The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-04
KILRAIx ON FIGHTING.
The Science Il in Not Getting Hit-Hs
Moves in Better Circles Than sullivan.
Cincinnati Times Star.

The Science L. in Not Getting Hit-He
Moves In Better Circles Than sullivan.
Cincinnati rimes-star.
A great big signature, in q sort of sprawl
ing school-boy hand, as though it had been
written with the tongue initiating the mo-
tons of the pen, spelled Jake "Kilrainn on
the Burnet house register. Mr. Kilrain
was at the telegraph desk just sending a
dispatch.
"Do you keep up exercise regularly
, when off duty, Mr. Kilrain?"
"On, yes; always. Have to do it, you
know. A man will go down rapidly if he
don't keep up his exercise"
Are athletics holding up well in this
country?"
Indeed they are. And I tell you it is
noticed nowhere more than in the South.
1t is almost boom here. Now they have
always had athletics in New York and
Boston and / suppose they always will.
And is on the increase in the West. But
in the South the growth and interest will
be noticed the more readily. / was as
tonished myself. l have recently come
from Southern exhibition tour, you know.
Il was rover once. That is the way /
commenced. / won he junior champion
ship Of America at Newark, N. j., in 1883.
Il Hd0t iliic duu udli III . .o<. i nat Vas
the best time ever made. My trainer was
enthusiastic over it. and declared l could
become champion rover. Now, about
the other part OF your question. Prize
lighting is looked upon as being low, vul-
gar and brutal. take just the opposite
view. There is a certain feeling in a man
in M ost men-to excel, to be better than
anybody else. Wouldn't you hate it worse
for man to whip YOU than to beat you in
q boat race? Yes. Well, that's it. /
claim that lighting for the championship
has the greatest possibilities in athletics.
A man risks more. He wins more. There
is glory, q satisfaction that You are SUI
perior or peer in severe athletics that one
cannot explain. But it is q natural feel
ing, Unborn in every man.
at is the men who go about fighting and
sparring in cheap resorts and saloons that
bring bad odor upon great athletics. A
man can he great fighter and go about
like a gentleman, can't he? think So"
You are still in the ringw
81 am"
"How long is a man in the prime of
fighting ability ?"
Until he is about IS. :"
"Why. how are old your"
"Thirty-two."
"How old is Sullivan"
"Thirty-two. He is from October to Feb
ruary older than l."
ana you mean I'D say
81 mean to say that after IS q man is
not in his prime fighting shape. He loses
activity, springiness. He is slower. A
man may look as well, lift as well, eat as
well, do anything that does not require &C
tiviiy. but that he loses after 35."
Mr.. Kilrain said that the tales about
Suliivan's brutalities and abuses we're gross
exaggerations.
mir. sullivan drinks good deal, sup
pose, but not so much more than other
men. 1t is simply made more notorious,
noticed more. He is rough when in liquor,
but he doesn't 60 about whipping boot
blacks and knocking down horses. Oh,
sucn tales are ali bosh."
Are you friendly toward each other 2"
"No, we are not. There Is always jeal-
ousy. Sullivan don't like me, especially,
because have gone in better circles than
he had the freedom of all the clubs and
he did not.
How does it come that you have no
marks on your face of blows? Have you
ali your teethf"
II have. And a good set, too" He
showed them. sullivan hit me on the chin
and knocked splinters off a tooth. Spoiled
it. And had my teeth tight shut at the
time. too. But never lost a tooth.
Now, 10 is all mistake about the pun
ishment tits never SO severe as the public
inacines. A little blood makes a man look
horrible, and ne may De perfectly lreSh. A
good sound lick is not given or received
once in a hundred blows. 1t is scarcely ever
known. II is the science of not getting hit,
as much as that of hitting your opponent.
When YOU hit at . man, you have 10 watch
that he doesn't hit you. Don't you see that
is bound TO lessen the blows? Ii man could
get in few solid ticks. fight wouldn't
last long. But they don't do IT, One can't
give ali his attention To giving blow. He
has got TO watch his man and see what he
is doing. SO the hard hits are few and far
between. Yes, it is the science OF not get.
ting hit"