The record-union., 1892-09-08
Special to the RECoRD-UN1oN.

Special to the RECORD-UNIoN.
New ORLEANS, Sept THE laurel
has shifted. John L. Sullivan has had
some new sensations. So has James Cor
bett. One has been knocked off the pc
destal of the pugilistic championship,
and the other climbs into his place.
The California heavyweight, COrbett,
has knocked out the champion, John
Sullivan, and won, besides, some $35, 600.
And how it appears to the spectators-the
truth told-it seems as though COrbett
won easily. The impression left by the
rapid spectacle Is that Sullivan was at no
moment in the path of success, and physi-
cal evidences of this were apparent at the
finish.
What was Corbett, the winner, at the
moment of his victory? He was keen,
quick, alert in every round, unmarked
by bruise or blood. His face was aglow
with steady interest. His face wore half
smile, and he was ready to attack his foe
with ferocious force had his foe been able
to rise These were the conditions of
victory.
Sullivan was rocking with blood,
smashed, bruised, jellied, and nearly, if
evidences of defeat, and it was when these
had been established that the laurels
shifted, and a new man had been born
into the championship.
Why was Sullivan dethroned? He him
self had contributed to the causes of his
own downfall. Had his life had no excess
Sullivan would have been able to fight
the struggle more effectively to retain his
prestige. He is not relatively so good a
man at 81 as hundreds of other men at
that age. His face is furrowed, not alone
by years, but by the methods Of his liv-
ing. His ponderous body, too, bore trace
not alone of time, but of easy living. His
condition was not comparable with that
Of his foe. 1t could not be. There was
an accumulation of age and wide freedom
which could not be trained away without
impairing the man.
Sullivan, too, had been overconfident.
He had been contemptuous of the need
full measures for his perfect condition.
He was Sullivan, and Sullivan could not
lose in battle.
Corbett has taught him otherwise. and
now starting with eight years less OF
life's inevitable wear he had conserved
his powers, perfected the methods of their
use. charging his heart meanwhile, con-
fident he would become king of his kind.
His was the capital of Drawn and muscle
upon which to build up fortune of vic
tory and reputation.
1t may not be carelessly said that Cor
bett, at 20 years of age, is a better man
than Sullivan was at that age; but assum-
ing that they were equally good men al
equal ages, an analysis of this victory
comes back to the fact that while some
men of 81 may whip some men of Sc, the
elder man being the victor, must not have
added his own methods of DETECTION tc
those which silent years so surely en-
ploy.
Sullivan came forward tonight into the
glare of twenty electric lights, his senses
fed by the shouts of those who will flount
him now. The majority believed in him
Why should not a champion believe il
himself? So, while they yelled with
worshiping plaudits, he sat down in his
corner, and with easy interest scanned
the powerful fellow opposite.
Somehow there is a HOMAGE in the
eager attention trainers bestow upon
kLelI GudIDI anu Tonight While Sulll-
van enjoyed this, his heavy form sagped
down as he sat waiting for the prelimi.
naries. Those who scanned him CLOSELY
saw the welts of flesh on his abdomen
rolling far over the edge of his firmly
drawn belt. 1t should not have been
obesity of age, for the man tonight
should be in the prime of his years. Was
il the distention surely following wine
suppers and hot dinners of rich foodsi
Who shall say?
While sitting thus under the eyes o
hundreds, whose scrutiny was sharpene6
by their money on the result, Sullivan
was in turn studying his foe, and wha
did he see? In the opposite corner, ou
OF which all victors in the Olympic Clut
have gone to victory, there sat beautiful
specimen of human flesh and bone Sui
ilvan saw smiling and. confident face
lie saw neck that had poise and
strength. He saw chest that was deer
enough to hold a pair of bellows
lie saw pair of Drowned shoulders
where piles OF muscles crept and glideG