BOXING CIRCUS BOY

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1931, Page 7

BOXING CIRCUS BOY

SHARKEY’S ROMANTIC CAREER Jack Sharkey, whose real name Is i Joseph Ivakuasgas, was a poor Lithuanian boy who, after leaving school at the age of LI, worked in a shoe store for lour dollars a. week. He then obtained a position as “water-boy” at Ringling’s Circus, gravitated from this to shovel coal on a railroad, and, after a time became a brakeman. When war broke out Sharkey joined the Navy, and after the''war he started in the boxing business, adopting the name of Jack Sharkey, after the oldtimer, whose deeds lie wished to emulate.

Seventeen years ago he left school in the eighth grade, and since then has worked himself up from a lowly position to one of the highest, as he is now a dollar millionaire, Sharkey recently built a 100,000 dollar home in the- finest section of Boston, where he resides, with his wife and three children. He is a keen yachtsman and mi all-round sportsman. At the beginning of his career, Primo Camera said he would one day “sweep Europe.” Hue to his boost lie established a remarkable record from tho time of his first fight in Paris in 1928. Sibills was the first victim, Carnera scoring a victory in the second round. Out of fifteen bouts that followed, Camera lost only two—one on a foul to Fritz Deiner, and th e other on points. Tlie most prominent of Camera’s American fights have been with George Godfrey, the negro, whom he defeated on a- foul, and with Maloney, to whom he lost on points, but afterwards defeated. Camera also won against Pat Redmond, the Australian, disposing or him in two. rounds.