River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-05-31
A SCHOLARLY PUGrLIsT.
Charles Mitchell as a Medical Stu
dent and Boxer-FigIitiHg Because
he Really Likes it-How he DrifCed
From Surgery to Pugilism.

marked. The Sun reporter who hunted
him up and Mr.. Madden experienced
the establishment the appearance of the
pugilist provokes, and to that was added
another surprise, for in his choice OF
language, manner and enunciation, quite
as much as in his physical appearance,
Mitchell is as far removed from the typi-
cal bruiser as it Is pP5sgfbfr-tu- conceive
His blue eyes and brown hair. delicate
pink and white complexion, and scarce
ly perceptible down upon his upper lip
and chin, gave him an expression of
gentleness and simplicity. The first
thing observable in looking him over
that betrayed the immense force, deter
mination and endurance that lay behind
the smiling face was his great neck, that
carried the line of. his back straight
up, with hardly curve, to the center
Of the back of the head. The neck looks
as if it could take, with little hurt
very great deal of hammerinl,
even from John l.. Sullivan or the ham
handed Maori Mr.. Mitchelfs height is
but a small fraction over FIVE feet eight
inches, his weight only aboat 80 pounds
when in condition, and ike all thorough
" well-proportioned forms, he looks
smaller than he really is. His hands
and feet are neither small or large, but
rather inclining to the former, or per-
haus appearing to do so because of their
perfect proportion. If the neck be
overlooked Mr.. Mitchell, when dressed,
shows nothing TO indicate his phenome-
nal powers; nothing upon which tc
predicate suspicion that 1t might not
be re to up-end and spank him as II he
was ar ordinary, smooth faced youth.
But when he strips he seems another
being. Then his astonishing muscular
development is seen. Under Q skin
smooth as satin muscles hard almost as
a bone, yet supple as serpents, play and
glide with freedom that seems the re-
suit of the individual volition of each.
They are not the stiff, knotted and
dumped muscles that one sees piled up
on the pictures of gladiators, for their
development has been effected by
a.processs of intelligent and long contin-
ued cultivation of the most perfect phys
ical health, and the maintenance of such
Just and responsive relations between all
the parts that none have been unduly
forced and none neglected. The law of
mechanics that amachine!is only as strong
as its weakest part, would be applied to
MITCHELL properly be made to read that
he is all as strong as his strongest part.
ST am twenty years old }" said he,
"and was born in Birmingham, where my
father was for twenty Y ar5 medical
tutor in Queens College, and my uncle,
Alexander ,iitchell, is still living, in the
enjoyment of IL large practice as phySi-
clan. NV father was born in Dublin,
and nv mother in Wexford, Ireland.
Before was eleven years old | was
placed in the preparatory college at
Bath. as the first step in the career that
boI boar yporlyal ont for Don-fhot oftha
practice of mediclne-and after three
and half years there was pushed on to
the second step-entered as a student in
the chemistry classes in Queens Med
zeal college in Birmingham. There | re-
NAMED until had taken,
two degrees of chemistry
and had put in nine months at anatomy,
which included dissection. | took rath-
err kindly to tht chemistry, but did not
at all like the anatomy, and, besides,
always, from the earliest age at which |
had preference for anything, taken more
interest in athletic exercises, particular
ly in boxing, than in any other subject.
After fifteen months ut the coll eye l
went with my uncle as his assistant. But
| could not really make up my mind
that | was going to be doctor, and as
my kind father and uncle both sympa-
thized and encouraged my taste for ath-
letics, my heart was in that far more
than in learning medicine. We had or
ganized among the students of Queens
college the Birmingham Athletic Club,
in which | soon became known as the
best boxer. Every year it was the GUS
tom of the club to send its best boxer up
to London, to enter into the amateur
contrats there, and | had the honor Of
of representing the club twice and of
twice carrying off the amateurs cup
quite distinction as we regarded it.
Well, from boxing with amateurs | got
to meeting professionals, and SO drifted
along until | believe, | have at length
become a professional myself My
first fight in the ring was with
Charles Smithers, a profession al, and
whipped him when | was only sixteen
wears old. | ran away from my uncle'S
to London twice, to find an outlet for
my athletic aspirations. Finally, as
they found | was determined TO try to
make my way in London instead of Bir-
mingham, they determined to give me a
start in business there, something that
would give me reputable occupation
while | was waiting for the develop
ments Of the future. They bought for
me place as foreman and manager in
large nickel plating works OF Nanson q
Mason in Greek street. had little to
do but to keep the time ofthe employees,
paw the wages, and exercise a sort of
general supervision, so that had no
difficulty in keeping up my interest in
athletic sports.
at was while ] was employed there
that | fought Bill Kennedy, lightweight
champion of England, to draw, and L
| was very frequently then engaged IN
| boxing matches and competitions.
| Well, after twelve OF fifteen months /
| left the nickel-plater's and went into
book making on commission at racing
meetings and backing myself. For a
time. too, travelled on the continent as
a commission with Lord Douglas Cor
| don. We went to Antwerp, Berlin and
| Brussels, and it was IN the first mem
| toned city that | had the pleasure of
| pulveriziDg NJ. Caryodoff, the Belgian
| giant. on the stage of theater one
| Sunday afternoon. So, by easy degrees,
| | glided into the life of professional
| plgilist, because | liked it, and TINS far
l have had very gratifying success
in it. There is no necessity for me to
continue in it for livelihood, as am
| sufficiently well fixed in Birmingham,
| where | own some real estate, to live
outside ring always if chose to do so.
| used to translate Latin quite well, but
now could do little or nothing with it.
| French, too ] used to have at least a
smattering OF but | believer has all left
me for the lack ofuse My piano playing
| is drumming now, although | once took a
weary lot of lessons on that instrument.
| Well, Pm pretty good fencer | keep
| that much ofthe accomplishments. And
| am fond of reading. No, ! do not ex-
ercise, except perhaps, for few min
utes before breakfast, with very light
| pair of dumbbells. | never put on the
gloves except when I'm going to use
them in match; and take no trouble
about keeping myself in training at any
time when | have not actually match
made for men. Y. Sun.
Mr. Mitchell and John l.. Sullivan OF
Boston, had what's called ''glove fight, y
OIL. the l4th of May at Madison Square
Garden, New York. Before time was
called, Capt. Williams, ofthe police, eau
toned the two men. The work was
earnes' from the start, Sullivan went
viciously at Mitchell, and the latter in
getting out of his way fell twice. Watch
ing his opportunity, he got in a quick
blow and Sullivan went down. He got
up and eiinched with Mitchell and there
was no fighting until time was called and
the men ordered to break. IN his cor
ner Mitchell looked fresh, smiling and
confident. while the breathing of Sulli
van was labored, plainly showing his
want of condition. The second round
was verv spirited, Mitchell danced
around Sullivan, and then closing sud
denly upon him drove him back upon the
| r0pes Sullivan cot nm and Dursued the