CHAPTER XXXVI 



A LITTLE FIGHTING 



Dal Hawkins v. my Valet— Results tell— Silencing a Whistler 



In mentioning fighters, I have referred to my friend- 

 ship with Jim Corbett ; I had also a cordial acquaint- 

 ance with Bob Fitzsimmons, Kid M'Coy and others at 

 various times. I shall always look on Corbett as the 

 greatest fighter of our time. He proved it over and 

 over again, especially when going twenty rounds with 

 Jim Jeffries, then a much younger man— in fact at 

 his prime, and seven years younger than Jim. Neither 

 of these men I have mentioned had much to do with 

 the race-course, paying only occasional visits. Corbett 

 from being a bank clerk became a pugilist, and made 

 his great name by beating John L. Sullivan in the 

 twenty-first round. He followed that up by beating 

 Charlie Mitchell very easily and himself being beaten 

 by Fitzsimmons at Carson City. Of course there were 

 many minor victories. 



A sort of preliminary for that great fight at Carson 

 City was at the same place when Dal Hawkins, who 

 weighed about 136 lbs., had nearly killed Martin 

 Flaherty— a great fighter too. Somehow Hawkins 

 and I did not get on very welt. I forget what led to 

 it, but I answered him back one day by saying : " Why, 

 I've got a man who can beat you easily— my valet." 

 I was referring to " Mac," as he was known on the 

 race-course, his full name being MacGoolrich. He 

 was always saying that he could fight, so one day I 



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