The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-03
AMERICAS RISING PUGIL1sT.
a Few Points Regarding the Great
Smuggling Matches of the Past Year.

a Few Points Regarding the Great
Smuggling Matches of the Past Year.
New York, Sept. There is a vast
amount of nonsense published about pugil-
lists at all times-but the romancing which
has resulted from the battles between
Smith and Kilrain and Sullivan and Nit
chell, on the other side of the water, is
startling even from the standpoint of pro-
fessional blowhards.
Pugilism in New York as q sensation, a
calling or q pasAme, is practically dead.
Many of the more prosperous boxing mas
tiers complain Of an entire falling off in the
number of devotees to the manly art of
self-defense, and pugilistic talk is rare where
1t was once incassaut. The man who made
pugilism triumphant has succeeded in drag
ging it in TIE dust Sullivan is a black
guard and bully. While he was in per-
feet trim, strong as a lion, fearless,
full of brute courage and bent
on being the greatest fighter in the world,
he was more or less of hero, but of late
wears he has thrown decelcy and courage
to the winds and his name has been STAIN
upon pugilsm. l have seen kilrain and
Sullivan fight both here and on the other
side, and have not the slightest doubt in
the world that Kilrain eau whip Sullivan
in square, stand-up fight according to
London prize ring rules.
KiIrain is the most popular sporting
man who ever went to London from Amer
lea. He was quiet and unobtrusive, gentle
manly and sincere. He fought a great
battle with Smith. and all the talk of its
being a put-up job is moonshine. Every
decision was in Smiths favor; every
Justly punished. There were sixty or sew
enty Englishmen, and only five Americans.
Every Englishman had his money on
Smith, and naturally, the decision was a
draw. although Smith was clearly and
palpably whipped a dozen times during
the fight On our way back to Rouen, in
France, the Englishmen crowded around
Kiirain and shook his hands a hundred
times. They praised him and lionized him
for his magnificent and thoroughly honest
bearing throughout the fight, while Smith
and his seconds tried every foul known to
debased and coclSney gang. The friends
that klraIn made on this fight stuck to him
throughout his visit to England. l will say
this much for Englishmen-that when they
once make up theIr mind that a man is
straight, square and honest, they back him
up like heroes.
Mitchell never did a better days work
than when he acted as Kilrains second, for
he was obliged to fight his own country
a major. As for Mitchell not backing Kill
rain, personally know this to be untrue,
for. on two occasions, | was with Mitchell
when he made bets on hls principal in the
Criterion.
Concerning the Sullivan Mitchell fight, it
does not seem to me that the most careless
of the observers OF prize fighting could be
deceived by the record. 1t ralned hard,
bus the rain was as bad for Mite lell a. it
e. I,,lli and fbn vi f,nyar
four feet square, but this is the size
in which all the heroes of the sport
have won their honors. Both men
were in good condition, ard Sullivan had
trained carefully for months. Never
theess, the mon fought for three hours, and
Sullivan was not only unable to whip his
man despite his superior strength, ex-
perience and weight, but was actually
landed high and dry. and was willing TO
stop. Further than this, the proc is almost
absolute that Sulivans seconds paid
literally to have the fight declared draw
so as to save the Boston slugger from being
whipped outright by a man whom he had
always PROPOSED TO despise.
America has to-day two remarkably we'll
behaved, honest, straightforward, scientific
and p!ucky fighters. they cannot be beaten
by men Ia their class anywhere in the world.
Both Of them are industrious, frugal, good
petences. Their names are Jake Kiliain
and Jack Dempsey. Compared to them,
the Boston pet is neither an exhilarating
nor an enticing figure.
II is questionable, it se7m to me, whether
the decline of pusilism in New York is good
for the young men of the town. The reign
OF slugging mat hes may have brought out
the brutal instincts of our men to a certain
extent, but the other effect more than over
balanced this-by which / mean that the
stimulation which the talk about p.'ize
fighting and pugilism gave to athletic exer-
cises, and particularly to boxing, moro than
overbalanced the alleged decline sentiment
ally. No man who has any acquaintance
with athletic sports will deny that
the most beneficial and fascinating of them
all is sparring. 1t develops the arms, legs,
back and courage of a caved-in and weak
kneed youngster with a degree Of celebrity
that is astonishing. There is monotony
about dumb bells, clubs, gymnasium work
and even rowing and and running which
pals on au athlete Of the most enthusiastic
nature after time. But SOARING is a now
game with every blow. The sport is under
a cloud now however, and IL is doubtful ii
Kurain and Dempsey eau wash away the
gsiO la fhaf .Tnbn 7 Sullivan hae rlnCad