The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-05-28
Nelly Bly, Interviews the SlOgger,
John L. Sullivan.
SKETCHES OF AFIGHTER'S LIFE.
How the Hours Pass ut Muldoon's Farm-The
Little Girl Who Shuts Her Eye
Can See.

Sullivan for the World, and here is the
story she tells
If Sullivan isn't able to whip any pugil-
ist in the world, I would like to see the
man who is. l went to Belfast, n. Y, to
see him last week, and was surprised. How
often have thought the sparring instinct
Unborn in everything except women and
flowers. l have seen funny little spring
ROSTERS without one feathers sprout fight
like real men. 1t is funny how proud boy
is of his muscle. How quick a boy who
hast any tries to get it. Almost as soon as
a boy learns to walk he learns to jump into
a position of defense and double up his inst.
| reached Belfast in the morning, the
only passenger to that place. Muldoon'S
house, where Sullivan is training, is in the
prettiest part of the town, and only a short
distance from the hotel. One would never
imagine from the surroundings that prize
fighter was training there. The house is
very pretty two story building surrounded
by the smoothest and greenest of lawns. I
rang the bell, and sent up my letter of
introduction to MuldoOn. A handsome
young man with broad shoulders and
corduroy coat came into the room holding
a light gray cap in his hand; face youthful;
eyes blue; expression pleasing; his smile
brought two dimples to puncture his rosy
cheeks; with bearing easy and most grace
full, the champion wrestler and athlete,
William Muldoon, had just returned from
two mile walk. He said: Sullivan is just
being rubbed down, and if you will excuse
me one moment, will tell him.
In few moments MuldOon returned,
followed by man who would never be taken
for the great, the only Sullivan. He was
tall man with enormous shoulders, dark
trousers, light cheviot coat, vest and slip
perS. In his hand ne held light cloth
cap. He paused as he entered the room
in a half bashful way, and twisted his cap
in a boyish and not ungraceful manner.
miss Bly,, Mr.. Sullivan" said Muldoon,
l looked into the great fighters dark bright
eyes as ne bent his broad shoulders. Mr..
Sullivan, l would like to shake hands with
you" He took my hand with d firm
hearty grasp. The hand felt small and
soft. Muldoon excused himself and l was
left to interview John L.
Il came here to learn all about you, Mr..
Sullivan. Please begin by telling what
time you get up in the morning."
''Well about O'Clock. l then get rubbed
down, and then MuldoOn and l walk and
run mile or mile and a half and back.
As soon as / get in I am given shower
bath, after which | am thoroughly rubbed
down. then put on an entire fresh out
fit"
''What kind of clothing do you wear for
your walk: Heavy"'
Eyes, a heavy sweater and a suit of heavy
corduroy buttOned tightly; also gloves.
After my walk put on fresh sweater so
that l won't take cold,
''What's d sweater"
''Ill show YOU" he said with a smile. He
went out, and returned with the garment
in his hand 1t was very heavy knit gar
meRt with long sleeves and standing collar.
Nra ba1
pounds.
Il wear sweater to make me warm
when l walk, and 10 reduce my fat and
harden my muscles. Since last Friday l
have lost six pounds. Last Saturday | lost
SIX and half pounds. When l came here
I weighed 231 pounds; now l weigh 2lS
pounds, and before l leave l will weigh
1876"
'.DO you take cold shower bath2''
''Never; don't believe in cold water; it
chiils the blood. l always have shower
bath of medium temperature. Then l have
two men give me brisk rubbing with their
hands: then | am rubbed down with a mix
ture of ammonia, camphor and alcohol"
What do you eat3'
Nothing fattening. Oatmeal for break
fast; meat and bread for dinner: cold meat
and stale bread for supper; no sweets nor
potatoes. fused to smoke all the time, but
since came here | haven't seen a cigar.
Occasionally Muldoon gives me u glass of
ala. He doesn't average one daily"
Then training is not pleasant work."
''The worst thing a-going. A fellow would
rather fight twelve dozen times than train
once; but it has got to DE done.
'tAfter breakfast | rest awhile, and then
putting on the heaviest clothes, l start out
for a ten or twelye-mile run or walk. l do
it in two hours. l generally go across the
fields of MuldOon'S farm because it is all up
hill work and makes me warm. When l
get back ! am rubbed down again. At /
have dinner. In the afternoon l wrestle,
punch the bag, throw footboll, swing In
dian clubs and dumbells, and practice chest
and such things until supper
time.
st is all right here when the sun is out. |
but after dark it is the dreariest place | !
ever struck. l wouldn't live here if they
gave me the whole country. Champion |
Rest is the name Muldoon' s home is known |
by. 1t is surrounded by two graveyards |
the priests home and a little cottage occu-
pied by two old maids"
''Do you like prize fighting!" l asked
Il don't. did once, or rather, was fond |
of travelling about and the excitement of |
crowds, but this is my last fight"
"WhyH
well, I am tired and want to settle
down; am getting DID,
w ldt W III Ou w II y Ou sup ISulluBs
eff l win this fight l will travel year
giving sparring exhibitions and then settle |
down. | always wanted to run hotel in
New York If | were successful think / |
should spend the rest of my life as hotel
''How much money hayey made in your
career as a prize fighter"
Five or six hundred thousand dollars
boxing, made Sl25, 900 from September 26,
1888, to May 26, 1884"
'How do you dress in the prize ringl''
sin knee brooches, stockings and shoes,
)ut no shirt
"Why no shirt,"
"a man perspires 50 easily If he wears
| shirt he is liable to chill, and to chill is
Ilways fatal in the prize ring. l took a
hill when 1 fought Mitchell, but it didn't
asst long"
How will you tight Elilrain, without
-lovesg'
London prize ring rules That's with
ut gloves, but it allows wrestling and
hrowing a man down. You get rest
very thirty seconds. Under the Queens
-erry rules we wear gloves, anything under
leven ounces. There are three minutes to
he round under the Queensberry rules,
nd when the three minutes are up you have
o rest whether you COULD whip your man 1
ne next instant or not"
l examined his hand, he watching with /
n amused expression. 1t looks small /
ana TO bear the record of so many knock ,
ut' blows. The fingers are straight and
hapely, and the closely trimmed nails are
lovely oval pink. The only apparent diff
erence from an ordinary hand, is their
reat thickness through.
''E'eel my arm,'' he said. 1 tried to feel
ne muscle; it was like rock. With both !
amos l tried to span it, but couldn't. The