El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-07-01
GREAT BOXERS FOUGHT UNDER
FALSE NAMES.

y
II II be true-and Il is Doubtless
only pipe dream-that Jess Wizards
real name is Arthur Birmingham, as
alleged by some person who claims
10 De distant cousin Of the big fell
low. Jess would be FAR from being
the first pugilistic champion to do his
scrappng under q false name. It IS
necessary to 90 no further back than
Johnson's predecessor for q precedent
as Tommy Burns started his career
with the name OF Noah Brusso. For
more =han a century ring eladfatorS
have had the habit OF changing their
rnonakers. Probably the first champ
ion 10 do this was Tom Johnson. the
celebrated champion Of the latter part
OF the eighteenth century, who was
born At Derby, England, 159 years
ago today.
Jobnson's real name was Thomas
lacking but for reasons not un-
known he cid all his fighting and won
the championship as Tom Johnson
Country McCloskey, who fought the
under their own names, however, a
notable exception being Tom Spring.
whose real name was Thomas Winter
He did not change his name OF his
own accord, the name Of Spring har-
Ing been wished on him by a facetious
sporting gentleman. Another cele-
co1ors was Bendigo. whose real name
was William Thompson
Among the early American pugilfsts
thee custom Of adopting ring names
ives soon taken mp Yankee Sullivan,
one Of the earliest American champ
ions, used an assumed name. but his
real monaker is variously given as
James Ambrose and Frank Amor
Country McCloskey who Tough the
celebrated 101 round battle with Tom
Hyer for the American title was
George McChester Jake Kilrain's
~-nr Al Tr1r mi
Slavin. the famous Australian heavy
weight, was Sidney Cornstalk. An
other famous Australian. Young
Critic, was Albert Griffiths-
1t has often been said that Jack .
Dempsey. the 'Sonpareil." who long
held the lightweight and middle
weight titles, was John Kelly, Demp- |
seq being the name Of his stepfather-
Among the champions Of recent years /
there are several who have used /
Denver boy who took the feather
weight title from Terry McGovern, Is /
William II. Rothwen. Kid Williams. 4
the bantamweight chief. IS John Gut /
enko. Willie Richie is Geary A
Steffen- Tony RYAN the former welt
and Kid Mccoy. the exchampion OF
the middleweights. IS Norman Selby.
Dixie Kid. the co1ored boy who was
for a time welterweight champion. IS
Aaron Brown Pnlladelpn1d JACK
O'Brien. ore tine middleWeight claim
ant. IS Josanh Hagen Hugo Kelly
who also claimed the middleweighti
honors. was the ring name Of Ugo
Michel Stanley Ketchen was Stanis-
laud Kiecal. George Chips real name
is Chipulonis. George Laolanche, VINO
wor, the 1nfddleweight title from Jack
Dempsey, Is George Blais Freddie
Welsh is Frederick Hall Thomas
Young Peter Jackson was sim
Tompkfns Kid Herman was Herman
Landfieid. Jim Flynn is Andrew CHA
-irIion- Johnny Dundee is Joseph Car
rora. Harry Lewis is Henry Bester-
man Leach Cross Is Louis Wallach-
Frankie Conlev IS Francisco Conte-
Tack Rrftton is William J. Breslin-
One Round Davis is George Jaus. JACK
Di1io1 is Earnest Price. Charlie White
e Charles Auchowitz Joe Rivers Is
lose Ybarra- Patsy Kline is Pasquaie
zenero. Matte NcCue is Matthel Pol