The Evening critic., 1882-07-27
THE EVENING CRITIC.
COLLINS, CHALLENGE


For n Contest with Professor Ned
About IL.
Among local sporting men there was quite
considerable discussion last night over Pro.
feesor John Coliins challenge for glove fight
to Professor Edward Donnolly, which ap.
poared in THE CRITIC yesterday. There has
long been desire among the sporting gentry
TO bring these two cxponents Of the manly art
together, but efforts TO that ond have, for some
reason, failed. Tho appearance OF yesterdays
challenge, however, revived former express.
ions, and speculations were INDUCED In as to
whether match could be arranged.
Professor Collins published his challenge in
good faith and really means business, and
knowing that, n reporter OF THE CRITIC sought
Professor Donnelly last night for the purpose
OF learning what he thought OF the challenge
Professor DOpne1ly
was found persplring md In his shirt sleeves
In front OF his saloon on Pennsylvania avenue.
THE .CRITIc was introduced to him by Mr..
Frank ~ Finley, Of Rochester ter, beer fame the
collins can't handle man like this follow"
In response to y questions Ions ~ the reporter
TTn cnyc ana III Say tha. 'n"' In
If Collins Means Fight Will Meet
Him.
But there arc several reasons why 1 nm not
prepared to meet him In tho time liked by his
challenge. Tho nrst is, am too fleshy and
would require more than two weeks 10 train
down. The second reason is my bad eyeslght.
This left eye was hurt some time ago and is
still very bad. could, however, get along
with 1t In the ring without any great embar-
rassment. My third reason relates TO the law
on the subject. ! don't want to 60 into any
thing calculated to violate the District laws.
The fight, suppose, would como or some.
whore in this section Of tho city. This is In
Lieutenant Arnold's precinct, and he's Just
Tint Cranky on the Law
as to break us up for the slightest violation.
Yes. sir, want the legal status O the matter
10 be settled first. You can say for me that
will meet Collins, but not now. must re-
Last year, about this time, when Weighed
175 pounds, challenged Collins, but he
wouldn't meet mo then. I'll give him chance
now, though, after q bit OF training. 1 want
him to name his time and place, TO publish
the Marquis OF Quoensbury's rules, and what
the District law Is governing ring fights"
Further than the above Donnelly would say
nothing. Donnelly is right about needing
time TO train. He Is very fleshy and has taken
but very little exercise Of late. His flesh is as
soft as a woman's, and can be hardened only
by systematic training.
Charlie GOdfrey's Views.
eyes, sonny" replied Commodore Charlie
Godfrey, tho veteran oracle on prlzo.ring mat
tiers, 81 saw that challenge and was not sur
prisod. have been expecting something OF
the kind for q long time, and said to-day:
well, Here She is ut Last;
now Ned Donnelly has chance he has long
wished for Ned is a good boy, sonny, and
but he will have to trim on some of that fat
before he goes into this fight. They're both
good men. Ned is q graceful, careful sparrer.
Collins is more on the bulldog order and
Goes I'm for Smuggling Mostly.
Ifthey meet 1t will BIO n good match. Be sure
and see Ned and advise him to insist on his
own time for training down before going into
the mill"
Other sporting men expressed views on tho
subject. They were all, however, apparently
Donnelly's friends and sang HIS praises
IA.. ntxN., a Na.l 4l,.t nnI
good man, and also that his staying powers
and wind are good.
Professor Collins Remarked
to-day, anent Professor Donnelly's exceptions
TO q set-to, that no didn't think them we'll
"whon he challenged mo last year." said
Collins, VI weighed two hundred and seventy
eight pounds, but would have accepted his
challenge and have met him but for certain
personal reasons that precluded my re.enter-
Ing the ring Mt that time There are no reasons
existing now to hence my N
he is so much heavier now than when he chal-
lenged me twelve months or 80 ago, that looks
Pleading the Baby Act.
He Is neither fatter nor thinner than he was
then. don't believe there Is more than five
pounds difference In his weight, and do be-
iieve that he is Just as good man now for the
purpose as he was then. He can test tho ques.
tion OF superiority at his pleasure"
what Lieutenant Arnold Says,
Lieutenant Arnold, in response to Mr.. Don
nelly's fear that the police might prevent the
match, said to THE CRITIC reporter to-day thai
he did not see that the police hadnany right to
interfere with a sparring match.
"Of course" he said, III It is to BIO a glove
fight then the law will forbid 1t. II there Is
any disorder we will have to interfere, Of
course don't think, though, that we Will be
called on to stop this sparring match Spar
ring matches, as understand 1t, are of every
day occurrence in other cities, and arc never
broken up by the police"
No Law Against Fighting.
An examination of the Revised Statutes fails
to reveal any District law against prize OF
glove lighting. There Is o statutory provision
against dueling or arranging for dueling In
tho District or going outside the District TO
fight duel, but there seems to be nothing In
the statute that will Interfere with amuse
ment like that promised by the Collins Don
nelly meeting. There Is nothing In the
statutes that authorizes the police to Interfere
as long as IT 10 confined TO glove.sparrinl
contest.
He Had Been Expecting II.