The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-12
THE DIAMOND BELT.
a Valuable Ornan ent-Whero 1t Is at
resent-Descripti of the Design.

Present-D Description of the Design.
From the Baltimore Sun.
It has been the custom in England for the
champions of the prize ring to have an en-
blem to represent their claim to the tide,
but until the past five years there never was
a fistic emblem put up for competition to be
held by champion according TO q code of
rules until the diamond belt was made and
offered as the prize-ring championship en-
blem. This belt was manufactured espe-
cially to be held by a fstic bruiser who was
willing to defend the trophy against all
challengers. and to battle Tor It according
to the rules of the LO don prize ring, which
govern all championship contest. John l..
Sullivan aud Paddy Ryan, after their battle
for the championship and $4,000 at MissiS-
sippi City Feb Z, 1882, we're to have again
met face TO face within the roped arena aud
battle for purse of S2, 800, 81, 0J0a side aud
the championship belt.
A match was arranged, the stakes posted
with Harry Hill, but the match fell
through. John l.. Sullivan was then offered
the trophy to defend if he would agree 10
defend it according to the rules governing
the same. He would not accept the con
ditlous.
At this time Jem Smith issued a challenge
to do battle in the orthodox "a foot ring
donor of the trophy agreed to m itch Sulli-
van against the English champion for the
belt and s. 900 or SIC, 900 a side Sullivan
agreed to fl the breach ana battle with the
English champion for $4,000 and the
trophy, but just when the match was about
being made a fixture Sullivan backed out,
and the English Champion began to talk
about there being no puGlils6 in America
that would enter the stagaIuS6 him. Sulli-
van held the title Of champion, but he
would not defend it, and then came JAKE
kiraln on the puglllstic cAec a8I- board. lie
challenged Sullivan to battle for the belt
and the trophy, out, although every fair
IlduceDeuG WAS made 30 bring tia champ
ion and northampton together, IAllr4in
was declared champion, and 10 August,
1887, he was presented with the champion
belt at Baltimore.
On receiving the trophy he announced his
intention of defending il against ali Chal-
lengeEs. Later Jem Smith, the Engl 81
champion, issued challenge to fight Xii
rain for $1,000 a side, the belt aad tho
championship of the world. The match was
ratified, the battle fought, aud the Gm-
plOn belt became the recognized champion
ship emblem of the prize ring, the same as
the famous champion belt of England Johl
Z. Heenan and Tom Sayers fought for On
April H. 1850.
IL arranging the match between Kilrain
ana Sullivan the latter objected to fighting
for the trophy, hut on the jurist Of the
prize ring deciding that he must contend
for the trophy, he waived all objections
and agreed to contend for the now historical
emblem of the prize ring and the heavy
weight championship.
The belt is fifty inches long and eight
inches wide, and weighs about 200 on ces
in solid silver and gold. The design of tins
work of art Is entirely different from any
prize ring belt that was ever offered III this
country or ii Europe, audin intrinsic value
has never besn equaled. The wo is laid
out by solid silver plates and flexible woven
silver chains, fortunately, 50 that the belt
Notwithstanding It's great and pOnderous
Weight and size, can ue adjusted TO the
body ond worn with ease. Tne plates are
richly ornamented VITA solid gold figures,
and one OF these ornaments is 50 made that
likeness of the winner can De put III 4 gold
frame encircled BIZ a solG gold laurel
wreath suspended tron the bill of a full
winged eagle. The center Of the belt rep
reseRts prize ring, with two men facing
each other in fighting att itude. The whole
of this part is sol d gold. The men are rep
resented in full ring costume.
Al Cridge, well known sporting man
Of New York, is the custodian of the $780,,
600 stakes Of the fight, and this money,
with tie champion belt, ne has placed III the
Second National Bank OF New YORK. Jake
Kilrain, the defender of the belt, upon his
last return from Europe, in accordance
with the articles OF agreement, took the
belt to New York and placed it in the
shareholders hands thirty days before the
date of the fight. He kept it in the Safe
Deposit Company's vaults while III Balti-
more.