Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-08

| On the northern side of the great di-
viding line, young James j. was bright
and tractable lad at school. At the same
time he developed a talent that he dis
covered while he lived on the southern
side of Caliiornia's great Mason and
Dixon line. He had learned to work
his fists with rhythm and precision.
But the father of James j. Corbett
was not pleased at this accomplishment.
| He decided that his son should not
be trained to drive one of the hacks OF
| the Corbett livery stables. He designed
James j. for mercantile pursuits and 1t
was a proud day for Corbett pere when
James made good and received a white
collar Job as clerk in the Hibernia
Bank of San Francisco. To those south
of the slot this was a much more i'm
portant and solvent financial institution
than the Bank of England.
Unknown to the proud parent, young
james was keeping himself proficlenl
with his fights. The responsibilities OF
stacking $40 gold pieces for the Hiber-
MIA Bank did not weigh heavily upon
him and he was more interested in the
achievements of Jem Mace and John
l.. Sullivan, the Boston Strong Boy. He
applied himself to the art patronized by
the late Marquis of Queensberry with
much ardor.
Finally he became candidate for the
heavyweight championship of San Fran
cisco. This was no small ambition be-
cause the other claimant was Joe
Choyniski, who might have gone further
if he had not lived Cotemporaneously
with James j. Corbett. There were nc
boxing commissions in California then
and prize fighting was very much Of q
fugitive sport there, as 1t was every
where else in the world.
But the match was arranged to take
place on barge in the Straits of Car
quinez, an arm of San Francisco Bay
near the port of Bernicia. There the
fighters and the gentlemen of the fancy
would be assured freedom from Interrupt
ton by the constabulary of the bay
counties.
Young Corbett was thoughtful fight
er even in those days. 1t was discovered
that there was only one pair of boxing
gloves on the barge. In this emergency
Corbett feigned generosity. He woulc
take the soft gloves and let his opponent
wear the skin-tight gloves. Corbett was
thinking cunningly then. He knew thai
the soft gloves would protect his hands
They fought until 1t was very clearly
established that the young clerk of the
Hibernia Bank was the heavyweight
champion OF California. He was so fast
that they called him THE Ghost" After
that Corbett was quite certain that thu
work in the Hibernia Bank was penny
ante stuff: but his father was not. Il
was great job, a gentleman's Job anc
James should keep 1t and forget figh;ins
except for recreation and pleasure.
/ He Destroyed an Illusion.
Nobody ever thought that Corbet
would be the one to destroy the ILLUSION
OF the unconquerable John L. Sullivan
That Champion of Champions" re
ferred contemptuously to Corbett a
That Dude" But Corbett once ha,
spared round or two with the king
when John L. Sullivan. was pausing
San Francisco between drinks. Conse
quently Corbett. who was a very intelli
gent young man for a bank clerk, wa.
sure that he could beat Sullivan in
finish night. He was the only person IL
the world who had this idea, with tt