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Canada Has Furnished ManyChampions of the Prize RingWhile one doesn’t often hear of Canada being mentioned In connection with, the boxing game, it is a fact that many high-class boxers hail from the Dominion—some of them world’s champions. Born on Canadian soli they moved down Into the States, and in most cases were known as Americans. Undoubtedly the best known was George Dixon, who was born Ln Halifax, Nova Scotia. For more than twenty years he fought ably and honestly, and was a credit to the game. Dixon and his career stand as a monument and furnish an irrefutableproof that there are absolutely no grounds for the claims set forth by some that a black man doesn’t get a fair chance inthe boxing game. “Little Chocolate,” as he was known, had as many friends and admirers among the whites as he had in the ranks of the colored people. In addition to ability and honesty he had the good sense not to “butt in,” as the slangologists term it, and as a consequence attained a popularity that was surprising. He was a true world’s champion. He defeated Cal McCarthy at Troy, N. Y.f in twenty-two rounds for the American title. He won from Nunc Wallace in eighteen rounds before the Pelican A. C. of London, gathering in the English title. The following year in San Francisco he tamed the Australian, Abe Willis, in five rounds, which made his claim to the world’s title clear and undisputed.The other night at the Hoffman House there was a fine old gathering of fans, and during the course of the fest little Dixon's name was brought up. “I saw' a little stunt come off one night that proved to ine that Dixon was a fine little fellow as well as a great fighter,” said Charley Mahoney, the herr dlrektor of the wetgoods department at the Hoffman. “He was matched to meet McCarthy at Troy and a big squad of us went up to see it. They fought with two ounce gloves and the late Jere Dunn was referee. Near the close of the first round Dixon put McCarthy down and there was no question in my mind that Cal was on the floor the required ten seconds. However, in the excitement there was a mixup on the time and the bell rang daring the tumult, closing the round. The battle continued and Dixon gave his man a fine old beating for the next tw’enty rounds, in the twenty-second he put Cal away for keeps. McCarthy was propped up in his corner at the finish a badly beaten nud marked up man. When he regained his senses Dixon walked over to him, shook his hand and said: “You’ll have to excuse me, Cal; Ididn’t mean to hit you so hard in the last round. You’re a game boy and I didn’t want to stay here all night and beat you up. I thought it best to end it.”Tommy Burns, tne ex-champion heavyweight, also comes from Canada, having been born in Hanover, Ont. Sam Langford, another star, first saw the light in Weymouth, Nova Scotia. Sandy Ferguson, named John H. in the birth records, comes from Moncton, New Brunswick. Dick O’Brien, one of the best of the middle-weights of a decade and a half ago, was born in St. John, New Brunswick, contrary to the general belief that he ha’ls from Lewiston, Me. Eddie Connelly, the talented lightweight of a few years ago, was born in the same town. Jack O’Brien the 133-pounder, who during Horton law days met such, men as Oscar Gardner, Frank Erne, Tim Kearns, Jack Downey, Dal Hawkins, Martin Flaherty, Dave Sullivan and Marty McCue, came from Nova Scotia. Kid Herman, generally supposed to be a product of Chicago, was born in Montreal Jim Popp, a lightweight who has fought many of the best of them, was born in Toronto. George Byers, the colored middleweight, who In iiis day defeated Lon Beckw'ith, Harry Peppers. Frank Childs. Charley Goff. Jack Cattanach, Dick O'Brien, Charley strong, Tim Murphy and Jack Burke, comes from Charlottetown Prince Edward Island. The late Harry Tenny, who most people thought was born in California, and who did all of bis fighting in and around San Francisco, was bom in Canada twenty-five years ago. His real name was Tennebaum.* * *Mike Ward, who was killed at Grand Rapids in 1000 in a bout with Harry Lewis came from Sarnia, Ont. Among others* he fought Willie Fitzgerald, Adam Ryan’ Ilymie Goldstein, Otto Seiloff, Gus Gardner and Joe Youngs. Johnny Lavack, a crack featherweight of twelve or fifteen years ago, always was referred to as being from Cleveland, but he was bom in Montreal. His most • important battles were with Solly Smith, Tommy Dixon, Australian Billy Murphy and George Siddons. Joe Lannon, a star heavyweight of twenty years ago. is another Prince Edward’s Islander, having come from Charlottetown. When he was In his prime he boxed such men as Jake Kilrain, George Godfrey, Jim Corbett, Frank Herald and Jack Ashton. Oldtimers remember the terrific battle he and Ashton fought. They met back in 1S89 at Stillwater, R. I., for $1,000 a side, with skln-tights, to a finish. The men were evenly matched and for eighteen rounds they fought nip and tuck. Finally, in the nineteenth. Ashton put his man away but only after being most Severely punished himself. Nothing daunted by his defeat Lannou challenged Peter Jackson shortly after and liis defl was accepted. Jackson had arrived in this country but a year before, but in that short time he had beaten George Godfrey, Joe McAuUffe, Patsv Cardiff, Shorty Kincaid, Sailor Brown, Mike Lynch, Paddy Brennan and Ginger McCormick. Jackson and Lannon were to have fought at Revere, Mass., but the nolice broke in at the last minute and were rude enough to stop the proposed contest. The pair never got together after that.
Newspaper Details
Chicago Examiner
Chicago, Illinois, US
Sun, Jul 11, 1909
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Lake C.
IN, USA 08 Nov 2023
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