The Connecticut labor news., 1922-02-17
Didn't Start as an Anna teur but Took on Big Fellows After Being Laced as COrbett's Sparring Partner.

Down in Carroll, O., there was born on April Is, 1875, boy who was destined to become one ot the greatest fighters the world has ever known. It was James J. Jecrles' worlds champion from 1899 until ne voluntarily retired from the ring III I4o5. 1,, ing endowed him with the necessary speed, brain, brawn and stamina TO Gecome the best in the world. All that he lacked was ambition. Finally he acquired that and within two years ot the time he realized he had 1t Tn him to reach the top he had done SO: March 17, 1897, saw. him one oi Tim Corbett's retinue of trainers and Snarring partners. Corbett, the most scientific heavyweight of the age, iaLbed ,cufed and hammered JeHrles at will Two years later Jetfrles won the championship from Bob Fltzslm- mons, the conqueror of Corbett.
 Jehries was one of the few great 6qhters who did not enter the arena via the amateur route. Jim never was an amateur battler like Sullivan, Cor- bett and Fitzsimmons, previous tltle- holders. He was contented to Work Ill a boiler SnOp anu OSCdSlOAio'AiJ '
 his gun and go hunting.
 hIS first battle of which there is any record was in 1893, when TIT was IS years old. In Los Angeles there was a colored boxer, Hank ,.riHin. who had issued challenge tc fight anyone. Some friend ot Jet fries, who knew Jim was powerful brute, urged him to accept the detl linn was about to refuse when hf lcarned he could make some money by beating the negro. He took or lHe bout and won by knockout II L4 rounds.
 Icffries to adopt ring career, he be came somewhat in demand as a spar ing partner. One of the men h' trained with was Billy Gallagher, nliddleweight. Billy got him a matcl with Dan Long in San Francisco July ?, 18o6 Jim rocked Long to sleep II the second round.
 Jeff then dropped back into, ob scyr;tv again until Harry Corbett brother of Jim, sent him to Carsol City to aid Jim in training for hi chanpionsllip bout with Bob F1tz simmons.
 It was while working with Corbet that Jeffries' ambition finally wa aroused. While taking his daily ham mcring from Corbett, Jeff realize that in certain respects he was bet ter man than the champion. He cer tainlv could hit harder, but he lacke CCrbett's science and hnesse. Fo hat reason he decided he woul make his job serve to double advar lage Not only would he draw nor " for being punching bag tor Oo1 bett, but he also would be recelVln come valuable pointers on how box.
 He took his punishment without
 m1rmur and the files of the Pla Dealer show that three days befo the fight, Corbett displayed his hi ting power by knocking Jeffri down. When the fight was on, Je fries was not in Corbett's corner. | was watching the battle, howevt and making up his mind to adopt fstic career.
 About the same time, Billy Brad who was Corbett's manager, mark Jeffries as a, conner and 1t was n long afterward before he had big J1 in his charge.
 Three weeks after Corbett had le the championship, Jetfries had ioug 2o-round draw with Gus Kuhl the Akron glant. ne dAoo mt ;. Choynski in a 2o-round go III whl there was no winner.
 It was not until 1898 that ettr! began to display championship ablli and discover how hard he req could hit In that year he knocked o Toe Goddard in four rounds, Pet Jackson in three and Pete Everett
 three. He won from Tom Sharkey
 20 rounds and then went east, bel scheduled to take on Bob Armstro and Steve ODonnell the same nle in 1o-round bouts. He outpo1nt Armstrong, but damaged his hand the big negro's head and was unat to take on O'Donnell.
 He then laid off until the folloW1 summer, when he won the champlc ship from Fitzsimmons at Coney
 Ind. He won on points from It Sharkey the same year, but Shark went the entire distance of 25 roun thus having had the satisfaction
 having gone 45 rounds all told W the huge boilermaker.
 Tim Corbet then decided the tl1 was ripe for him to regain the laur he had lost to Bob Fitzsimmons