The Indianapolis journal., 1892-02-16
A TALK WITH THE SPORTS
Gallaher Relates "reminiscences AbOut
the Sullivan-M Mitchell Fight
lie Says II Was Not q Foot.Race as Reported
-Slavin Anxious to Meet Corbett-A Very
Rank Show Given at the Grand.
Yesterday afternoon q Journal reporter

Yesterday afternoon Q Journal reporter
dropped in at the Denison House and
made the acquaintance of the gentle
men Of the sporting party who ap-
peared at the Grand Opera-house last
night Fred Gallahcr. who insists that
the must be left out of his name.
and who accompanies the party, is a very
eminent sporting authority, and is here as
correspondent of the Sporting Life of
London. having arranged with that journal
to make two years tour Of the world for
the purpose of writing two letters a week
on his specialties. Il am to cover in par
ticular." said Mr.. Gallaher. this tour of
Slavin and Mitchell. / came over here
with them. We left London Dec. and
sailed from Liverpool for New York the
following day in the Britannica"
Mr.. Gallaher was asked to give q little of
his experience. "For twenty years." said
he. II was sporting editor of the Freeman's
Journal of Dublin. and afterward started
q paper in Crynnelen with f. Dwyer Gray.
then Lord Mayor of Dublin. 1t was o
penny weekly called Sport. subsequently
sold my interest and joined the editorial
staff of the Sporting Life of London.
Ireland is quite q fighting country. as per-
haps you have heard. Among other fistic
celebrities, have been interested in John
l.. Sullivan. Charles Mitchell. Frank B:
Ssavin, Jake KiIraln, Jem Smith and
Nuno Wallis lwho fought George Dixon in
the Pelican Club. / have also matched
Thomas L. Commit. the present American
champion, against the then champion. Il.
T.. Carter, to run two. four and six miles,
m a oh of VT iab ha or r. Gh
his transatlantic opponent"
As far back as 1876 Mr.. Gallaher was
secretary of the Irish Rifle team that shot
for the centennial prize at Creedmoor.
Irish athletic team, numbering fourteen
members. selected by public competition
from all the athletics of the Emerald Isle
This team competed with the Canadian
champions. at the Roseville grounds. To-
rontO, and won every event Ia which they
considered they had chance except one.
The failure In that case was owing to the
illness of ID. Bulger, who. as hundred
yards runner, subsequently held the En-
glish championship.
While thus interested in all athletics, IL
is to pugilism that Mr.. Gallaher gives his
best efforts as a correspondent, aud upon
which he Is always authority.
What do you consider the best prize
fight you ever eawW inquired the reporter.
Il give that place to the encounter be-
tween Charles Mitchell and the redoubta-
bic John l.. Sullivan, fought, not as you
Americans have been misinformed. at
Chantiliy. but at Apermont. which is some
twenty-five miles on the English side of
hours and eleven minutes, and resulted in
q shake hands draw. Incidentally, / may
mention that was one OF the three out of
forty-fve at the ring side who escaped the
Johnny Darms. My colleagues in safety on
that occasion were an American named
Raymond and Jack Ashton. Sui
livan's sparring partner whilst on
the the tour, .. OF ,,.hI,, this match ,, 1t
Sullivan. To explode that ldiotic theory l
will ask the readers of the Journal to map
out for themselves in their back garden q
twent -fOur-foot square. misnamed in tistic
circles "a rlng.' and they will then find that
If they put in the most adroit athlete they
will be able to catch him with body grips
almost ten times out of every ten attempts.
Two men facing up to tight must necessar-
lily be within this twcnty-f0ur square feet
of the earth's surface ana the runner-away
must either run backward or turn to run
forwards. No man can run backwards
with anything near the speed ut which his
pursuer will come on. Therefore the catch
ing would be mere matter of moments.
and very brief ones at that; Ii the runner
away elect to run forward. he would OF
necessity have to put down mis- hands, turn
on his heels and then make start. What
then would his antagonist be doing whilst
he was making this retreat! As Q matter
of fact Mitchell made a pretty fight, and
it was drawn battle.
Next to tho Sullivan-Mitchell fight /
would place in the catagory of ring sensa-
tioDs the knuckle-fght between Jem
Birmingham. This was fought at Maison
Lafitte. on the outskirts OF Paris. we'll
known training quarters and race-course.
Smith should have won very easily. but he
was treated in the most brutal manner. be-
ing kicked by the Birmingham toughs
whilst on the ground. The ropes were
finally cut to carry out their programme,
as they expressed it: Well get the fight,
win. tie or wrangle' Thomas Trew was
murdered at that fight He was we'll.
offering to bet extravagant odds on
Smith. 1t was while making this
offer that he was given blow by
one OF the Birmingham gang who had
glove. There was but one blow. and Trew
died next day at Paris hospital. The
next battle In Importance was between
Frank SlavIn ana Joe McAuliffe. the Pacific
slope giant. at the Ormand Club, Wal
worth. London. eighteen months AGO. At
the close of the second round. which was
very brief, McAuliffe lay in the ring help
less mass of tattered and battered human
Ity."
Mr.. Mitchell was one of convivial party
ton was asked Mr.. Gallaher il the Jolly
BIiton was not in danger. Not bit, not
bit," was the answer. He'll take good
sleep, and when he gets up he'll have an
lce-water bath-water with chunks of ice
In it-and after he is rubbed down you'll
take him for q piece Of marble. Mitchell
weighs 203 pounds now. When in condi-
tlon be will not weigh more than 40. he
was born in London of Irish parents. and
will be thirty-one on the I'd of November.
He is a sOn-in-law of the celebrated Pony
Moore. the pioneer of minstrelsy in Eng
land. Moore has been for TWEEN ty-seven
years on the one stage, that OF Moore
a Burgess minstIeis' St =. James, nasss
performed out of London. Mitchell is pro-
prietor of the Washington Music Hall.
Battersea q fashionable suburb of London.
ana is we'll fixed. He is also pro-
prietor of q ob-printing-w works at Clap
ham. Mitchell il q man of fair education,
and makes friends wherever he goes.
on Mardi Gras. March 2. under contract
with the Olympic Athletic Club to meet in
Knockout fights two unknowns, the club
asserting that it can produce two men who
will make good show. This will be on
the same night that Peter Naher and Bob
FitZsimmOns will box TO finish for Sl0,-
COO purse. 1t is on the Sd of March that
Slavin hopes TO meet Corbett."
Il was born." said Slavin. answering the
reporters inquiry. lat Maitland. New South
Wales, Australia, and was twenty-n nine
years old OH the 18th of January. / now
weigh 204 pounds. My height Is SIX feet
two, and my weight when in condition is
1SO. l have. as you see In the Associated
Press dispatches. sent challenge to Cor
bett. want to meet him. Let him come
to the OLYMPIC Club in New Orleans and
Pll knock HIM out in six rounds. His best