The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-11-20
IN SPORTING CIRCLES.
The Su|Ilvan-ConIey Contest Did
Not Take Place After All.
WILL Be SETTLED TONIGHT.
Comparison of tho Giant Teams which
viii Battle for Supremacy at Spring
field To-morrow-Grifn Defeats Lar
kin-Big Double scun Race Arranged.

Will Battle for Supremacy at Spring
field To-morrow-Grimn Defeats Lar
kin-Big Double scuIl Race Arranged.
carry. To this the Rhode Island Athletic
Club can bear testimony, for the glove
contest between John A. Sullivan and
Eddie Conley did not take place last even
ing as per agreement and the sports were
sad In consequence. AT the last minute
difficulty which nobody had anticipated
arose; the lessee of Dyer's Opera House
got feint at heart and refused TO let the
club have the hall, fearing that II law
suits followed he might be included in
them. 1t was not until two hours
before the contest was to take place that
he announced his intention to the club
and then there was CONSERVATION. The
club was bound TO bring the event oil III
the thing was possible and the members
scattered in different directions in search
of hall. The Temperance Cadets have a
lease of Woods Hall and they gave their
consent TO the contest taking place there.
AS a fair is being held in this hall 1t would
necessitate wait until 1890 O'Clock before
the club could have the hall, but they CON
sented TO this and everything
looked serene again. Then another
stumbling block was rolled in the
path of the club. Mr.. Wood, owner of
the hall, was informed by somebody that
a prize fight" was TO take place in the
building, and he then took a hand in the
matter himself. He went inside the hall,
locked the doors on the inside and re-
manned on guard over his property during
the night That was the last straw.
There was nowhere for the club to turn
then unless they went down the road"
and they were opposed to this course, so
the contest was declared "off" for the
time being. 1t will occur in private to-
night. Where?
The Yale team put in its last afternoons
practice before the great game yesterday.
They go to Springfield to-day. The Yale
students were betting SO to 81 on their
team yesterday, but after putting up $500
at these odds the Harvard men tied up
their purse strings and refused TO bet any
more unless greater odds were given.
The Harvard team leaves for Springfield
to-day at 4 o'clock.
IL will probably he the greatest game in
the history of the sport in this country
and will be witnessed by lovers of athletics
from all parts of the union. Providence
will be well represented by about fifty of
the young men about town, part of whom
left to-day and the rest go tomorrow
morning.
A double scull match was arranged last
night between Hanlan and O'Connor and
Hosmer and Teemer, the race to be rowed
next May or June at Toronto, and for a
stake of 81 900 side. The distance will
be three miles with turn.
Johnny Griffin won the featherweight
championship of America and the $500
purse, by defeating Jimmy Larkin at the
Olympic club. New Orleans, in four
rounds last night. The contest was fast
and furious while it lasted. Larkin was
practically defeated in the second round
but managed to stay it out for another
round and part of the fourth. The hard
hitting Braintree man was too fast for
Larkin and in the fourth he was obliged
to succumb to the inevitable and afler be-
ing sent down twice was counted out on
the last time down. Griffin weighed
l2lh and was seconded by Jimmy Carroll
the lightweight and Jim Robinson. Lar
kin weighed grain over the limit, 122
pounds and had the advantage in height
and reach. He was looked after by John
McMurray and John Glynn.
All TINT is necessary to make the match
between Pete jackson and Frank Slavin
complete is Jackson's signature to the ar
ticles of agreement. The London Ma
tional Club, which offers the 10000 purse,
has agreed to allow $3.50 for expenses that
he held out for. The club cabled Capt.
Cook of Boston yesterday that Slavin had
already signed the agreement and it
would be sent To him at once for Jack
sons signature. jackson will sign as
soon as the articles arrive. The match is
down for June and Jackson, who is now
in San Francisco, will start east about
na. 4 ond t,i vo on hi hitinns I'm tbic rt of
the country before sailing for Europe.
When we look back at the base ball sea.
son just ended. and note the men who
have distinguished themselves, IL will be
seen that they were almost all short men,
and In fact. that the short, stocky man is
beginning to predominate In base ball
nowadays. Formerly q ball player, like a
policeman, was selected as much on ac-
count OF his physique as for his ability
on the diamond. In fact. an impress
sion prevailed not many years ago that
small-sized man had no business
trying to play ball, and the remark
was frequently heard regarding some new
aspirput for fame on the diamond: He
plays we'll, but he's too small" This has
all changed, and to-day the majority OF
baseball players are short, stout. and
even squatty. So marked In this respect
Is the Cleveland team that it travels
around the country weighted down with
the nickname of "Dumplings." Second
Baseman Childs is veritable human
dumping, and, with the exception OF
Young and Zimmer. the team Is composed
OF short, stocky men.
Ever since baseball has been played, the
opinion has been held that tall man on
first base was an absolute necessity. His
ability to reach high for thrown balls was
the chief ground for the claim, and so up
to the present time a tall man Is usually
found on first base. The theory that a
six-footer is an absolute necessity on first
base has, however, incurred rude shock
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