The record-union., 1891-02-18
SEVENTY-SiX ROUNDS.
NEEDHAM, THE CALIFORNIA VEL
TER-WEIGUT, DEFEATED.
a Long-Drawn-Ou Glove Contest at
nneapoliS-NcedhaIsi's Claims
Abandoned.
Special to the REcoRD-UN1oS.

MINNEAPoLIS, Feb. 17.-TwelVe hun
dred people gathered in the club rooms of
the Twin City Athletic Club tonight to
witness the much-talked-of fight between
the welter-weights, Danny Needham of
California and Tom Ryan of Chicago for
purse of 81, ,000-SSO0 to the winner. 1t
was under Queensberry rules, to finish.
Needham weighed in at 1874 pounds
and Ryan at 1892.
Charlie Keemmis and Australian Smith
were Needham's seconds, while Billy
Meyer and George Siddons acted for
Ryan. Joe ManniX was chosen referee.
Eour-ounce gloves We're used. There
had been much talk during the day about
Needham's hands being in bad shape,
and that he would fight with them in
plaster. The Ryan men strenuously OBJ
Jected to this, but the Directors of the
club, at a conference just before the fight,
to the surprise of everyone, allowed the
plaster to go.
The men entered the ring at 9:15. The
betting then was about even, and both ap-
peared i'll good condition.
when the men entered the ring the
question of plasters for Needham's hands
was not raised, as it had been decided to
abandon Needham's claims.
The first round ended in Needham's ia
vor, after sharp interchange of blows
with no harm done. Ryan then forced
the lighting, but Needham countered sue
cessfully, and so the fight went on for
round after round without any great ap-
parent damage on either side.
In the fifth round Ryan iabbed his left
into Needham's left eye, partly closing it,
and thereafter persistently tried to dis
able the other one, his tactics being evil
well guarded, however, and kept playing
for Ryan's wind
There was much sparring and MANY
good blows interchanged. They took
change at chasing each other, and Need
hams face began to show signs of pun
lshment, but both men were still pretty
fresh.
In the twenty-seventh round Ryan
rushed in right and left, getting in three
good blows and driving Needham against
the ropes. Needham at this time, and
for several rounds after, was not using
his right.
In the thirty-first Needham forced the
fighting, and in a clinch Ryan tried to
throw him. Needham received a hot right
hand smash which swelled his upper lip
In the thirty-tourth Ryan opened with
an awful right-hander which sent Need
ham to the ropes. The latter then began
using his right again freely, and there
was some vicious fighting.
In the thirty-fifth and thirty-sixth
rounds Ryan got in two more good
smaShes on Needham'S ribs, but without
doing much apparent harm.
Up to the thirty-seventh the fighting
was fast and furious, but ended in Ryan's
favor.
Needham's face showed evidence of Sc
we're punishment, but both men, aside
from that, appeared in good shape, and so
it went on. Many blows were exchanged.
without visible results, each taking turns
III rushing the other, till the fifty-second
round, when Ryan rushed Needham to
the ropes without effect. and narrowly es-
capped Knockout blow. and getting two
good smashes in the neck.
Up to this time the sporting men pro-
nounced the fight one of the most scien-
tific ever seen. Not a foul blow had been
hit, or claimed.
AT the end of the siXtieth round at 1:30
a. NJ, the referee announced that he un-
derstood the fight was to be to finish,
and that he would make the men fight it
out.
This stirred up the audience, and bets
of 500 to S75 that Ryan would win found
no takers.
The men resumed fighting with vigor.
Up to this time Ryan did not show a
mark of punishment.
At 2:20 A. NJ. President Harris, of the
Twin City Club, announced his intention
OF making the men fight TO finish. Up
to this time seventy-three rounds had
been fought, and the men simply walk
ing around each other.
In the seventy-fourth, Needham forced
the fighting, but did little damage He
got in smash on Ryan's face, and Ryan
returned 1t, almost securing a knock
down.
In the seventy-fifth round fighting was
hot and fast. and Ryan scored first blood.
The audience went wild. Desperate in
fighting followed.
In the seventy-sixth Ryan knocked
Needham down with his left. There was
clinch and Needham went down again.
Ryan then upper-cut right and left,
knocking Needham down repeatedly and
only the call of time saved him from be-
ing knocked out. As it was, he was car
ried to his corner in dazed condition.
Before time was called again his seconds
threw up the sponge. Ryan's admirers
went wild, and as the audience dispersed
they were hugging and tossing him.
Needham's friends, who had been ex-
ceedingly confident, are down-hearted.
Tommy Ryan is now the champion
welter-weight of the world,