Jimmy Britt Obituary
Jan 23 1940
KID’S LAST FIGHT BRITT LOSES IT --- TO DEATH
By HARRY B. SMITH, CHRONICAL SPORTS EDITOR
Perhaps some time in the wee small hours at his house out on California street, James Edward Britt murmured to himself the lines of his favorite poem, “The Kid’s Last Fight.” And then this colorful San Francisco lightweight, who just missed the championship of the world, bowed his way out of this world. His body was found in the room he had been occupying at morning.
As sensational as any fighter in the Golden West at the turn of the century, “Dapper Jimmy Britt” won honors for the Olympic Club when he captured the featherweight championship. It was in 1902 that Britt, attracted by the lure of gold, turned professional, his first fight being in Oakland’s old Acme Club where he defeated Tony Irwin, now one of San Francisco’s leading referees, in a 15 round match.
From that time on his advancement was rapid. Outstanding fights including four matches with Battling Nelson the Durable Dane, Britt winning two and losing two. In 1907, a year after the fire, Britt’s star as a pugilist began to wane. He was knocked out at Mechanic’s Pavilion by Joe Gans, then lightweight champion, stopped by Packey McFarland at Corinth’s Mission street arena. He finally closed his career when he lost to Johnny Summers, later being knocked out by the same English fighter.
After quitting the ring in 1909, Britt took to vaudeville where he was quite successful. Eventually, he returned to
San Francisco making his home here with his father and mother, the former for some years having been a San Francisco Supervisor and power in city politics.
Britt, because of his theatrical training, was a prime entertainer and greatly in demand. Well kept to the end of his career, James Edward always “brought down the house” when he recited his favorite poem, “The Kid’s Last Fight.”
For a time he was a city employee in San Francisco and later had other jobs. Toward the close, however, Britt’s health was failing rapidly and San Francisco saw comparatively little of the former ring favorite. Born in October 1879, he was 61 years of age.
As a youngster Britt had a great following in San Francisco, and while he did most of his fighting on the Pacific Coast, he was well and favorably known throughout the East. It was in 1904 when Gans either refused to or could not make the weight limit, that Britt claimed the title, even though the San Franciscan did lose on a fifth round foul to the Old Master. Some of the authorities did recognize Britt, and his battle in 1905 on the present site of the Jefferson High School between Daly City and Colma, was advertised as being for the title.
Britt, a handsome youngster, was the reigning sensation when Continued on Page 4H, Col. 6
[Illegible]
Lightweight Found Dead Continued from page 1H He started his pro career in Oakland against Toby Irwin. The two were old time rivals, and Tiv Kreling, a close friend of Britt who “counted the house” for Jimmy says there was a swell crowd.
After that fighting under the Coffroth banner, Britt knocked out Tim Hagart, Kid Lavigne and Frank Erne. He journeyed as far away from home as Portland, Oregon and Butte, Montana, to win fights. In 1904 Britt won a 20 – round fight at Mechanic’s Pavillion from Battling Nelson, just then coming into prominence on the Coast. Prior to that Britt lost on a foul in the fifth round to Joe Gans, also in Mechanic’s Pavilion.
The big Britt-Nelson fight was engineered by Coffroth in the open at Colma, 1905, Admission day. Jimmy Britt was knocked out in 18 rounds. Nelson wasn’t clever. He didn’t have Britt’s speed or boxing ability. But the Dane did have endurance and that won for him.
Britt didn’t let that stop his ring career. He won from Nelson in the famous “Beefsteak: fight in San Francisco Coliseum and the won a no-decision bout in Los Angeles. It was in 1908 and the beginning of the end. The Britt stamina started to falter.
After losing in Colma, Britt went on tour with a burlesque company. Later he went to Europe with the famous Britt- Nelson fight picture and it is a matter of record that when the Kaiser saw the picture he remarked: “The young men of Germany should take this lesson to heart and fight with their hands and not swords, thereby saving themselves from innumerable scars.”
James Edward became a vaudeville favorite in England and toured America on many occasions, with marked success. Asked once how he became a boxer, Jimmy answered:
My brother Willis was a bantamweight champion as an amateur and I learned something about the game by holding his coat when he was ready for action. Then on Brannon street in the south of Market
District you had to fight or stay indoors. I was a lad who wanted to be in the open and I just naturally had to fight to protect myself.”
James Britt Sr. was once connected with professional baseball and the family lived for a time in Marlin county until they returned to San Francisco. Willie Britt had been an amateur boxer and a reporter on the old Morning Call. When James Edward became a money maker, Willie took over his management and did a good job.
There were some who said they went to see James Edward in the ring because they wanted to see him lose. But that is always the price of popularity.
Among his closest friends were Tiv Kreling and James W. Coffroth, who stuck by Jimmy through thick and thin. At one time Britt had saved much money and owned valuable flats on Filmore street. His fortune was more or less dissipated, however, and at the end he had comparatively little remaining.
KID’S LAST FIGHT BRITT LOSES IT --- TO DEATH
By HARRY B. SMITH, CHRONICAL SPORTS EDITOR
Perhaps some time in the wee small hours at his house out on California street, James Edward Britt murmured to himself the lines of his favorite poem, “The Kid’s Last Fight.” And then this colorful San Francisco lightweight, who just missed the championship of the world, bowed his way out of this world. His body was found in the room he had been occupying at morning.
As sensational as any fighter in the Golden West at the turn of the century, “Dapper Jimmy Britt” won honors for the Olympic Club when he captured the featherweight championship. It was in 1902 that Britt, attracted by the lure of gold, turned professional, his first fight being in Oakland’s old Acme Club where he defeated Tony Irwin, now one of San Francisco’s leading referees, in a 15 round match.
From that time on his advancement was rapid. Outstanding fights including four matches with Battling Nelson the Durable Dane, Britt winning two and losing two. In 1907, a year after the fire, Britt’s star as a pugilist began to wane. He was knocked out at Mechanic’s Pavilion by Joe Gans, then lightweight champion, stopped by Packey McFarland at Corinth’s Mission street arena. He finally closed his career when he lost to Johnny Summers, later being knocked out by the same English fighter.
After quitting the ring in 1909, Britt took to vaudeville where he was quite successful. Eventually, he returned to
San Francisco making his home here with his father and mother, the former for some years having been a San Francisco Supervisor and power in city politics.
Britt, because of his theatrical training, was a prime entertainer and greatly in demand. Well kept to the end of his career, James Edward always “brought down the house” when he recited his favorite poem, “The Kid’s Last Fight.”
For a time he was a city employee in San Francisco and later had other jobs. Toward the close, however, Britt’s health was failing rapidly and San Francisco saw comparatively little of the former ring favorite. Born in October 1879, he was 61 years of age.
As a youngster Britt had a great following in San Francisco, and while he did most of his fighting on the Pacific Coast, he was well and favorably known throughout the East. It was in 1904 when Gans either refused to or could not make the weight limit, that Britt claimed the title, even though the San Franciscan did lose on a fifth round foul to the Old Master. Some of the authorities did recognize Britt, and his battle in 1905 on the present site of the Jefferson High School between Daly City and Colma, was advertised as being for the title.
Britt, a handsome youngster, was the reigning sensation when Continued on Page 4H, Col. 6
[Illegible]
Lightweight Found Dead Continued from page 1H He started his pro career in Oakland against Toby Irwin. The two were old time rivals, and Tiv Kreling, a close friend of Britt who “counted the house” for Jimmy says there was a swell crowd.
After that fighting under the Coffroth banner, Britt knocked out Tim Hagart, Kid Lavigne and Frank Erne. He journeyed as far away from home as Portland, Oregon and Butte, Montana, to win fights. In 1904 Britt won a 20 – round fight at Mechanic’s Pavillion from Battling Nelson, just then coming into prominence on the Coast. Prior to that Britt lost on a foul in the fifth round to Joe Gans, also in Mechanic’s Pavilion.
The big Britt-Nelson fight was engineered by Coffroth in the open at Colma, 1905, Admission day. Jimmy Britt was knocked out in 18 rounds. Nelson wasn’t clever. He didn’t have Britt’s speed or boxing ability. But the Dane did have endurance and that won for him.
Britt didn’t let that stop his ring career. He won from Nelson in the famous “Beefsteak: fight in San Francisco Coliseum and the won a no-decision bout in Los Angeles. It was in 1908 and the beginning of the end. The Britt stamina started to falter.
After losing in Colma, Britt went on tour with a burlesque company. Later he went to Europe with the famous Britt- Nelson fight picture and it is a matter of record that when the Kaiser saw the picture he remarked: “The young men of Germany should take this lesson to heart and fight with their hands and not swords, thereby saving themselves from innumerable scars.”
James Edward became a vaudeville favorite in England and toured America on many occasions, with marked success. Asked once how he became a boxer, Jimmy answered:
My brother Willis was a bantamweight champion as an amateur and I learned something about the game by holding his coat when he was ready for action. Then on Brannon street in the south of Market
District you had to fight or stay indoors. I was a lad who wanted to be in the open and I just naturally had to fight to protect myself.”
James Britt Sr. was once connected with professional baseball and the family lived for a time in Marlin county until they returned to San Francisco. Willie Britt had been an amateur boxer and a reporter on the old Morning Call. When James Edward became a money maker, Willie took over his management and did a good job.
There were some who said they went to see James Edward in the ring because they wanted to see him lose. But that is always the price of popularity.
Among his closest friends were Tiv Kreling and James W. Coffroth, who stuck by Jimmy through thick and thin. At one time Britt had saved much money and owned valuable flats on Filmore street. His fortune was more or less dissipated, however, and at the end he had comparatively little remaining.
Britt Community Historical Society-- ---Email: info@britthistory.org