Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-18
NEEDHAM BEATEN.
Tom Ryan, of Chicago, Wins a
Championship.
FIVE HOURS WORK IN THE RING.

Fire Exhibition of Fistic Skill That
Made the Spectators Tired Because It
Wasn't Sufficiently Cory The Van
quished Man Game to the Last, but
Lacking in Endurance-Neither Man
Much Hurt, and Blood Drawn Only
Once.
MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, Feb. 1S.-Patrons
of pugilistic events from Illinois, Michi-
gan, Wisconsin, and Indiana to a total of
over 2OO came in on yesterday mornings
trains from Chicago. On the same trains
there were no small number of substantial
looking business men and commercial
travellers whom mysterious and pressing
business had called to the Flour City, said
pressing business being to witness the
fight between Dan Needham and Tom Ry-
an, which took place at the Twin City
Athletic club last night. There were
about l,50O spectators present when the
men went into the ring The fight was
with four-ounce gloves. and at not more
than ITO pounds. Ryan weighed 139
and Needham 1917
Review of the Fight
At $50 p. M. the men toed the mark and
shook hands. From the lst round to the
9TH there was nothing done except a very
good exhibition of scientific sparring. only
one or two sharp blows being exchanged,
but in the 9TH the exchanges were heavier.
Ryan receiving a blow in the face and
Needham one in the body Blows were
exchanged after this round as follows:
In favor of Ryan-A heavy body blow and
two facers; two heavy blows on Need
hams ribs; heavy neck blow. In Need
hams favor-Two light body blows: a
ringing right handler on Ryan's ear;
heavy one on his face: and this closed the
10th round with an hour of fighting and
neither hurt much.
Going Hammer and longs
Little was done then until the 10Th,
when they went at each other for blood.
Needham got blows in the neck and left
eye, and Ryan fearful facer being
forced to the ropes. Ryan got a staggerer
in the ear in the Goth and one in the
stomach in the 2lst. There were heavy
exchanges in the oath, mostly in Rvan's
favor. The fighting was hot but light up
to the 3lst, when they both received tell
ing blows in neck and face, while Need
hams lip began to swell. In the 34th
Needham got blow on the Jaw that was
believed to have broken it, but his seconds
denied it, and both men were vigorous in
the next round.
The First Touchdown.
The fighting was lively for the next two
rounds, and Ryan was sent spinning to
the ropes once. He retaliated in the
oTth round with a blow that knocked
Needham off his feet fiat of his back. Both
men were groggy and SPARED for wind
for several rounds. 1t was 1921 a. IN.
when the 43d round began, and Needham
gave Ryan Highlander in the face, fol-
lowed by an upper cut. From then to the
51th round, it was the same old thing. and
the crowd yelled for blood. but none was
shed. Both men had badly swelled faces.
but they were seemingly in condition to
go on all night.
BULLETIN.-Ryan won the fight in the
10th round, after fighting hours and )
minutes
At the end of the 9th round, although
Needham'5 nose was swelled, also his
shins, and Ryan had a number of Jumps
on his face, not drop of blood had been
spilled. The spectators were raising a
pandemonium, calling on the men to fight,
but they did not begin in earnest until
the 18th round, when Ryan gave Needham
a hard facer. and another on the jaw that
sent him reeling to the ropes. In the 18th
both began fouling. Science and rules
were ignored, and it became regular
smuggling match with the advantage with
Ryan.
Needhan's Friends Give 1t Up.
Needham was pluck, however. to the
core. In the 10Th round he came ND
groggy, but game. Ryan let out right
and left and got home every time, draw
ing the frs blood of the fight. Needham
was driven to the ropes, but struggled to
the ceDter of the ring and was knocked
down; got up again, and again went down:
he came up again. to go down once more,
and still game was again sent to grass.
This time MS seconds took him to his
corner and threw up the sponge. Ryan
was carried out of the ring in triumph.
The fight ended at 2:35 a. m, lasting five
hours and five minutes, and Tommy is
welter-weight champion of the world.
The fight was one of the finest exhibitions
of scientific pugilism ever given any
where.