The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-02-20
THEY FOUGHT TO A DRAW.
NEITHER COULD KNOCK HIS MAN OUT.
Myer And McAuliffe Fight For Nearly
Five Hours Without Result-Plenty of
Science, But Very Little Hard Hit
ting-Some Poor management.

What was expected to have been one Of the
greatest battles in the history of pugilism has
taken place. The principals were Billy Myer,
champion lightweight of the Northwest and
Jack McAuliffe, champion lightweight of the
world. Probably no exhibition of the manly
art" had ever been looked forward TO with as
much interest. For weeks the probable out
come had been discussed from ocean to
ocean-in the billiard room, at the club, and
even at the evening fresde by many who
would blush were they to be classed with
sports. At Streator, ILL.,, the home of Myer,
many who did not have the ready cash, mort
gagged their homes to raise money with which to
back their favorite. Those who came from the
East to place their hundreds McAuliffe,
whose home is Williamsburg, n. u, said before
the fight that they would foreclOse mortgage
on Sire atOr within twenty-four hours.
Men who had never attended prize fight trav-
eled many miles to witness this one, because it
was expected from the character of the managers
OF the mill that it would be fair and square, no
favors and the best man would win. The prn-
cipals had national regulations; being honest in
themselves, they inspired honesty. They were
matched by two of the most honorable sport
ing men-Billy Madden and Alf Kennedy
ever before the American public in any capac-
-
superiority and tried experience.
Myer and McAuliffe had friends in all classes
and were backed alike by mechanic and mill
lionaire.
A few weeks before the fight Myer was intro
duced to the governor of Illinois. "Oh, this is
Mr.. Myer, is it? the state official is said to have
exclaimed. 81 believe you are TO have little
bout shortly, are you not%
"Well yes, governor that is the calculation at
present" replied Billy. Then Private Joe
L. l. \ - I'll
I'll just say here that there is no one who
would rather see the thing when it comes off. y
And so they all felt, for, as an enthusiastic
resident of Chicago was heard to say: "Its Hi
nois against the world"
Myers first professional fight was in Septem-
Der of 1885, when he beat Paddy WEIGH in
Streator. Later he again defeated Welch fol-
lowing which he took the scalp of Charlie
DAILY of St. Louis; he twice knocked out Harry
Gilmore of Minneapolis, the last fight lasting
but twenty seconds; and later won a twenty
round contest from Danny Needham OF ST.
Paul. The DAILY fight was the longest and
| hardest, thirty-two rounds being required to
settle IT,
McAulifie was born in Cork, on March "a,
| 1867. His record briefly is as fOllows
Billy Fraser; early fail of 1886; twenty-one
rounds; kid gloves; purse $1,000
Harry Gilmore; late fall of 1886; twenty
eight rounds; kid gloves; stakes s., 900 side.
Jim Carney; spring of 1857; seventy-four
rounds kid gloves; stakes 81 200 side. This
fight resulted in a draw, and is the only one
in which McAuliffe failed to knock out his
man.
Billy Dacy, fall of 1888; eleven rounds; skin
gloves; purse, y, 600.
Sam Collier; Dec 16, 1888; one and half
rounds skin gloves for the gate receipts
These fights conferred upon him the title of
champion lightweight of America. After the
Collier battle Jake Hyams, the champion of
| England, challenged McAuliffe to fight for the
championship OF the world. The battle &C.
CURED Dec. %, 1888, at Brooklyn. Six-ounce
! gloves were used and McAuliffe laid out his
man stiff in the ninth round.
CHICAGO, Feb. 13.-The 5000 side worlds
| light weight championship prize fight between
Jack McAulitfe and Billy Myer at North judi
son, Ind, ended to-day IN draw, IN four hours
and thirty-fve minutes. Ii was 4 table d'hOte
OF sixty-fOur courses, consisting chiefly of light
| sparring seasoned with some of the most accu-
rate science ever seen in ring. The blood
| thirsty, raw-steak gentlemeR were all disap-
| pointed. Each of the contestants in the battle
satisfied his hackers and the people most inter
ested seemed to consider this achievement the
| hight of modern attainment In the ring.
If, however, instead of from $4,000 to so, 600
| hanging upon the result there had been a
purse Of $500, the general opinion appears TO
| be that there would have been a genuine fight
| and the chances are Myer would have won. As
| it ended, he justified every confidence of hi S
| friends Dick Roche, McAulife's hacker,
! openly congratulated Myer in the ring and
agreed to back him with s., 900 against anybody
| in the world. 81 know" said Roche, that you
would not lose my money, and there is every
! chance that you would win"
The fight seemed badly managed about the
only mastery stroke of policy apparent being
4 the naming of Michael c. Mcdonald of Chi
cage as referee. Mcdonald is the noted ex-
| gambler, politician, and capitalist, and general
/ all-rOund expert in sporting matters. he is
| the brother of ed" Mcdonald, BOodler Me-
/ Garigle's chum. II was mike" who fixed"
! the sheriff of the county III which the fight
/ took place when that official put in an appear
anee to carry out the law, and it was mike"
/ who finally "fxed" the town marshal who
| came in after the sherifTs departure and
stopped the fight half a dozen times. 1T is
the first time ever corrupted public official, /"
said Mcdonald on the way home. always be-
| ieving it could not be done, and | only did it
| this time for the public good" The spectators
! of the fight were unanimous in the belief that
| it was great mistake not to have notified Nc
| Donald until at the ring side that he was to be
| referee, thus ayerting so much unnecessary de-
| lay.
Ii was past o'clock in the morning when the
| fight began. Upon reaching Judson the fighters
went at once to bed and all OF the time from
| midnight until then the outsiders were endur-
| ing the cold in tramping the streets, or riding
| up and down the railroads 200 to the car, to
| carry out in pretense the various pretexts on
| which the public officials had allowed them
| selves to be persuaded that everything was in
! accordance with law.
| The betting was seldom so spirited in any
| similar event, The odds even almost every
wager. One stakeholder alone had 1850,
| another 1920, and there were enough others
| to foot up a certainty of $31, 900, besides the
original stakes and the gate money OF $500.
| Just as the fight began, Roche, McAulitie's
hacker, bet $500 on first blood and $500 for first
| knock down Tor MAC" A few smaller bets
were made on the same issues end Myers
| hackers won both events Myer scored first
| blood in Il twenty-ninth round, and first
| knock down IN the fOrty-third. This is the
only money OF the thousands up which
changed hands on the fight. The Streator
! people had been saying that Myer
would, almost at the very start, break
| McAuliffe's neck, and the smart eastern fellows
present claimed to be sure Mac" would win
| in zone bloody punch" Neither assertion was
anywhere near correct.
The style of fighting was usually lead by
| McAuliffe, which was either countered slngly
| or doubly by Myer. McAulife's appearance
| and action was superb, while Myer showed an
awkwardness and lack of finish that would
| have been fatal but for q marvellous quickness
which he was soon seen to possess The high
state of training in which both men entered
the ring caused blow to redden the skin In
stanter, but the mark faded almost as suddenly
as it came, and on the way home neither prin-
cipal could have been picked out of the crowd
by the marks he bore.
Only once was blood shed enough to decide
| the bets on first blood !" the first knock
down" was also the only one. Twice during