The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-20

tecnth of series of articles
 which Mir. Covbett is writing con
 corning the pugilistic career oi
 Jake Kilrain. one of the greatest
 heavy weights that America--oT
 and other country-ever has pro.
 duced. The next installment will
 appear tomorrow)
 Intensive training was unnecessary for my fight with Jake kilratn on rep ruary IS, 1890. l was 2S then, youth ful. full of energy and had kept m fighting condition from day to day py workouts in gymnasiums. Outside Of a little road work I did nothing out ol the ordinary to put myself into snApe for the battle taht was to make o' break me.
 knew that when l left for New Orleans q week before the fight that my whole future as a boxer depended upon the success of that siN-rounde' with Jake Kilkrain. Victory would slVe me national prominence-perhaps world fame--for Kilrain right then waS rated just little behind sullivan, De. feat by kilrain. I felt, could unao nit that I had accomplished Tn my hsh'S on the Pacific coast
 Bud Reno had written me a httle note after the match was made telin3 me that he would meet me at the sta- l ton if I let him know when was | to arrive. I wired as l boarded tho | train Arriving in the St. Louis sta l ton I found no Reno-at first. I wan lered for little while and happened l to notice a fellow who was watching 1 arrivals in an expectant sort ot way; 1 Al last he walked over toword me ai.d said
 ] "Are you Jim Corbett?
 1 I replied in the affirmative. The man was Bud Reno. He shook l m and down He hadn't associated me with the Jim Corbett of his imaS- 1 lnings I imagine I looked more like 1 an actor than a fighter. Reno called to memory the 215 pounds or hghunS i bulk which Kilrain carried. compa:eu my slight frame and 165 pounds win it-and the expression on his face told me plainer than could words that he had decided that Kilrain would XII | me-.
 But Reno was princely in his treat l ment toward me. He put me up at ms house and entertained me while was waiting the battle gong. Several nights 1 hefore the contest Reno arranged for i a meeting between Kilrain and myself. | If was my first sight of Big Jake" and what a powerful looking fellow ne l was: Big of shoulder. big of chest. powerful in legs. sinewy in arms ahu huge of ist-that was Kilrain, the Ideal
 
 | sized up Kilrain and decided sped IS the thing that will whip him.
 New orleans sport writers got in touch with me, looked me over care fully-and then hazarded the opinion in their papers that was no match for Kilrain and that the battle would be nothing more or less than slaughter of the Californian" Just how unanimous this belief was can be shown by the following Illustration;
 On the night of the fight prelin- inaries were put on. Unknown by any of the crowd took a seat in the audi ence, dressed. of course. in street attire While sitting there a fellow in front o' me- turned to his neighbor and said;
 "Who do you think will win the Kill rain-Corbett fight
 ] The other answered: ".Why, the chances are only in lo' that Corbett will show up. Hes Jus a kid. without any real ring expert ence. He made the match with MI rain before he knew what Jake looke' like He got look at him the othel night and I'll bet it scared him stllf Corbett is nothing but a big middl' , weight and Kilrain outweighs him o' pounds. The kid will take a run-ou powder-but l don't blame him. If I had to tackle fellow like klirain l guess I'd do the same thing. | Other folks in the vicinity took Hi l the discussion and there was almos J a unanimity of opinion that 1 wouldn' put in appearance for the bout. Bu those who figured along those line
 were wholly wrong. Not only was
 going to show up for the contest wit l Kilrain--but l was wildly anxlous TO 1 the battle to begin
 The nearer came the time, the great CT grew my confidence because I fel 1 that my youth. the nimbleness of m. legs and my boxing ability more thai
 counter balanced Kilrain's advantag
 in weight and in ring experience.
 tTo be continued)
 Editors Note: This is the fifteent
 of a series of articles which MT. Cor bett is writing concerning the pugilisti lcareer of Jake Kilrain, one of the great :, esht heavy weights that American-o
 any other country-ever produced. Tn
 next installment will appear tomorrow
 
 |. A half hour or so before the sched
 uled time for my meeting with Jak Kilrain I entered my dressing room i
 the New Orleans arena. And there
 was met by one of the officials of tn
 club. Excitedly he exclaimed n Hurry up--hurry up. kilrain is l
 the ring already and the crowd is wal
 ing for you"
 5. "Everyone can wait--until the refere d 1 matter is settled to my satisfaction
 was my answer. The audacity of m lrepIy startled him. Perhaps never be e fore had youthful and practically or
 scure fighter aiming for a reputatio 'c attempted a battle over the third man 5 question. But I had determined TO Tn e all important fight of mine that ! l. hand picked" referee was gong n ruin my chances for victory
 Why. the referee who has bee
 nemed is a fright" the club officials II sisted "You'n get square deal !" "Perhaps l willard perhaps l. won't" was my answer. But I'll te ,e you now that the fight doesn't go D. until a referee has been named who
 satisfactory to me. You fellows DICK him out without consulting me. , man will referee any contest in wnlcn
 am involved until he proves satisfa tory to me. And that goes" A hurry call was sent for the oth
 directors of the club. They came my dressing room accompanied by N referee. A long wrangle ensued ov
 the third man question. And all [
 while Jake Kilrain sat in the Til
 waiting for me, and that part Of |
 crowd which predicted that l wasl '. Htrh Q ?