The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-02-09
THE PRIZE FIGHT
~ 4.a rEa eflf BETWEEN
TOM HYER AND YANKEE SULLIVAN.
THE RESULT OF THE CONTEST.
PRIZE FIGHTING In The UNITED STATES.
&c. &c. &C. I


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PRIZE FIGHTING In THE UNITED STATES.
r.u. DC. sc. sc. XII
The great Prize fight between Yankee Sullivan
and Tenn Hyer, took place on Wednesday, At
Rsach's Point, Kent county, Maryland, to which
place the combatants and their friends escaped,
after being holly pursued by the authorities Of
Maryland.
II appears that after sixteen rounds Yankee
Sullivan was unable to come to time, and that the
battle was given In favor OF Hyer Neither Of the
parties 10 dangerously injured. p
The great excitement throughout the community,
among the high and low the rich and poor, in regard
- this nsht induces to give in with tho
details Of the last contest brief history Of prize Tight
Ing In the United States We are indebted to the
.Aaerican Nstiana, . pamphlet published In Nassau
street, and allied with pugstic mstter for the follow
ing particulars =
The system Of prize nghtng which has nourished 90
extensively In England during the last two centuries,
and which has received much mt there
obtained TO any great extent in this country Pugi-
Mm. - science, has been very sltghty encouraged
and mest Of the contests which have been decided
vlrhio Iopsd ring on this side Of the Atanto, have
procseded from personal grudge or sprung from sud
den and heed e.s chatting There never has bee n
pars to pugilism . means of ambition Of
prom whe to say the truth, most Of those who do
In an up sairs exhibition at Is cents ticket
than to incur the peril Of naked knocks from
gloved adversary In the open field.
In the year l840, however the fighting spirit took
sudden start and numerous gentlemen who had looked
mildly out OF their eyes till that moment az
fierce terriers and famous without cause Whe-
Their this entirely involuntary impulse Of
mind Of the substratum, or whether IL stimulated
and produced by the arrival In this country Of the
fam aitH nkAaC IA akta
OF some dispute but IL Is certain that Mr. Sullivan
houiished with the agitation, and was looked up to
oracle, whose opinion was infalibe and without ap-
peal on ell subjects oonneotsd with the prize ring
ovsrstrainsd Mr. Sullivan was really man Of mark
In the profession In which bis I'd nrers only
green disciples He ut that time the hero Of
other lands was i fresh with the fame Of the last
and most redoubrabe Of au-the victory over the
lowned Hammer Lane.
Mr. Sullivan mace his introd action into this country
very modestly, and probably would have oontentsd
himself with the liberal PROFITS of An old fashioned
tsvsrn In Division street. known IS the /" Sswdust
House had his fame reused the envy the Bowsry
and inspired . natural feeling to have him taken
knot hi. toes affected to play shy to tho overturss
for considerable time but at length q good chance
ohsfins he embraced the opportu atty close match
with On Engshmsn named Vincent Hammond, for
500 side. This affair came OF on the ID September
1s4l 1t League Island, Philadelphia, but proved
TO be mere chids play for the champions experience
He beat his adversary in eight rounds occupying bat
the short space Of ten minutes to literally cut him all
to pi.ees. A circumstances which occurred in the
course Of the fight will to show the cunning ofths
conQusror, and the care, at the came time which he
takes Of the interests Of his friends Considerable
nsst blood from ths other and around the ring stood
numerous Of Suiliyan's oountrynen, who had staked
sn ns. spar: cash in sums ranging from two to twenty
hoveWr that N the very first round, Hammond let ay
and caught Sullivan the upper lip The blow not
hard but 1t was sufficiently sharp to cut the inner sn
aud start the olsrst down Suliivan's teeth. With
shrewd quickness Of Thought the ultimate nqusror
sucked the crimson in, with serious pursng Of the
face that to him when msditating mischief
and letting his left hand 60 the moment, split
Hammond wofully upon the cheek, and deluged his ea
tire eouutensncs and chest with gore First blood ~
cried the Yankee throwing up his hands, and cappng
them In the air Hammond sggered back and then
superior management occurred In his subsequent fight
with Bell Let me 60. Billy said Sullivan, family
- he stood with Bells arm around his neck at slight
aisadvAntsse the ropes " let me 10, Billy can
stand it no longer I'm going to give In" Bell
ertdaously yielded, and turned towards his corner
than Sullivan let drive right handed hit and catch
Ing him In the region Of the him almost head
long 20 the ground. Ansfsir In war " said Sullivan,
The result Of this fght though 1t raised Sullivan In
LEGAL Estimation pugiist, did not gain him many
thrives rsnksr In ground than in nne and outi-
waited soil The battle helped the lighting fever, how
ever snd 80 inspired John Chester who was one Of
Sullivsn's friends and principal sdhersnts with the
confidence Of victorious cause that he boted out Of
the Sswdust House." evening, only week aft,r-
wards andIan down to Park row to catch fight with
Tom Hyer, tail and powerful young man. Of some six
feet two in Who had already gained considerable
pug tic fame in the chance encounters he had from
time to time, met with in the Streets Hyer, the
friends Of Hysr, were not disposed to have the fight
come Oh that evening" bat arranged the matter for the
following day On the following day they fought, and
after contest Of three hours, lacking Ave minutes,
Hyer proclaimed the victor.
A. the fame Of Country MoClusksy," IS MsClsss-
ter generally called, had previously been very
great - rough and tough fighter, the reputation Of
Hyer rose proporonaby TO the measure Of the victory
AID from that time to the present, he has generally
enjoyed the credit OF being tip top Indeed he
seemed 70 deserve It. He In the prime Of youth Of
the FIRST csss in size long In the reach elegantly made
and superior In activity to most Of his much lighter
companions. Here we're the materials for champion
cure enough and Sullivan found rival to his popular
ity though net competitor for It's professional posses
scn. Hyer. afsr his victory over Country had
lutely declare he would fight he had fought,
A. IL was he sad only to settle quarrel and would
not 60 In the field again. In set match unless 1t were
for sum Of three or Ave thousand dollars As this
at that time entirely out Of the reach or con-
oep'ion Of Suilvans soanty hackers, the affair was
Hyer's success, however. stimulated the opposing
ere 20, In the same degree tnst Saiivsns viotory
ton, and man named Sscor was produced by them IS
fitting snoginist To bring the rishnsn to his bear
ipgs. The match was . formidable looking one fer
Sullivan but ding Secor was man first
GLASS sze, he did not reach beyond l89 pounds
he accepted the vaunt, ends match was made in the
cum OF $500 side. The fight took place on the 22d
Of Jsnuary following (l842), and sullivan victor
again, In one hour AID three minutes and In CT
roupJs
sUllivan's fame 1t Its highest; but after
about Fix months apse time, the opposition newed
their sphit, and he obtained man named Bell ce!e-
brsted pugiist Of Brooklyn whose superior knowledge
Of the art Of self-desnce, which he had taught
profsor bad long indicated him a. the only per-
haps who could be- made successfully compete with
the wiry Irh fighter But this resulted like the Others
End Sullivan came on cor. ueror again In 80 minutes
ana 20 rounds. He was row considered invincble or
en- iavince, as sporsipg elegantly condense
ana received frem his admirers the prese atation Of
silver belt, which be retains to this day.
The fame of sullivan. however, did not affect the
reputation Of Hyer single jot Tne latter was not,
to use slang expression, which seems legitimate in
ehs connection, considered Tin the ring" but
tner regarded by wonder loving minds OF those
amateurs who II he would but 'go in," might carry
everything before HIM.
Several email fights took place inter lately be-
tween the contests Of Secor and Bell and the fighting
fever hsd run to such height that house started
In Park Row, called the Arena" which was nightly
crowded with swarms OF pugistc aspirants who came
together from all parts OF the city, to hear the
eight talk Of the Day But the melancholy result Of
L-esl 49, llu .v.A