"Gentleman Jim" Corbett Praises Harvard Attitude Towards Boxing--States Benefits of the Sport for Undergraduates

Towering six feet two above the gild French furniture in one of the ornate dressing rooms of the Keith Albee Theatre, "Gentleman Jim" Corbett in a voice that appeared to come from the depths of his anatomy, answered questions about boxing asked of him by his CRIMSON interviewer and at the same time added his personal views about the game that has made him famous.

"Harvard is certainly taking a great step in giving boxing recognition as a minor sport. I have always known and admired the Harvard boxers. Why, back in the eighties, in a tournament in California. I remember seeing G. M. Ashe '88, the Harvard Champion, making things hot for the other contenders. It's a wonder to me that they haven't recognized boxing before. With eight ounce gloves and three round bouts, you can get a lot of fun and experience without hurting anyone.

"As a matter of fact. I don't think boxing is nearly as brutal as many people think. The trouble is that in the fighting ring whenever a man's lips start to bleed, his opponent's glove spreads the stain all over his body, with the result that he looks like a slaughter house. Then the women throw up their hands in horror and say that boxing is a brutal sport, even at that they seem to be getting over the feeling a little.

"The college authorities probably think that boxing is associated with prize fighting and a low class of people. They don't realize that boxing makes good men out of a lot of disreputables. Take Jack Dempsey for example. He was once a hobo on a freight train, but look at him now. He's well off, moves in decent company, wears a dinner coat four or five times a week and likes it. That is what boxing did for him, just as it has done for Tunney, Sharkey, and countless other capable young fellows."