The Washington times., 1921-03-05

Experience is a great thing as Bill
Brennan demonstrated to Bob Martin
the other night. but there is point
when experience turns into age.
Big Jess Willard was around TWEEN
ty-eight when he took up his ring
career. 1t is doubtful If any other
man in the history Of the game be-
gan as late and won a championship.
Willard's career Taste less than eight
years. although II Jess is to be re-
garded as still in the ring it must be
stretched out a couple of years.
This would give the big Kansan
the average ring life, especially of
heavyweight. Not many of them 90
over ten years OF activity. Jack
(Twin) Sullivan, who beat Joe
Thomas Saturday night. is about for
ty-three years old, and has been fght-
ing nearly twenty-three years, but
Jack comes under the head OF an ex-
ception to the rule.
BOXING TWENTY YEARS.
Jim Flynn. the Fighting Fireman. is
about the same age as Jack and has
been going along twenty years, IL you
could call Jim's present gait going
along. He Is out on the Pacific Coast
and boxed a few weeks ago.
Jack Britton. the welterweight
champion is a mere novice compared
to Flynn and Sullivan. He is only
thirty-six. and has been fighting q
mere sixteen years. However, Jack
is the oldest titleholder by some years.
and is remarkable for the fact that
he not only boxes tough opponents
regularly, but there is no wefter in
sight who looks as IL he might be
able to take Jacks crown.
The secret of Britton's success Is
the very fact that he keeps working
steadily" remarked a veteran ham
dler OF boxers the other night IF
he laid or for any length of time his
muscles would stiffen and he would
never be able to get himself into con-
dition again.
"As 1t is, he boxes nearly every
week. thus keeping his system oiled
up and his muscles supple. He is al
ways in condition. Ii he maintains
his present scheme of things he will
go on indefinitely. It's the champions
who lay of. and lead lives of ease
that get knocked over by the young
sters."
Eddie Hanlon. q tough lightweight,
began boxing when he was about nf-
tean- He was a rip-tearing fellow,
who took plenty of punishment He
met the toughest of his time-Young
Corbett.. Kid Broad. Yanger. Nelson.
McGovern and all the rest. and he
lasted about eight years. He was all
through before he was twenty-three.>
Hanlon today is only the same age
as Britton, but Hanlon is a ring MEM
ory, while Britton is a champion. Brit
ton. however, did not start boxing
until he was twenty. and for FIVE years
previous to that Hanlon had been
taking lusty beatings-
owen Moran. one OF the greatest
little fellows that ever drew on the
gloves, is not yet thirty-seven, and
is all done as a boxer. He begun
lighting when he was fifteen or six
teen. ard passed out of the picture
some years back.
BEGAN At SEVENTEEN.
Young Corbett began fighting when
he was seventeen. Young Corbett ~
reer closed some time ago. Born
before Young Corbett came into the
world, Jack tTwin) Sullivan did npt
start fighting until a year after the
great little man from Denver had
been engaged in several professional
battles.
Perhaps the secret Of Jack Twins
amazing ring longevity is the fact
that he did not start until he was
twenty. at which time he was more
fully developed than he would have
been n few years before.
Another thing: Jack Twin was
always n cagey bird. and never took
many bad beatings. He was often
whipped. IL In true. and sometimes
knocked out. but he did not get
-, %
process.
Bob Martin. now young and strong.
cannot AFFORD to take many punch
inUs suCh as he reCelyed from, nttis