Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-05-27

The Great IIEI. p. 90 q
The fancy aad the bruiisers are all
q cog on the great prize fgtt % take place
to-day, somewhere in a radius of fifty miles
Of Cincinnati, between Joe Coburn and
Nike McCoole, for $4,000 a side, and the
ohsmpionship Of the world, as the lingo o.
thai class has it. II is expected, notwith-
standing such exhibitions are in violation
Of law, both human and divine, that The
largest crowd that ever assembled for such
purpose will be present, and trains are
already running crowded TO places in the
vicinity. As everybody viii, perhaps, be
forced 70 read more or less about it, We
give a brief sketch Of the two leading ac-
tors in this brutal performances.
JOE ooBURE
was born in the town Of Middleton, county
Armagh, Ireland, ia 1885, and ia now In
his thirty-third year. He is about FIVE
feet ten inches in height, and his ordinary
weight one hundred and eighty pounds.
lie is heavily built about the chest and
shoulders, and is as active a. a cat. The
first appearance Of Coburn in the "P. RI
was on the 9Th Of May, 1868, when be
whipped MeCoole in siKty-seven rounds,
consuming one hour and ten minutes. The
fight took place at Havre de Grace, in Ma
ryland, on the same ground where Yankee
Sullivan achieved his greatest success.
McCOole was knocked seuseless and out Of
time in the sixiy-seventh round. Ooburn
came ont Of the 6ght with but few slight
bruises, and not even a clOuded eye Me-
Coole was then in the prime OF manhood,
with all his giant proportions fully deyel-
oped.
His next fight was with Ned Price, al
Spot Pond, Mass, on the let day Of May,
1856. The "milf" lasted three hours and
twenty-seven minutes, and l62 rounds
were fought The fight was drawn on ae-
count Of night throwing its mantle Of
darkness over the bloody conflict. This
was, perhaps, the most terrible fight known
10 the annals Of the prize ring.
He next fought Harry Gribben, at Fort
Erie, Canada, on the 18th Of October, 1858.
Coburn whipped Gribben in thirty min-
utes II was, however, a very severe tight
on both sides.
Coburn was next challenged By Jem
Mace, OF England, in October, 1864, for
$500 a side. The fight was TO have come
of at Golden Cross, Ireland COburn
started and arrived on the groand at the
appointed time, but Mace had left, and he
pOcketed the forfeit money. .
Ii will be seen from the above record
that Coburn has never been vanquishe ed in
the prize ring. Ii is believed by his friends
and hackers that blood and science will
decide this fight in his favor. Coburn b ad
retired from the ring when he was chal-
lenged by McCoole, and only picked up
the gauntlet after much persuasion. In
confronting his giant adversary for the
second time in the "P. r." il will, under
any and all circumstances, be his last APP
pearance, and he has SO authorized us to
speak for him.
NIKE M'CooLE
was born in Ireland in 1886, and is accord
ingly ia his SOD year. He came to this
country when very young, and his parents
died shortly after their arrival at New
York. Mike made his way to this city
when quite a boy, and made Louisville
his home, of and on, for period Of nine
years. The greater portion of this time
xas spent on the river in the capacity OF a
deck hand. His FIRST fight was with a
| pueilist known under the nomenclature OF
hNairy." II took place at Oxford wOods,
and was won by Mike in eight rounds. /.
was of short duration, lasting only seven
| teen minutes.
His next fight was the memorable ora
with dublin Tricks" for $500 side. IL
came off at Twelve Mile Island, above this
city, on the 9th of June, 1859. Mike
claims to have won the fight, but it broke
up la a big row, and the friends Of both
principals claimed it. They fought %
rounds, lasting thirty-one and one-half
minutes.
Mikes next appearances in the prize
ring was in the spring Of 1861 On the
ID day Of May of this year, he defeated
Tom Jennings, Of New Orleans in twenty
seven rounds, the fight lasting thirty-three
and one-half minutes After this fight he
retired temporarily from the ring, aud
opened a saloon in ST. Louis, where be CON
tinued in business until 1868, in which
year he received challenge from Joe Co
burn, and fought him as above described al
Havre de Grace. However it is proper e
state that Mike claims that he whipped
in this fight by foul blow, but it was moi
so decided by the referees.
After this fight, he took TO the rivei
again, aud after running between New Or
| leans aud ST. Louis for length OF time, hs
started a saloon once more in St. Louis
| We might here mention that his last ser
vice on the river was on the deck OF tbs
Clara Dolson. While in the saloon bust
ness the second time, he made the mattel
with Davis, for one thousand dollars side
gold belt and the championship of Amer
lea. Il took place on Sheets Island, Sep
TENDER %, 1860, aud was won by Mike II
thirty-four rounds, lasting thirty minutes.
Tie next fight ia which he figured wa
with Aaron Jones, ON the 3lst OF Angus
last, the history Of which ia fresh in th
| public mind.