James J. Corbett
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| James J. Corbett | |
 |
|
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Real name | James John Corbett |
| Nickname(s) | Gentleman Jim |
| Rated at | Heavyweight |
| Nationality |  American |
| Birth date | September 1, 1866 |
| Birth place | San Francisco, California |
| Death date | February 18, 1933 (aged 66) |
| Death place | Bayside, New York City |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 22 |
| Wins | 12 |
| Wins by KO | 5 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Draws | 4 |
| No contests | 2 |
James John Corbett (September 1, 1866 in San Francisco, California – February 18, 1933 in Bayside, Queens) was a heavyweight boxing champion. He was best known as "Gentleman Jim", the man who defeated the great John L. Sullivan. He also coached boxing at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. He stood at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), with a reach of 73 inches (190 cm).
Dubbed by the media as "Gentleman Jim Corbett," and rumored to be college-educated although he had in fact never gone beyond grammar school, he also pursued a career in acting, performing at a variety of theaters. He has been called the "Father of Modern Boxing" because of his scientific approach and innovations in technique. Some think that he changed prizefighting from a brawl to an art form.
On May 21, 1891, Corbett fought Peter "Black Prince" Jackson, a much-heralded bout between cross-town rivals, since Corbett and Jackson were boxing instructors at San Francisco's two most prestigious athletic clubs. They fought to a draw after 61 rounds.
On September 7, 1892 at the Olympic Club in New Orleans, Louisiana, Corbett won the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship by knocking out John L. Sullivan in the 21st round. Corbett's new scientific boxing technique enabled him to dodge Sullivan's rushing attacks, and wear him down with jabs.
For his only title defense, January 25, 1894 Corbett knocked out Charley Mitchell of Great Britain in three rounds. On September 7 1894 he took part in the production of one of the first recorded boxing events, a fight with Peter Courtney. This was filmed at the Black Maria studio at West Orange, New Jersey, in the USA and was produced by William K.L. Dickson. It was only the second boxing match to be recorded.
Jim Corbett lost his championship to the English-born boxer Bob Fitzsimmons on March 17, 1897 in Carson City, Nevada. Corbett was dominant for most of the fight, and Fitzsimmons was badly cut, when Mrs Fitzsimmons called out, "Hit him in the slats, Bob!" where "slats" meant the abdominal area. Fitzsimmons then winded Corbett with a hard punch to the solar plexus, and Corbett could not continue within the count.
Following his retirement from boxing, Corbett returned to acting, appearing in low-budget films and in minstrel shows, wearing blackface in skits and giving talks about pugilism. He authored his autobiography under the title The Roar of the Crowd; the story was serialized by The Saturday Evening Post in six weekly installments during October/November of 1924. The following year, G.P. Putnam's Sons, published it in book form, marketing it as the "True Tale of the Rise and Fall of a Champion." In 1942, the story was made into a Hollywood motion picture titled, Gentleman Jim, starring Errol Flynn as Corbett.
From 1902 until his death, Corbett lived in a three-story home in the Bayside neighborhood of Queens in New York City.[1]
On his passing in 1933, Corbett was interred in the Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. On its creation, he was elected posthumously to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Corbett's brother, Joe Corbett, was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Corbett was married to Olive Lake Morris from 1886 to 1895.
Corbett's great, great, great nephew, Dan Corbett, was a professional heavyweight boxer from San Antonio, Texas who won the United States Boxing Federation and International Boxing Organization's inter-continental heavyweight titles.
Contents |
[edit] In pop culture
In episode 26 - 13 "Homer vs. Lisa and 8th Commandment" of the television show The Simpsons, Mr. Burns comments that he "once watched Gentleman Jim Corbett fight an Eskimo-fella, bare-knuckled, for 113 rounds."
Corbett is also rumored to be the great grandfather of high stakes poker player Brian Townsend.
In Bob Dylan's 1975 song "Hurricane," Dylan contrasts Rubin Carter and Gentleman Jim saying that "he ain't no Gentleman Jim."
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Rather, John. "A High Quality of Life Within the City", The New York Times, August 4, 1996. Accessed October 21, 2007. "James J. (Gentleman Jim) Corbett, the heavyweight boxing champion from 1892 to 1897, lived from 1902 to 1933 in a large three-story home on a street that bears his name."
[edit] External links
- Professional boxing record for James J. Corbett from Boxrec
- James J. Corbett at the Internet Movie Database
- Corbett's Home
| Preceded by John L. Sullivan |
Heavyweight boxing champion 1892–1897 |
Succeeded by Bob Fitzsimmons |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Corbett, James J. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Boxer and actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 1, 1866 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | San Francisco, California |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1933-2-18 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Bayside, New York City |
