Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-18

l was born in Michigan. Folks have
believed that am Californian. went
there as q child and grew up in
California atmosphere. Somehow on
other dCifted in among the boxers
when had grown big enough to APP
preciate that carrying a chip on ones
shoulder required certain amount Of
defensive ability. If you declared the
presence of the mythical chip you had
to protect it. was sorappy by
nature. admit that much. didn't
always win. In losing, usually made
It close and no man who went to
grips with me ever walked Off as il
going out of picnic grove.
Almost before / knew it had
entered upon the career of fighter.
Started Out in California.
Ny first ring engagements didn't
set the world on fire tits true, but
they were desperately sincere with
me. l fought around Bakersfield.
Calf, at the outset. Purses were
lean in those days. A dime got
you more than a, hundred dollar bill
does now. you know. / think we
young birds of those days counted
more on ring reputation and admira-
ton than we did the money. know
that always was far more interested
in smacking the other fellow over than
in what 1 was to get for the job.
How times have changed,
In the period that ! was sculling
i around Bakersfield, San Francisco.
Oakland and other coast fight
ceuters- there were some really great
fighters strutting their stuff. The
best of them was Al Neiil, one of the
cleverest middleweights that ever
lived. Then there was Louie Long,
Billy Snailum, Abe Attell. Frankie
Neil, Eddie smith, Frank Rafael,
George Herberts. George Green, who,
many reader may not know, was the
original Young" Corbett; Frank Nc
Connell, Jim Franey, and-well, there
were lot of them. And all fighters
from their toes up.
Managers Then Unheard OF.
My first real fighting campaign
began with a tour of the northern
portion of the Pacific Coast. went
on my own. A manager was thing
unheard Of At least a travelling
manager, though I'll admit that some
times I managed fellow In one burg
and fought him in the next, Usually
you dropped into town, broke. dusty
and hungry. Instinct pointed you to-
ward the saloon where some big
hearted bartender was willing to listen
" lIIC BLU ACo Va yOut AAhe Pto"CS-S
and incidentally hand you a buck with
the remark, go get yourself a feed,
Kid"
You were for" that fellow instant
Iy. He became your manager. in that
particular place, at least. For the
time being you were 'bouncer" there.
and it was your particular delight to
bounce few OFF suckers chin that
friend barkeep might know he had
not wasted time and money on
punk. Always there was some town
bluff to whip and you trained for the
fight right there in the back of the
saloon Business doomed magnifi-
Gently You couldn't get in. Young
Kearns," the greatest lightweight
that ever came over the pike. was to
fight pete Potato" in the town hall,
winner take all.
He Packed WallOp.
And they came down from the hills
and UP from the valleySto get peek
at the fellow who could break asnan's
jaw with one belt OF his fist. really
could hit, you know. 1t was a thriller
for the bartender He went over big
with the boss. Never had there been
such business, and hurry orders were
sent out for more grog, wine, beer
and cigars. OF course cleaned up
the Potato" person. Also / had a
new 3. r. (bank rolD. And then on to