Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-21
Detdls Of the Recent Glove Contest
Between Slayin and Kilrain
Fully Discussed
THE AUSTRALIANS GOOD PoIHTS.
How the Victor Ranks % HghtU Com
pared With John l. Sullivan Gna
Other Leading PugilistA
Mr. puNys REMARKABLE DECISION.
AFew Eemsip About tns Local BAH TesM and n
General Baseball Ahain

week in sporting circles has been the contest
between Frank Slavin and Jake kilrain. ,
Before that contest took place it was deemed
of very great importance, because the Aus
tralian undertook to settle in ten rounds
boxer and pugilist who has for a long time
been figuring as one of the best men in the
fstie class in America; indeed, a man who
for more than three hours stood in front of
the renowned Sullivan in London prize
ring contest. The contest, l say, was
deemed of great Importance because of
this, but since it has taken place it is of
greater Importance still because of style
of fighting displayed in it which is new to
America, and also because of the most re-
markable decision on record regarding the
contest Altogether there are some e1-
traordinary features connected with this
contest, and because of this fact propose
to deal with it first to-day, and to discuss
it at length. But before going into the de-
tails of the contest l want to
draw attention to what was said in this
paper about it two weeks before it
took place 1 desire to do this to show
that almost every word said here has been
verified. Two weeks before the contest
these words were said in this paper: "Both
men UdN6 D66H puDllC ptIlOIm-
ers, and if public form has to go for any
thing at all, 1 don't hesitate to say that Kill
rain has very little show, indeed, of stand
ing ten rounds before Slavin-and public
form is almost the only thing that can guide
u.s."
And again: "And if the coming contest
is in earnest, Kilrain will be forced to hit
Slavin from the beginning and take heavy
doses in return, or else he may get the
heavy doses without giving anything at
all But whether it may be the intention
of Slavin to try and knock Kilrain out or
not, am content to believe that he will
win"
Well, submit that the contest entirely
fulfilled the above forecasts. One reason
why refer to the above expressions here is
to show that there is no desire here to lay
claim to any credit without absolute justi-
hcation.
About the Great Contest
Well, with this preface let us start and
discuss this CONTEST contest that will in
the history of the 6stic arena be very often
referred to. The contest was one of the
most terrific that has taken place in modern
times as far as glove contests are concerned;
1t was terrific but mostly on one side.
Slavin had very big man to knock out, and
man who has had considerable experience in
glove affairs and who, while not a frst-class
boxer, is quite handy one With these
facts before him Slavin got to work to
polish off his man at all hazards, and hence
the terrific nature of the contest. That Kill
rain was beaten from the start will be ap-
parent to all who have read the accounts of
the fight. 1 have gone carefully through
every account written by New York eye
witnesses; that is, the accounts of the New
York press; and, while in some there are
apparent efforts to disparage Slavin, they
all agree on the fact that kilrain
was a doomed man almost from
the start of the contest. Little COM
ment is needed on the fight itself, because it
was too one-sided: it was only matter of
how many of Slavin's tremendous blows
would be required to knock Kilrain out 1t
took more than many people expected. I
mean it took more blows than many people
who were at the contest expected. A very
great number of people thought that Kill
rain would easily last the ten rounds, but
the people had no idea of the awful blows
that would be dealt on Kilrain' s body. Had
this fact been anticipated very Few people,
indeed, would have expected Kilrain to
last as long as he did. Slavin had such
different style of fighting to that of Kilrain
that the latter after making somewhat
lively beginning, at once became little more
than a target, and apparently resolved to
cbdAAO dAN oCC INV lung hS SOuAN liO4u OuL
against Slavin's terrific onslaught. Kill
rains method, that is, this mod
ern method of fighting, such as
Dempsey, McCafrey, Corbett and jackson
have given us illustrations of, was of no use
whatever against Slavin; indeed, as far as
Kilrain's display of it was concerned, it was
useless. And, by the way, have always
contended that it is much prettier than it is
useful Well, Kilrain soon discovered this
l.. Al, IL, L
self He commenced to hug Slavin and the
latter was then compelled to bear up 100
pounds of flesh and bones while he was try
ing to accomplish his task This was, in
deed, big handicap and much greater than
is generally imagined. But Slavin was
equal to the emergency He and Mitchell
had been practising means to meet lodges
of this kind and Slavin counteracted Kill
rains hugging in way very disastrous to
Kilrain. The Australian just put into
operation that old time plan Of half-srm
work at vital mark. Here again was our
new style outclassed by the old.
Some of Kilrain's Good Points.
Not for one moment do want it under
stood that there is nothing to say in favor of
Kilrain. The fact is that while he was out
classed as fighter he showed many points
worthy of note. He began as all of our
modern or latter-day champions of the box
ing school class begin, viz by standing off
and trying his man at long range. And he
really got home some of his best blows
when he did this, but his best blows had
little effect on Slavin; in fact, one report of
the contest says that Kilrain might as well
have tried to knock the door of safe in
with his fist as to bulge Slavin. While Kill
rain was landing his long rangers on Slavin's
head and neck the formers friends were
iubilant, and Kilrain really did good work
in this respect. But ah the willy Australian
was Just playing the fox. He at once dis
covered that Kilrain's blows were not of the
knocking out kind and as soon as he found
this out he commenced a cannonade on poor
Kilrain's body, face and neck that lasted the
entire contest. Slavin Just sailed into his
man regardless of his long-range science,
and in O verv few minutes there was neither
short or long range about the man from
baltimore. Don't let anybody suppose
that Slavin couldn't have lodged many of
Kilrain's blows. Certainly he could have
done so, but that would not have accom-
plished Slavins purpose. He had to knock
his man out in given time and he couldn't
afford to wait by dodging and sparring. He
vas, therefore, compelled to rush in at his
man at all risk. Had the contest been to a
finish do not hesitate to say that Slavin
would have commenced by lodging Kill
rains blows and continued it for long
time. Well, think we all are convinced
that Kilrain was nothing more than a
punching bag for Slavin after the first
round and when we consider this it is in
deed remarkable how Kilrain lasted. 1
gave the man all the credit possible for
his pluck in this respect, because