The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-08-30
By FRANZ a. HENKE

Somewhere in England there's
a more or less titled person who re-
members Bob Fitzsirhmons = with
painful recollection.
For Fitz ever playful and usually
quite enough in his boyish mood once
performed for that Englishman one
of his quaint and rather famous
tricks
Fitz was assaulted somewhere on the
Indian Ocean bound from England to
Australia. That was nearly fifteen
years ago, when Fitz was journeying
to the Antipodes to engage in what
was perhaps to be his last fight.
On the boat Fitz, wishing to be left
alone, wasn't annoyed much except
on the first day out of Singapore. The
Englishman had climbed aboard there
and was wildly anxious to meet the
Cornishman. Eventually he did Then
he began to gush.
Bah, jove, oil fellow, he began.
Then in enthusiastic fashion he told
Fitz he remembered seeing pictures of
him fighting Jim Corbett. Fitz tried
to break away-but the Englishman
persisted in holding Fitz in converse
tion-and mainly on the Corbett fight.
You hit him-ah-on the - ah -
What do you call it-ah-yes, the So
lar system, was it not?" he exclaimed.
Gives Confidential Dope
Fitz decided to end the conversation
for that day. So, with a burst of con-
fidential enthusiasm he grabbed the
lapeIs of the Englishman's coat and
yowled;-
"Solar plexus-solar plexus-that
was it. Y'see, oil fellow. that blighter
of Corbett poked a left at me-so-
and then a right and then | tented
me right-this way-and then, oh
then 1 swung my leftinto his solar
| plexus-like this
/ With the power that Corbett more
1 or less vaguely remembers, Fitz hit
the observation-disclosures in the pit OF
the stomach. He dropped, as if shot
They picked him up, packed him into
| his stateroom and never afterward
would he get within so feet of Mr.
Robert Fitzsimmons, punch demon
/ strater.
Didn't Realize Power
/ Fitz never realized the power of his
| blows when he was in one of his play
| full moods-nor did he realize it IN
his stage work.
Years ago he starred in "The Vii
lage Blacksmith" In one act of the
play the villain, big bruiser hired
to play the part because of his size
tried to steal the sweetheart of F1tz
| That was Fits cue to hop forward
and tickle the villain a few times.
/ Then the villain was to crumple in
to a neat heap.
But one night Fitz forgot his cue
/ somewhat. He dashed at the villair
at the correct moment all right. Blu
once within sinking distance, he failed
to remember he was an actor. So hi
swung a right and then left - il
lightning succession.
The right hit the villain in the stom
ach, lifted him off his feet and while
he was in the air, the Cornishman'
left landed on the rim of the jaw. A:
a result, the villains body sailed
through the air, bumped against the
scenery, knocked it in wild disorder
onto the stage floor, one piece nearly
breaking the heroine's dear, swan
like neck.
Joke on Fitz
While Fitz was training for his frs
fight with Jeffries, in which he los
his title, many of his cronies used t.
drop around his camp, especially OF
Sundays. One of them, often the vic
tim of Fitz's jokes, evened up thing
one day by playing a joke on Fitz.
Fitz accepted it in good grace ant
said nothing.
, The following Sunday the boy
) again called around including tn
! jokester. Eventually FitZ excuse
himself from the room. He returnet
: five or ten minutes later all excite
I about having sen huge fish caugh
i on a nearby pier.
: Naturally everyone was curiou:
t Fitz agreed to lead the way. TIL
? gang trooped after him. They arrive
r on the pier and galloped up against
] lone fisherman. At that moment Fit
! broke into a boisterous laugh.