The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-01-13
CReg. U. $. Pat. OR.) Ry JACK CUDDY

New York, Jan. 3.-iUP)-Por- trait of a patriarch who had a body and kept it;
 One night. about five years ago, we were sitting with Jack Dempsey in his bistro when he asked: Did you see that story outta Nevada about 80-year-old Dan OConnorS, the old bare -knuckle fighter, knock in out two wise guys?"
 At our ned, MT. Manassa contin- ued triumphantly, Well, old Dan proves my point-What been sayin' a long time-that the big difference between modern fighters and the old timers is the body. The old timers developed strong tough bodies through hard work and hard trainin'; but the modernS don't. What a body Connors musta had to be knockin' guys out at 80!"
 This conversation was recalled today when we received letter from Sports Editor Ty Cobb of the Nevada State Journal at Reno Ty informed us that old Dan had died recently in Reno hospital at 85
 Ty figures the old-timers along Jacobs beach would like to know He was right Word that Professor" Connors was dead brought back many memories and evoked many stories from chaps like Dumb Dan" Morgan, Jimmy Johnston and Phil Lewis They are too young to have been contemporaries in Con nors' bare fist battling days of the late '70's and '30s; but they knew of his progress and were his inti- mates later in certain phases of his kaleidoscope career,
 Phil Lewis, an elderly manager, said, The professor was a bug on training because condition meant so much to him when he was fist fighting around the eastern cities usually under torchlights in barns, in farm fields or on river banks. It was illegal then, Raids usually meant six months in jail. He was a lightweight, and usually fought fellows much heavier; and the fights went any number of rounds, some times more than 50. He had to be in fine condition to survive"
 Later. when restrictions on fight ing relaxed bit, Connors toured with vaudeville troupes. offering $l00 to anyone in the house who could stand up to him for four rounds. He was friend of John L.. Sullivan, Jake Kilrain, Jack McAu- life, and Steve Brodie. He opened a gymnasium in New York and gave boxing lessons, and was called pro lessor" The nattily- -attired, sandy haired professor was hired by news papers to expert" fights for them to do blow blow and to draw diagrams Of where telling blows landed. He covered the Fit2simmonS Corbett bout at Carson City, NeV, in 1897 and resolved to return later to Nevada, which he did, He mar ried the widow of John Piper, who owned the famous Pipcr's Opera House in Virginia City and made his headquarters in Virginia City -- running the opera house--for many years.
 lAldlioBNd ilBllbGlo' His best was Frank Erne. who be- came lightweight champion. He took Virginia City miner, Jim Fell, and brought him east where he stunned New York sportSmen by giving the original Jack Dempsey, The Non parlel' terrific beating in an eX- hibtion. Fell, cornishman, under stood 1t was to be merely q fancy boxing, but after Dempsey slugged him a couple, he stepped back and asked "Is thee really hghting?' Then he tore in.
 Despite his multiple activities in the theatrical, mining and boxing games, the Professor" kept in eX- collent physical condition by daily exercise. He marched into the sos swinging the Indian clubs and punching the baR-Still able to belt