The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-26
RING CHAMPIONS
Bruisers Who introduced and Made
Popular the Sport Across
the Ocean.
Mills Before Princes, Dukes, Lords,
and Every Other Rank OF
Aristocrats.
Champions From Jamas Flgg to
Wormald-Not In 1t With Our
John Il.

Fsnglish Champions From Jamas Fligg TO
Worlmald--Not In 1t with Our
John L.
The first champion OF England as recog-
hized by the literature OF the day was james
|Eigg, says'sPendragon" in the Buffalo News.
10 tried to popnlarize tho ring by opening
hn amphitheater in London and keeping the
patrons down to the respectable class.
1~ngiand's greatest fighters had The namesof
Pipes and Greetings. George Taylor fol-
Owed ia the line Of the British champions.
Next came Jack B%roughton, who stripped
boxing of much Of rough and tumble
~hatare. Broughton thoroughly revised the
ling rules, and vigorously prohibited
'gouging,o the scientific term for putting
Put the eye of an antagonist with the
numb; ''pnrling," which meant kicking a
hlan while he was down with nailed shoes;
striking in vital spots below the waistband,
md seizing a man when on his knees and
pounding him to death. All these ont
fageons practices were allowable before
.3roughton's advent to the head of the pro-
|~ession. These changes we're brought about
n 1743. Broughton held the championship
or half a generation. In 1861 he met a
ghter by the name Of Stack, who blinded
him in fourteen minutes and won the fight.
he duke Of Cumberland backed
sroughton and lost $4,000 on the fight.
n' line came Edward Runt, a pupil
+ Broughton, Bill Stevens, Bill
Darts, Harry Sellars, Stephen Oliver,
',,r TolT,on, " oyJ Ilnr llran HIS Hha
tdvent of Mendoza marked the beginning of
he second era of the prize ring. Like
%sroughton, Mendoza, a London Hebrew Of
Portuguese descent, was a good deal of a
eformer. He was we'll educated and en-
eavored in every way possible to refine and
umanize the contests of the ring. Pugil-
btic history says that he was a natural gen.
ls in the use of his fists, and it is believed
hat he was the most scientific boxer that
var lived.
Prize fighting at this period had risen to
he dignity Of being called 1.-THE old national
anne" OF England. From tho throne down
was fashionable to %patronize its profess
ors'and encourage the ~expounders OF the
cience. A fight between Humphreys and
lartin. the Bath butchers, in 1886, threw
he whole country into q state of the
Widest excitement. and when it came off
he prince of Wales, the duke of York,
he duke of Orleans, and q large
BIZ England were present. The inn
1Ensa sum for that day of 100000 hung
d the result. Martin was beaten. The
ext great fight was between Humphreys
No Mendoza. The match was 400 g~uineus,
md was fought OF a twenty-four foot
age in a paddock at Oldham, Jan. 8, 1888.
bio public interest in the contest was then
raatpr than in tina Martin fdht and IL wau
itnsssea by Mt least a quorm of the house
1 lords. Mendoza, owing to a slip OH the
snge, was beaten. They again fought the
blowing year. when Mendoza proved TO be
~ victor. slAatthird fight between them In
Ia0 established Mendoza'a complete super
prity.
John jackson. a ~woll-educated Londoner,
rs tho next champion. He fought his
Cht with Mendoza, the then champion, in
E95. This jackson won in the presence of
large crowd of English aristocracy in min
Punds and fifteen minutes The prince OF
Eales gave him a valuable ring for winning.
i.three years he resigned the champion
pip and left the ring for good Then in
purse of time came Tom Crib, who WAS
highlands most popular champion. In
BIO, when the Virginia negro Molineaux
emit to England to fight Crib, the whole
ritish country trembIed. The fight took
lace on Conthall common, Sussex. The
- oAiO tiAAS llcbAliNF WVlO I'LL Ss -lU Wtto !
desperate fight, ending in the de-
at of Molineaux. They met again
ept. 2S, 1911. In the ninth round
E~olineaux's jaw was broken by a blow
ON Crib, and in the eleventh he was
hooked senseless. The fight lasted twenty
f%inutes. One OF the famous fighters of
ngland was John Shaw, the life guards
an, who was killed at Waterloo. His
fputation 40 n fighter rested mainly on his
Efeat of Painter in Il hard contest at
ounslow heath in 1916. Painter had
eaten Tom SDrig, Cribs successor as
hampton, and had issued Il challenge to
ny man in England for the championship.
Us ordered to Belgium with his regiment.
is bravery there was SO remarkable that
r Walter Scott deemed il worthy of COM
emoration in both poetry and prose.
The next most important events in the
|inals of pugiiism were the three remarka-
o fights between Ben Count and Bill
thompson. better known rs "Bendigo."
he first battle took place in 1885 and tho
pc for the championship in 1916. Ten
tousana persons, it is said. we're present at
ia encounter. Commits championship belt
as exhibited. ''Bendigo'' put it on and
|fered to bet his rival that he could not
in il back. At the end. of two hours and
n minutes "Rendigo'' was declared the
inner. ''Bendieo," it is said, was edu-
ted for the ministry, and, after fighting
the great pugilists of his day, joined the
flurch and preached to the roughs and
|ughs of London, doing good work among
|cm. -
There was a ~terricle fight in 1s49 between
lays and Madden. They fought 1856 rounds.
uripg ak hours these bruisers stood up
bid pounded one another until a decision
bH ut last given i'll favor of Hays. The
hg was then and had been for years in
i'd repute. The champion. in 1s49 WAS
krler. Bill Perry, the ''Tipton slasher,"
aimed the honor in 1850. lie was beaten
1851 by Broomc, but Perry was again
hampton i'll 1852, owing to the refusal of
foome to tight and his final retirement.
The memorable fight between Heenan
Eyers took place at marlborough in 1860.
be colors of Heenan were the American
G, and those OF Sayers the English flag.
(ter the thirty. seventh round tho referee
III Ms post, when, according to the friends
| SsNels, Heenan was defeated; but Hee-
En's friends assert that the English cham
on was beaten. There were four moro
funds, after which the ring was broken.
\ IN the case of Iom Crib, England went
Id over sayers. and he was presented with
stimonials and money that made him
Pmparatiyely well off. Sayers retired from
Q ring after the fight. and the champion
|lp honors were borne in succession by
urst, Mace, King and Worfnaid.
The Russian budget.
i ussia's budget for 1871 called for n mill {