JOE COSTER'S CAREER.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 32, 13 October 1911, Page 14

JOE COSTER'S CAREER.

Joe*. Coster, .featherAveight fighter, i probably would bo a broker in Wall Street, "if, five years ago, he hadn't joeoided like Corbett that he AA-ould jrather make his name in a business in -Which he could use his bra-wn as avcll as his brain. He was nervous about the hands, .and says he felt uneasy if he wasn't tisuig them pugilistioally, so it was all off so far as the brokerage business tras concerned. Coster's name isn't "Coster." It Is Agnello —Jos. Agnello. He is an Italian, born at Palermo, Italy, 22 years ago. He has an older brother' who used to do a little fighting, and who adopted "Coster" to keep the family name Out of the sporting magapines. So when Joe got handy with Ids fists ho -adopted tho name. - Joe's family came to the U.S. wiieai he was a "kid." It settled in Brooklyn. When 16 years old he got a Job as office boy in a Wall Street broker's office. He made good from the jl_tart, and within a year had reoeived •three "raises" and was told by the big ijioss that if he "stuck" he would make good in the business. But that restlessness about the .-bands. In noon-hour bouts with- eleivator boys and others he found that he ■faas pretty clever with his fists. But mot until he Avas nearly 18 years old did he .ever dream of getting into the Squared circle before a croivd. • In Brooklyn was a small club that t occasionally had an "amateur night." 'he contestants got 5 dollars for mauling each other through three rounds ►—or less. He only went "on one gight. He only weighed 931bs. in his gnting costume, and his opponent —a featherAveight—looked as big as a house to him. But Joe earned his 5 dollars before the end of the first found. It was so easy that he decided o try again the next week. Another «g*sy five- All this was happening in ' December, 1906. In January, 1907, a toatch Avas arranged between him and (Willie Schumacker, G 1051b. boy of New York, who was rated a pretty good bo3'. Coster knocked him out. The papers began to give him a little space. "My bout Avith Schumacker marked ■£he beginning of my fighting career," Semarked Coster. "I think I got 50 ollars. I knoAv it wasn't much, but at the time it seemed like an awful wad." Coster's recent loss to Joe RiA'ers at Jjos Angeles put a slight crimp in his plans, but he says he will fight doAvn that defeat.