Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-02-18
TALK WITH SULLIVAN
THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD
CHATS WITHA DISPATCH MAN.
How He Felt and What Troubles He Had
when He Went on che staEs-wili
Fight No More.

"I know I am not Booth, O Barrett.
Mccullough. or Saivini. and know. too
that they are not John L. sullivans."
This was the opening remark made h5
the champion prize-6ghter of the world il
the dressing-room of the Academy last
night to Dispaich reporter, after excusins
himself for extending his left hand, hil
dexter being disabled.
"The few lines have 10 say. continued
the prominent Bostonian. !" are not gotten
off as well "a they might be-. But there
are plenty of people who have been on tne
stage for FIVE years who do no better thar
/, and this is my first season.
HIS GESTURES.
"what has given me the most trouble
continued the champion. are my gestures
l feel awfully uncomfortable about my
hands, and at first I felt like did not
know what TO do with them. The proper
position in which to stand has also given
me no little bother. | feel that | am gradu'
ally learning, and will make acting my life.
work, as l have always wanted 10 go on
the stage since was boy.n
NO MORE FIGHrISe.
"will you 90 into the ring egaini'
mo" replied Mr.. Sullivan; have
been lin it for thirteen years, and an
done. | did what no other man ever ac-
complished IN holding my own for thai
length of time. Ii showed what man
could do. Still, I suppose If had stayed
long enough some one would have come
along some day and taken my place.
LOSING FLESH.
II only weigh 2SS pounds now" replied
the exponent of physical culture to cues.
ton. "When / started out weighed 20.
and was quite fat. Probably you would
not think it, but my flesh is quite soft
even when am in training. Ii is not the
men with the hardest bodies who can do
the hardest fighting. My idea is to loosen
the muscles and give them full play. Tc
harden the muscles is to ruin them.
HARD LIFE.
Acting is a hard life, especially with
one-nlght stands or matinees. My days
are spent pretty much the same. get NJ
at o reasonable hour, have nav breakfast,
take a walk or drive. After dinner rest
If there is nc. matinee. Al night there is
my work TO do on the stage. After that
eat supper and take few glasses OF beer
before going TO bed.
"How do | like the Richmond people
Well, they have treated me very kindly,
and the three audiences here were as nice
as have seen anywhere"
LIKE OLD TIMEs.
At this point the athletic actor was called
10 go on in the prize-fight scene.
The gloves he wore were fve-ounce
padded with HAIR. He went at the sport
with vim and seemed TO enjoy it hearth
ly,
During the intervals be explained to tht
newspaper-man that in regular prize-fght,
ing only very small quantity OF hair and
in some instances the bare glove isworn.
A GOOD TALKRB.
Sullivan is not the uncouth man he Is &c
often made out He is q gentlemanly
talker. expresses himself well, and not at
all rough in his bearing.
AS an example OF physical development
he is nearly perfect. His thighs and arms
are immense, but taper down gradually
to small wrists and ankles. He Is very
heshy about the body, but notwithstand
ing that fact handles himself well and is
not heavy on his feet.
HOW HE SPENT THE DAY.
The newly -hedged actor spent the greater
portion of yesterday IN his room at the no
tel. In the morning Mr.. Preston Belvir
and other gentlemen called on Messrs
Harrison and Sullivan.
After the show last night Mr.. William
Snellings entertained some Of the com
pany at supper.
The troupe leaves here at 7 o'clock this
morning for Norfolk, where they play TO
night. From there they go South, making
three weeks of one-night stands.
GOING TO AUSTRALIA.
On the 25th of next June Messrs. Sulli
van and Harrison, with their manager. Mr.
Barnett. will sail from San Francisco fol
Melbourne, Australia, where they will pro
duce their play. They will not take theil
company with them, as the play is already
being rehearsed there by actors engaged tC
play with them.
While in Australia Mr.. Harrison will in
stitute the first lodge of the Mobiles of the
Mystic Shrine in that country, where ex
actly forty-one years ago his father, Com
modore Harrison, of her Majesty's navy
founded the first Masonic lodge.
Mr. Harrison Is also quite an athlete
holding the championship of tho Scotch
American societies. On one occasion ht
swan twenty-nine miles out to sea in {
match with the famous Captain Webb.