The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-08-23
TALKING
IT OVER
BIZ JOE WILLIAMS

NEW YORK. Aug. 23.-Thert
~ ought to be a law In editorial
rooms compelling the young mer
who write boxing pieces TO look ur
Jim Corbett and chew the fat with
him at least once a year. It would
do them a lot Of good. Principally
IL would stir their enthusiasts.
some Of the Young men who are zritins
boxing pieces seem % have run complete,
probably because they hRure ever. night !,
= fake. when the chances are that not
more than nine out Of ten are faxes,
Corbett vii be So years old neat Sept. l.
Hes suH an enthusiast about The sport
that brouEht him his irst distinction. he
admits that Il is pretty bad at times.
bat Il must have something or II
wouldn't live" ..s.. +.s-
In less impressed mood. would have
been tempted TO inquire Why. but Cor
bett manages always oimpress you;
az bis perennial yogthfSi1sss. Hes one
man who simply refuses to Be his age.
Hit hair has Trimmed out 2 little. there
s6m s Il It's distinctive az s.nietis mold. IN II
hort. you wouldn't tack him for JACKIE
Coogsn-
But lust the same he's stiu the young
est old gentleman In town. And very
vain about II too, ! suspect. The sparkle
in his eve. the viEor Of bis stride and the
vivacitY Of his speech seem a constant
challenge to physical incidence.
n
TALKING about an old boxing
l. match. he will get to his feet,
dance around, feint, block and
punch with the ghost Of an ancient
foe. There is Just enough left Of
the original rhythms and speeds,
the easy grace and smooth effort
less movements, to make you ap-
preciate what a picture he must
have been against the Sullivan and
the Jeffries Of his time.
Corbett Is writing a book on practical
s are voa befo 9ls TIE Gong sHa sodnG
This IS a formula. however. that should
Be- employed iudiciouSly. adds Corbett. It
easily as the stupid ones THROUGHOUT his
ring career Corbett used this form OF
psychology with great eject.
The most classic example of its success
coTbetl. Ioosed on bg f the p SI as iamb
being led to slaughter. walked into the
arena an hour before the fight dressed
IN an ice cream suit. a fiashy tie and A
straw hat In his hand he tvirled a
bamboo cane. From his lips came the
whistled strains Of a popular song. d.
I never could whistle but I figured the
more noise I made the greater the eject
would be-"
r
Corbett never learned what happened
back in sullivan's dressing. room before
the two OF them we're called TO the ring;
but he knows that word Of his fantastical
attire reached the old glsdiator's ears a
few minutes after his arrival.
TT is his supposition that couple
L of Sulliyan's henchmen painted
the picture this way: John, you
should have seen him. All dressed
up Ike one Of them stage lovers.
White suit. yellow tie. Walking
cane. And whistling. You'll moider
him." Corbett pictures the great
champion sitting there listening
and forcing a gruff laugh.
But the chances are he was doing a
lot Of thinking. and a lot Of worrying.
This was a display Of arrogance md dis
respect that the old fellow hadn't expert
sneed before. have no way of knowing
whether Il won the championship for me
but I'll always believe it unnerTed him
enormously"