TOURED WITH JACK JOHNSON

BARROW TRAINER’S MEMORIES

PUT A CHAMPION THROUGH HIS PACES
(By A. D. Lake)

Joe Burden, for whom the first boxing bill of the season is earmarked as a benefit, knows every phase of the game. A Manxman, he came to Barrow when he was 15 to work in the Shipyard.

Of generous physique and athletic nature, he turned his attention to boxing, beginning his career in the cellar of his home. In the course of time, having acquired a smattering of the fistic art, he began to look around for possible likely opponents.

He sought a match with a local athlete, boxer, and wrestler named Joe Kellett, was accommodated – and in a few rounds defeated. After this reverse, Burden left contests until he was more fully fledged. Next he was in charge of the Catholic Young Men’s Society room in Rodney-street, where he trained with Jack Cushley (of Rugby fame), Bert Fitten. and Jimmy Wood.

He was then approaching manhood, stood 5ft 10ins., and weighed round about 11st. He had learned some of the finer points of the game, and again got matched with Joe Kellett, this time earning a draw. Shortly afterwards he met Butcher Moore over 15 rounds, and again earned a draw, later defeating a local heavy-weight, Jim Hetherington, trained by Joe Kellett.

BUSY DAYS

He continued to progress, and sponsored by F. J. Bradley, entered a “white hope competition” organised by a newspaper, and met Slosher (sic – should be Slasher) Nolan, of Workington, who stopped him early on. Later at Barrow in a return contest they went the distance, Burden losing on points, shortly afterwards stopping a local middle-weight, Pat Arthurs, in two rounds.

He was now boxing regularly. At Barrow tournaments he fought Gunner Bennetts, Johnny Horan, Eddy Feathers, and several others, with varying success.

When, in 1915, Jack Johnson, coloured ex-champion of the world, came to Barrow in a revue called “Seconds Out”, Burden was invited to spar with Johnson, who was impressed with Burden’s ability and physique, and decided to include him in the tour.

Burden was next heard of on Clydeside, where he fought Alec Lafferty, Stan Ketchel, Val Harris, George Gordon, and later in Ireland, Durkin Walsh, who at that time was middle-weight champion of Ireland. About that time Burden had charge of Beardmore’s Welfare boxing team, who eventually finished the season holders of a competitive trophy.

Incidentally, he trained there Walter Lemon, who later became fly-weight champion of Scotland.

He was now nearly 30 years of age, and returned to Barrow and settled down, and like many other old-time pugilists, turned his attention to teaching and training. To-day he runs the Furness Sporting Club, where his one ambition is to find and turn out a champion.