The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1944-08-10
IN THIS CORNER

/ Hl.-OQudre dancing at OSO.
IN THIS CORNER
I'm this corner, weighing 131
pounds, wearing red and black
trunks, from Chicago, Illinois, the
leading contender for the light
weight title NICK STIG-
LIONEL
The crowd packing Maids N
Square Garden that night in 1899
roared its welcome as the young
| italian fighter rose to acknowledge
the introduction. 1t was the big
gest moment of his ring career
in few seconds he would be bat
Ting for the world championship,
trading blows with one of the best
men ever to hold that title, or any
other title, the great Henry Arm
strong himself. And. then the bell
changed for round one ."
That introduction prefaced what
proved to be the most memorable
night of Nick Castiglione's entire
career as fighter; and it was a
night that Henry Armstrong won't
forget, either, for the best the
champ (then in his prime as a
magnificent fig ting machine)
could get out of that scrap was a
hard-eaned draw. That same in
production is serving today to pre-
sent to the readers of this column
! the first of a series of Sketches
of Interesting People We've Met in
This Mans Army, entitled I'm This
Corner"
Our likeable friend Nick is a
member of that Army outfit COM
prising the local Port Company.
At present he's somewhat over
weight; and he'd have to do a lot
of boxing and road-work to get
down again to the 135-lb limit
But if Nick ever gets into war
combat we warn his opponents to
beware of taking him lightly. Not
many months ago he was a very
tough man to handle with his two
fists; we are satisfied he will prove
an exceedingly hard character with
IA bayonet if he ever has the chance
Ito use one.
Nick is just Is years old now
- but he's been fighting in the
ring since he was Is when he was
an amateur featherweight before
that he had been involved, of
course, in countless street fights
he became a professional
Tighter at IA he has engaged
in 267 pro battles he won 260
|of them, with his losses and draws
totaling only seven among his
victims were number of men who
lat one time or another had held
world titles, including Lou Ambers
and Sammy Angott, as well as the
man who always has been Nick's
ring idol, Tony Canzoneri his
quickest victory was an eleven
second knockout in the first round,
nearly a worlds record s he is
widely regarded as the greatest
among Chicago's lightweights, and
he has been ranked nationally as
first among the leading contenders
for the worlds title $ he saws
his hardest fight was the Arm
strong encounter, evidence of which
he still possesses in the form of
a swollen left hand broken that
night five years ago after
half-lifetime of hard fighting, how
ever, his ears remain normal in
appearance and he has no scar
tissue over his eyes, mute testimony
of his extraordinary defensive skill
" 4" his eyes themselves are the
eyes of a very ring-wise veteran,
and he is still fast on his feet and
fast with his hands besides
his profession he loves almost all
sports Che is good baseball player,
and he used to play brilliant
game of football as a schoolboy
fullback).
Nick's home is still in Chicago.
When he was indicted into the
Army he had been serving the city
as one OF its park district inspect
ors. He says that he has hung UP
his six-ounce gloves for good.
Along with his many other friends
we hope he means it. The vast
majority of fighters have tried to
come back, only to suffer the al
most-inevitable doom of one-too-
many beatings and then lifetime
Of acting pupchy and walking back