The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-02-11
GOSSIP ABOUT THE BOXERS.
coRsET1-mAUuFeg CONTROVERSY.
Austin, Gibbons and Bowen-McCsrthya and
Dixon's Match-Mitoheli on the Stage
She Almost Saw the Fight-Gen-
ernl Sporting Notes.


the controversy, for he called Joe "a big
stuff" and announced that he had an IN
known who would fight for him for 5000
q side. Brought TO book he was compelled
to admit that his unknown would not
| fight because he did not think Joe worthy
of competing with him. This unknown
must have pretty good opinion of him
self. If Corbett had been wise he would
| have answered McAuliffe's overtures by
saying that he had a very important
match on hand and would consider no
other until it was decided, but then fight
ers as a rule are not overburdened with
good sense. They are as conceited over
| their physical prowess as a peacock is
over his tail, and 80 per cent. OF them
have about as much wit as the bird.
| Corbett's exhibitions at the Eightb-st.
theatre Have been very good ones. de
| shows plainly that he has gained a good
| deal of strength since he was first here
and he should put up great fight with
| Peter Jackson. With his youth, skill and
! size be should be able 10 make it very
| interesting for any living man. The only
! question that remains is, has he the
necessary sand? The heart is all, or
nearly all, In boxing.
Andy Bowen IN the Dempsey-Fitzsim-
mons fight saw an object lesson in pugil-
| ism that he intends to profit BY. In his
match with Austin Gibbons ne will have
| to accord the Patterson lad not less than
four inches in heigth and a couple in
reach. He does not propose, if he can
| help it, to give him an additional advan-
tage in weight, and he demands that the
weighing in take place at the ring side. as
was done in the case of Dempsey and
Fitzsimmons. There is not the slightest
| doubt that this is The proper way, but
| Bowen should have thought OF this before
| he put his signature to the articles OF
| agreement. In all matches ut weight to be
| fought before a club the scales should be
at the ring side When men agree TO
| fight at 133 pounds, give or take two, it
means that they are to be not over
| 135 pounds IN fighting clothes
when they toe the scratch. Unless
this is the intent and object
of the agreement, it is useless to make
one. Gibbons is in New Orleans, and is
accompanied by his brother Jim, who
very capably attends to all his business
affairs OF course Jim will demand that
the match 90 on in accordance with the
signed articles OF agreement. Bowen's
| stand puts both the Audubon club and
Gibbons In bad predicament. If he ad-
heres 10 it | don't see how the CLUB can
| avoid paying Gibbons forfeiS-if one was
stipulated for in the articles of agreement
for his disappointment. Then, If Glib
bons refuses to weigh in at the ring side,
will it not be tacit admission that he
cannot really fight at l35 pounds? 1t is an
imp easant situation all around, and the
fault is clearly Bowen's. He will say, l
presume, in answer, that the example of
| Jack Dempsey has taught him caution, and
| that while his course is somewhat unpro-
| fessiOnal he must take it III defense of his
reputation and to protect his friends who
| feel disposed to bet on him. The outcome
OF the affair is likely TO become a prece-
| dent.
Somehow or other the match between
| Cal Mccarthy and George Dixon is not
| attracting the attention that the merits of
the men demand. ] take it that one of
the causes of this apathy IL the fact that
the defeat of Dempsey pecuniarily Grip
pied number of McCarthy's most enthu-
siastic supporters. 1t also made others
very sensible of the fact that it is almost
"a difficult matter to pick winners in the
ring as il is on race course. Meanwhile
the men are leaving nothing undone to fit
| themselves for the fray. Each recognizes
| that this battle will be the decisive one in
his career, and each will do his level best
| TO win. The chocolate-colored lad natur-
| ally feels very much elated by his English
successes, while Cal is certain that this
time he will be fresher in the ring than
| he was when he met Dixon before, and
that the long rest his hands have had
have made them perfectly sound. They
are sure to make the greatest fight be-
| tween little men seen in years, and the
OF rfo a,,1~ l. hat -. has
been scrapping long before il is over.
/ was misled in the statement 1 made
last week that Jack Dempsey had taken
| benefit in New Orleans at which Jimmy
| Carroll and Bob Fitzsimmons had APP
peared. My informant wrote me of the
intention OF Jacks friends TO give him the
benefit and of Jimmy and Bob's willing
ness to spar at it. Dempsey wouldn't
have the benefit, saying: ~ am loser;
l have no right to the benefit" Jacks
| logic is sadly deficient. The practice OF
taking benefits originated in the theatre
cal profession, grew out OF the desire of
individual actors to burden their purses
by permitting their friends and admirers
to testify in the most substantial manner
| their appreciation of the efforts the actor
had made to please them in the past. OF
| course Dempsey had a perfect right to
refuse the benefit in New Orleans. He is
| high-spirited, sensitive fellow, and he
plainly saw that Fitzsimmons would be
| the star of the affair, and that to accept it
would be to hitch himself to the chariot
tail of the conqueror for a few hundred
dollars gain. While Jack likes money he
| is not like good many others, out for
the stuff under any and all conditions.
He will not have it at the expense of his
pride. BY the way, Fitzsimmons was pre-
scented at Bay st. Louis with the set of
colors said to have been worn by John L.
| Sullivan when he met and defeated Paddy
| Ryan for the championship. A friend
sends me a report OF the affair in which
Bob is reported as having accepted the
| gift with the following burst of antipodean
oratory: 81 accept the colors Of mighty
and square fighter with pride and pleasure,
and will wear them not only in honor of
| the greatest heavy weight in the world,
| but as a pleasant souvenir of this pleasant
occasion" He then turned to the band,
and others, and said: Gentlemen, we
| take this spontaneous outburst, this splen-
did ovation, not only as an appreciation
of our worth as fighters, but as an evil
dence of your good will and esteem of us
as private individuals. So long as men,
DRY lasts L shall not forget the kinG-hearted
people of Bay ~. Louis or their generous
treatment. Gentlemen, / again thank
you"
Charlav Mitchell NOT content with