Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-18
1T CALLED A DRAW.
THF REFEREE so DECLARES THE BA-
KER-KEENAN CONTEST.
The Comiatants Face Each other Six
Times and Give "a Very Tame
Exhibition.

was an exceedingly tame affair.
Indeed. it WAS much more like asparring
match between school-boys than fight be-
tween professionals.
There were five OF six hundred persons
present, and they were nearly unanimous
in the declaration that the whole thing
was fake"
The participants were Marcellus Baker.
of this CITY. formerly of Boston and who
at one time wore the champion hght-
weight belt of the New England States,
and Harry keenan,. of Baltimore.
nE1oUsABLE DELAY.
The hand-bills announced that the doors |
would open at 8 o'clock and the fight begin
an hour later. The doors were opened
with usual prOmptness if not on advance
time. but the other part OF the bill was not
carried out By any means. People poured !
into the house quite rapidly from apout |
$50 until q quarter-past o'clock. Wheh |
the orchestra-circle and all of the galleries
presented very encouraging aspect 70 |
those who had their eyes on the cash. By |
this time the early comers began Co grow |
impatient, and they stamped on the floor |
Knocked with their umbrellas and canes. |
whstled. hOOted. cheered, and yelled Tor |
the curtain to rise. but the ioothghis re-
NAMED low. The trouble u appears was |
all about getting q referee 10 suit both par |
ties Keenan, prepared himself Tor the !
fraf quite promptly and appeared willing |
10 accept almost any umpire but 1t was !
stated in the house that Baker was not so !
easy 70 please on this score. Finally u was |
AGREED that Mr. John Johnson should tll |
the responsible position, and ~ q few MN |
utes before 10 o'clock this encouragement |
was made from the stage. and the little |
speech made by Mr.. johnson was received /
with An outburst of applause.
THF CURTAIN RISES.
Precisely at four minutes past 10 o'clock |
the curtain went mp, revealing an almost |
entirely bare stage. with no ring but a |
square about thirty feet each way. bound |
"a bv ropes. and with props at each cor |
ner and midway all OF the sides, but not |
ON the front. Keenan, sat I'm the corner |
nearest the left-haud box eastern side of |
the house). and his antagonist occupied 70 |
chair diagouallv opposite him. ne Tor !
mtr Wore a Sleeveless, gauZe shirt with |
dark pants and socks and "a light-coored |
cirdle. The latter was bare 20 the waist. |
white pants and socks, with dark glfdle |
and garters.
As soon as the curtain rose Nr. Conway
Myers made his way between the ropes, !
and advancing 10 the footlights lntrodu ID !
first the pugilsts and then the referee. he
announced that Mr. James II. Branch |
haps a half dozen other gentlemen ON the
stage in addition to the attendants ON the
fighters.
THEY SHuF HANDS.
When the hands of the watch indicated
10.0j Nh. Branch called time. and the two
men met in front of the enclosure shook |
hands. ard proceeded 20 do each other up !
but in this both made signal failures
krcnan stood erect aud made defensive |
tactics almost entirely. while Baker pranced !
and hoppcd around and occasionally sent |
ms left fist ont in search ot keenan, face. !
Baker is several years kecnan's : senior !
though the latter is rapidly growing bald, !
and appears % great deal older than ne !
really Is. He Is active and perhaps more |
muscular than his opponent. but the latter |
exhibits q much broader knowledge of the |
science.
COMING To BLOWS.
The fight was arranged for six rounds, |
and only this number We're fought.
Ia the first body blows alone were dealt, |
and these were few and lieht.
from the beginning of the second Baker |
pummcllA the Bal-imorean about the |
mouth and nose gcntcelly n every round |
aud occasionally gave him pretty sub !
stantiantinl punch in the chest or side, !
bu, 20 these the g0ung rcr from Nar' lII !
paid very slight attention. In fact the
blows I'M the face he treated vain utter DIS
regard Only once did Baker land such
powerful lick under the point oi the nose
as to -tagger him back towards thc rope.
Baker. prrttIc7t work was lu Grirudln"
himself and here was Keenau's weakest
point The former planted his il-t III the
! latt,r's face with unpleasant frequency,
whereas the latter had to content himself
with beating on Bakers body and occa-
siOually he would make the si,h OF hl7 an-
tag0uist's head and face grow red and burn
! from the effects of = slap. Perhaps tNlce
| ho tapped Baker In the face, but neither
! time WAS be able 10 deliver himself with
clear force.
FIRST BLOOD.
The first blood made its appearance in
| the fifth round. when the dark iuld began
TO gently trickle from keenau's nostuls
and mouth. tie is not easy 10 make bleed
OF II would have come before. Baker came
out without . scratch $50 far as could ne
seen.
The Baltimore man probably dealt the
heaviest blows, but the RchmOnder knew
better whore and when to place his, and
thus. So far as one in tie audience could
iudco. did the most effective work.
The heaviest milling was done IL the
fifth round.
DECLABTD A DRAW.
When time was called IT the-closc Of the
sixth heat the two men shook hands. and
the referee advancing 20 the front, sad
~ declare the fight 4 draw. think, how
ever. Mr. Baker has % shade the adyan-
tage."
Although keenan, appeared 90 have most
sympathy in the audience. many persons
shouted "Giye it 10 Baker" but the de-
cision had gone forth.
After the curtain tell II was rafsed again,
and Baker and Keenan, both advancing to
the front the former began 20 mako u
speech. lie admitted that the fight was
not as hard as the one between these two
in Manchester several weeks ago, aud ac-
counted fOr this by saying that he and Kee-
nan were both shy of each other then and
fought with great spirit. He further SAID
that ia this contest he thought he had the
better. aud he had offered 10 hght Keenan,
To n finish for q purse of $500. At this the
audience hissed and ieered. aud the speak
er could proceed no further.
The several hundred dissatisfied specta- |
tors. who had been sitting for nearly two
hours with their coats of and welding
palm-leaf fans vigorously in the effort to
make the intense heat Of the building
bearable, now put on their coats and
wended their way homeword. discussing
the meeting from standpoint not at all
creditablc TO the pugilists.