlnsky doubtless could win the
worlds title II he met the English.
French and Australian title holders 10
the light heavyweight class, but no
meeting ever has taken place.
The only foreign worlds champion Is
Jimmy Wilde, and the 1yweight class
is one in which American boxers never
have specialized.
In bare knuckle days nearly all
American champions were foreign
born, notable exceptions being John c
Heenan and Tom Hyer. Many Of the
/ American champions under Queensberry
rules also were OF foreign extraction.
THE original Jack Dempsey and Jack
Z NcAuliffe both were born ln Ireland,
while Bob Fitzsimmons was a native
I OF Wales.
Frank Ernie was a product OF Zurich,
Switzerland; George Dixon was born In
Halifax n. s, and Joe WOlcOtt In Bar
bados, West Indies.
Dave sullivan. who held the feather
weight.title for a brief period OF time,
was a native Of Cork.
John C. Heenan. the Benlcia boy, not
only was the victim OF more unjust
treatment than fell 10 the share OF the
average bare knuckle lighter. but he
was a peculiarly unfortunate ringster.
In his battle with John Morrissey for
the American title Heenan. who had a
great physical advantage over the cham
plon and In addition was a better boxer.
started the FIRST round as though he
would make short work Of the slubby
New Yorker.
Heavy blows landed by Heenan COM
PEELED Morrissey to break ground and
He nan rushed and aimed what he in
tended 10 be a finishing blow with the
rlsht. Morrlssey, who was a nlmble
chap, sldestepped and Heenan's rlsht
fst crashed into a ring stake. breaking
two knuckles and putting that hand
out Of business.
Heenan rfused 10 have the sponge
tossed into the ring and fought with
one hand till the eleventh round, when
he collapsed.
As soon as Heenan's Injured hand
healed. he challensed Mo-issey 10 an
other battle, but Morrisey declined. and
under the custom then In vogue Heenan
became the champion Of England.
Il was In an effort 10 capture the
worlds title that H-enan went t) Eng
| land in 1860. and how he was deprived
Of his victory over Tom Sayers, the
English champion, is history.