The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-09

Editors Note: This is the fourth
 of a series of articles which Mir.
 Corbett is writing concerning the
 pugilistic career of Jake Kilrain,
 one of the greatest heavyweight
 that America--or any other coun-
 try-ever produced. The next in
 stallment will appear tomorrow.)
 Jake Kilrains advent as a profess sional pugilist outside of shop circles was made in the winter of 1883. Real izing that he was something Of nov ice as far as the scientific features Of the game we're concerned. Kilrain em- parked on his fighting career by ac- cepting the job as assistant to Tom Mccarthy. boxing instructor at the Boston Crib club.
 Kilran served largely as human punching bag during those early days. After the sllillful Mccarthy drilled hls students in the art of hitting, he would turn them loose on Kilrain It was lakes job to let the boys test out their punches on him. And Jake. as he con fessed years afterward, had to take some wallops in those days that had as much stin ng as some that were dealt out to him by John l.. and others. 'But I never regretted being with , the Boston Crib club" said Kilrain. Working with Mccarthy gave me fine chance to learn some of the tricks of the trade. It was my first real edu- cation in boxing. Earlier I had de- pended upon brute strength. McCar- thy taught me the value of ring trick cry, Furthermore, that job provided me with fairly good income and that was what was looking for at that time"
 Mccarthy took a great interest In the youthful Kilrain and predicted a splendid future for him in the mitt- yielding game. Mccarthy spent many hours drilling Jake-and his work was successful. Kilrain was an apt pupil and learned much about science al- though Jake. in the latter years. re- verted considerably to his natural style of Knock 'em dead in a hurry" style
 After Mccarthy decided that Jake was about ready to go out and make a name for himself, he arranged fight for him with Harry Allen. highly touted heavyweight of that time.
 The battle was to have gone six rounds. Allen. confident of whipping Kilrain. rushed Jake with the first call of time Jake met him with a pile driver right to the stomach That one punch practically finished Jakes foe, Allen doubled up and Jake pounded upon him and rained volley of blows l. T Ll ~fI It N, --A mist. The referee was compelled to stop the fight to save Allen from se- rous injury.
 Kilrains next foeman was a negro warrior who fought under the name of George Godfrey. This individual was well rated at the time and was re- garded as a tough customer" He had achieved victories over some not able fighters and even lakes staunch- est supporters were little skeptical about the outcome.
 Godfrey was a fast. aggressive in- dividual who possessed considerable science for that era of pugilism. He attempted to hold off Kilrain with a series of jabs and with feinting tactics but it was useless. Kilrain was not to be denied He bored in at Godfrey and landed powerful lefts and rights with merciless precision.
 The fury of Kilrain's attack in the second round broke Godfrey's defense and transformed him into a grogEy, bleeding battIer. The end came in the third round when Kilrain walked over to him at the beginning of the ses- sion and planted the old right hand wallop on the point of the chin
 With a record of six victories, via the knockotIt route. in six starts, Jake Kilrain took on Jim Goode early in 1884. The fight went six rounds and at it's conclusion the referee ruled it q draw But the crowd rose up and shrieked. 'Robber" Jake, according to disinterested parties, had won by the proverbial mile.
 The showing of Kilrain by that time had been so exceptional that boxing promoters outside of the Massachusetts district began to sit up and take mo- tce It was just at that era when box ing clubs were coming into existence and promoters were on the lookout for drawing cards. Many of them saw in Ki1rain real fighter and one who soon would rank with the best in the country. So offers began to pour in