The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-04-03

Copyright, 1920, By The Wheeler Syndicate, Incl
 One of the toughest fights that able seaman, Thomas Sharkey, even en- gagged in was with Joe Choyiniski when the sturdy sailor first started to make a bid for f1stic fame. The bout was staged in Frisco in the spring of 1896. Choyiniski, the son of a rabbi, possessed considerable of his fathers intellect, and in addition to his brains, was remarkably clev- CT boxer and a terrific hitter. Choy- iniski, Game Joe,'' they called him, was a top-notcher at the time, having net Jim Corbett three times, Fitz- simmons, and the best of the heavies
 and light heavyweights of his period. Sharkey styled himself "the champion
 uf the United States Navy and was
 the idol of the Marines at Mare Is
 land. Aside from few minor com
 bats in the San Mateo grass lands just outside of Frisco, he was un-
 known to followers of the squared circle. But Tom was persistent in
 his claims for pugilistic recognition and finally the promoters, to silence him, matched him with Choyiniski. The ring sharps smiled broadly. They could picture the good ship Sharkey rolling the gale of Choyin-
 iskTs blows when Game Joe" cut i loose. The bout was a handicap affair, Choyiniski agreeing to stop Sharkey inside of eight rounds or for felt the verdict.
 Choyiniski went at his task with a, guSto from the opening gong. He walloped the short-coup4eo mariner l with every description of blows in the fisticuffing ca ategory-hooks, uppper- cuts, jabs, jolts and swings were re- leased with abandon and unerring 1 accuracy. Once Joe slammed Tom squareIy on the point of the jaw and | Sharkey was catapulted clean thru the ropes, head foremost, to the floor near the press seats. Few expected to see the sailor appear on deck again. But to the amazement of all l the wooden-jawed deck-scrubber grasped a post and clambered back 1 into the ring again, apparently un- 1 disturbed by the incident. Choyinis- ! Xxi was amazed.
 ] Finally FfGame Joe'' actually wore | himself out endeavoring to place the formidable tar hors de combat. The 1 story goes that Choyiniski was oblig- l ed to resort to stratagem to gain a l | had unintentiona,lly struck him a foul blow and was given five minutes to i recover from the effects o- the low ] swipe. Joe did some hard thinking l during that temporary armistice. l When the men came together again f ChoyiniSki wasted no more blows. Dis 1 corning ringsiders noticed that the
 Hebrew so maneuvered the fighting ! that most of the clashes occurred or 1 the ropes-near the wooden posts ir fact. Choyiniski's plan was to back Sharkey in front of g. post and ther bang him on the jaw. Everytine this happened, and it was frequently Tom's massive cranium bumped the post with a resounding whack. II the closing three rounds Choyinisk l posted" Sharkey at least twenty five times, dazing the impetuous sail
 or and slowing him up. The subtle ruse saved Choyiniski, although Sharkey stayed the eight rounds ane
 won the decision.
 In the dressing rooms after tn,
 fight a newSpaperman talking to Ton
 and commenting upon Choyiniski' straight, scientific hitting drew tn
 following retort from Sharkey:
 t'Why Choyinis1i can't hit straight
 He's a round arm swinger. If yoI
 don't believe it feel the back of m head!" And Tom twisted his head ; piece rear-wise, exhibiting a health l crop of full grown protuberances.