The Day the Forge Caved in under the World Champion "Fighting Blacksmith"?

This photo of World Champion boxer Bob Fitzsimmons is a mystery. "The Fighting Blacksmith" from New Zealand posed with an anvil wearing his apron. His left foot seems to be on top of a very large horseshoe.

I’m not a boxing fan, but I like a good story. I wish I could say that this story has been passed down through generations of horseshoers around the world, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Bob Fitzsimmons made the headlines more than 100 years ago, when one of the most celebrated sports figures in the world was hailed as “The Fighting Blacksmith”. But he seems to have been erased from the public’s memory, and neither the farrier nor blacksmithing worlds has ever tried to keep his fame alive.

Maybe this story will change that.

British Pilots Abort Flight, Alert Firefighters When Burning Smell Noticed

The firefighting unit responded to pilots' notification of a burning smell in their aircraft at a British airport tonight. (Paul Hamilton photo)

A British flight was aborted earlier today when pilots returned to the terminal after they both said they identified a burning smell.

The pilot and co-pilot of a flight from the island of St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly to Newquay in Cornwall were alarmed, according to a report in the newspaper, This Is Cornwall.

Airport firefighter Kevin James said: "It was lined up ready to take off when one pilot said to the other 'can you smell burning?' to which the co-pilot apparently replied 'I was wondering whether you were going to say anything in case it was just me'."

Control tower personnel alerted the firefighting unit.

"We were told of a burning smell in the cabin," said Mr James. "While other flights were put on hold we dashed to the fire engine and put on our kit."I had a chat with the captain and disembarked all the passengers.

"One of the last to get off looked at the first officer and said, 'I think it might be me'."

Mr. James disclosed that the person who spoke up was a farrier from the mainland who had been shoeing horses on the island all day.

Sometimes farriers can't avoid taking their work with them at the end of the day.
(Photo credit: Hugh Hume)

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