Everyone I’ve read that speaks of him says that he’s a frothing mouthed, Ill mannered pompous jerk who was racist even for the era. But I have a small reading sample and upon @Pugguy suggestion I’ve ordered “Roar of the Crowd” (very excited) maybe that’ll house some answers. Let’s hope it isn’t total self serving fan fiction.
I don't think he ever earned it ,he was a smart dresser with a pompadour hair style and a former bank clerk.Many of his actions, in and out of the ring were at variance with the sobriquet.
I'm sure you accidentally left out an extra asterisk and forgot to capitalize the "C". I know you meant: "Corbett the Count". Just a typo thingy. No? Seriously though, @Liston73 nailed it. Back then, Corbett didn't fit the usual profile for a pug in terms of his grooming, dress, appearance, background, level of education etc. Merely superficial markers for him being a so called Gentleman. His behavior/conduct was another thing again. As an appetizer to your book ( if you haven't seen this vid already), I recall this doco on Corbett being pretty good, appropriately narrated by former AM fighter and boxing enthusiast, Irish Liam Neeson (a true gent as far I've seen and whose favorite fighter is Muhammad Ali I believe). Even OUR man @Adam Pollack makes an appearance. It just keeps giving, right? This content is protected
He starred in a play called Gentleman Jack, so the name Gentleman Jim Corbett caught on. The other aforementioned reasons as well. Plus he came up as an amateur, and back then amateurs were considered gentlemen.
Plus, being racist back then wasn't incompatible with being considered a gentleman. He could present well, and his theatrical training/experience probably improved his charisma further.
My impression of the man, is that he could play to his audience, and adopt different personas. He could play it nasty with the best of them, and often did this with his opponents. He could also be very charming, and very eloquent, when it served his interests. When he and his managers were put on trial after the Sharkey debacle, his managers shut up and let their fighter do the talking. Wouldn't you expect it to be the other way round?
I am shooting in the dark, please do correct me If I am wrong. Was it because amateur programs were usually involved and within colleges mostly?
We all know that Corbett was guilty of spitting out racist vitriol at Johnson during his fight with Jeffries. I've read that at some point, when returning to his corner, Jeffries told Corbett to shut up - explaining that every time the "Gentleman" opened his mouth to spout abuse, it only made Johnson hit Jeff even harder. Also, perhaps I read it in Adam's book, can't recall, but even a member or members of the audience were telling Corbett to zip it. Quite embarrassing to be all talk when he wasn't the one actually facing Johnson. Apparently Corbett talked of making his own comeback to return the title to the white race - funny, for all he had to say from Jeff's corner, old Jas J. never did get in there himself.
Actually, although there were college programs, for most fighters, these amateur programs were part of athletic clubs. These clubs often had elite members of the public comprising its senior membership. Corbett emerged from the Olympic club in San Francisco. James J. Jeffries emerged from the Los Angeles athletic club. There are street names and even city towns in the San Fernando Valley named after former members. Basically these rich guys owned and ran these clubs which featured various athletics and sports, the trainers who were hired were authorized to bring in and train legitimate talents, and they would perform for members in exhibitions. Corbett and Jeffries were amongst those who were noticed as having ability, so they were invited/allowed to train there. Corbett eventually even became a “professor” at the Olympic. Also, boxing had an odd relationship with the law at that time. Many states and jurisdictions had laws that made boxing illegal unless they were exhibitions that were sponsored by an athletic club. So a lot of athletic clubs sprung up. And only paying members could see the fights, which fostered increases in memberships when big fights approached, or if folks wanted to witness the weekly or monthly exhibitions/competitions. At that time one was considered a gentleman if one was an amateur not competing for pay. But such fighters were receiving sponsorships and being paid as professors, like Corbett. However if one wanted to get paid for fights one had to become a professional. But pros were considered to have a lesser social status and called pugs. So Corbett walked a fine line between professional and amateur. That’s why he turned pro using a fake name.
Bless your heart. Funnily enough you already answered this for me yesterday in a Jim Corbett documentary. Has anyone told you, you have a vague resemblance to Oscar De La Hoya?
I think Britannica explains it rather well: "...Corbett was a quick and agile boxer, and he led the movement toward what came to be called scientific boxing..." "...Corbett was one of the most analytic boxers in the history of the sport. He was a master of defensive tactics rather than a heavy puncher. His attack consisted of sharp quick punches that were timed to keep his opponent off balance. Corbett’s tasteful dress and personality made him popular and contributed much to public acceptance of prizefighting. He retired from the ring in 1903. Having acquired the theatrical promoter William A. Brady as his ring manager, he also appeared in leading roles in several plays, including George Bernard Shaw’s Cashel Byron’s Profession, and was considered a competent actor. Corbett’s autobiography, The Roar of the Crowd (1925), was produced as the film Gentleman Jim (1942), with Errol Flynn in the title role. Corbett was inducted into Ring magazine’s Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954..." https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-J-Corbett
