The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-01
IMITATORS OF Mr.. SULLIVAN
A Sparring Exhibition at Turner Hall
Between Ambitious SIuggers.
Blackened Eyes and Bloody Noses-"Black
Diamond" Knocks Out Ben Smith.

Professional pueiists from all parts of the
country have been gathering in Indianapolis for
several weeks, and they, with local sports have
been engaged in trying to arrange some fights
TO the finish. or. If not that some sparring
matches. Among the visiting pug1lists was
McHenry johnson, of Minneapolis, better
known as 'Black Diamond" the champion
colored heavy weight of America. He
companied by his hacker. Eugene Orton,
who proposed to put him up before any who
might be desiring fight Ed. inland, a. fighter
of moro than local reputation, challenged,
but while the challenge accepted, the fight
never occurred. for the reason. as BLACK Dia-
mond's" friends say that INLAND left the city i'm
media tely after accepting the challenge.
Failing to meet inland. Ben Smith. a local
colored fighter of some reputation, chal-
Ienged by BLACK Diamond" Smith, while not
a professional, has been in the ring several
times, and he agreed TO meet BLACK Diamond"
with six-ounce gloves in a public sparring exhi-
bitIon. Turner Hall, on the corner of Illinois
and Ohio streets, was secured for the exhibit
ton, and in order make it more inviting
sparring matches were arranged between sew
eral local aspirants for ring honors who had
been under training for some time.
While the exhibition not publicly adver-
tised, tickets sold to all who applied for
them. and license procured from tie city
clerk yesterday afternoon.
BY O'Clock last night half hundred people
had congregated in front of the hail. but the
majority of them were shy about buying tickets,
because the presence of a dozen uniformed
policemen, consulting in squads, led them TO
fear that the exhibition might be prohibited from
coming off. In order to convince the crowd that
their money would not be- wasted the managers
of the exhibition tackled up their license. and
then the police told the crowd they could go in,
expecting the exhibition to continue long as 1t
was conducted under the stipulations of the
license. The crowd being satisfied, the hall was
well willed with two hundred people more.
Even then there considerable delay, much
of it oc casioned by the difficulty experienced in
securing officers. The selections were finally
made, by naming William Lee, master of cere-
monies Robert Thomas, referee, and William
Lehman, time keeper.
The exhibition given in twenty-four-foot
ring. The first match was between David Banks
and Emanuel Collins, two colored amateurs,
who have been under training for several
months They were announced to spar three
rounds, but Banks proved to be too much for
Collins. and the exhibition ended with the
second round. Both men showed some skill,
but Banks displayed superior training. Blood
was drawn from Collins face in both rounds.
The second exhibition between Mike
Hogarty and Samuel Chadwick, both light
weights. Chadwick has been in constant train
ing for several months, and easily showed him.
self to be Hogarty's superior They spared
three rounds.
The third match was of more interest 1t was
between Denny Needom and William Pritchard
Needom has something of a record, and came
here from Philadelphia three months ago
for the purpose of meeting some one
Pritchard is a professional boxer. and
a teacher Of the art has been training nearly
all the local enthusiasts. He is known as the
Belfast Spider and weighs but 108 pounds,
while Needom weighs 165 pounds. They SPARED
according to Marquis of Queensbury rules, and
continued for four rounds. Throughout the
contest Needom was in the lead in points, but
considering his disadvantage in weight Pritch
ard held his well. The match was with
three-ounce gloves, but as all the blows
open handed no blood was drawn In the third
round Pritchards left eye was blackened, but
beyond that he uniniured.
Needom appeared again in the fourth contest
with Philadelphia professional. whose name is
Thomas O.Neal, or O'Donneil. Before he en-
tered the ring, ONoal boosted that he was 90
ing in simply for the purpose of knock
ing Needom out, and Needom likely
warned of the threat, for from
the first he abandoned light sparrine for
hard hits. The match was to have continued for
four rounds, but at the end of three ONeal was
so completely used up that he ready to say
enough" During the first and second rounds
Needom crowded him around the ring, and to-
ward the end of the third knocked him a sum-
mersault,by blow under the left ear
At the conclusion of the match it
nounced that BLACK Diamond" and Ben Smith
would next meet. 1t was whispered around
that it was to be out-and-out fight to the fin
ish, and the dozen policemen, in anticipation of
such movement, crowded close about
the ring Smith into the ring
first. and there was a wait of five
minutes for BLACK Diamond" When he made
his appearance it was evident that he was much
more than Smiths equal He is six feet in
height and weighs 2l8 pounds. Smith is not
quite tall, but heavier built. His weight is
zoo pounds They fought with four-ounce tight
fitting gloves. AS they shook hands the people
squared themselves for a long fight, but they
were disappointed. BLACK Diamonds" first
blow knocked Smith across the left rope; Sec
oDd crowded him over the right rope, and a third
hit, square in the face. almost knocked him
senseless Smith took his seat and called for
water He soon revived, and attempt was
made to induce him to continue the fight with
the promise from ''Back Diamond" that no
blows should be struck but he refused to risk
his life before that pugilist and threw down his
gloves.
Eugene Orion, of Racine. Wis, 'Black Dia-
mond's" manager says he is really to put his
man up against anybody in America, and hopes
TO be able to arrange for fight in private here
in a short time.