Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-28
AREv|EW OF SPORTS,
Extraordinary Interest in the
Coming Battle Down at
New Orleans.
ALL RECORDS ARE BROKEN.
Passing Notices of the Contest Be-
tween Sullivan and Corbett.
THE HALL AND PRITCHARD FIGHT.
Affairs of the Local Baseball Club and Mark
Raldwins Release.
ALL RECORDS ARE BROKEN.
TIE HALL AND PRITCHARD FIGHT.
EXCITING RACE FOR THE PENNLNT

Beyond all question the proverbial oldes
inhabitant is downed for once. He or no
body else can remember when pugilism o
boxing was at such popular pitch as it il
now. Such a condition of things has no
been known since the DAYS of Figg. Ever
days when pugilsm was in its glory in Eng
land when royalty, aristocracy, leading
statesmen and prominent literary men were
its patrons, pale in comparison with thu
general interest, may saw excitement, in
the coming big contests at New Orleans
What an enormous amount of money
there will be changed from one person to
another relative to these battles If we hao
any way of estimating the amount of money
there would be bet on these battles, the
money paid to see them including expenses,
ETC.; the money expended by the Olympic
Club; the money paid out in preparing the
contestants, what an extraordinary total we
would have. The figures would likely send
some economists and moral1sts to q lunatic
asylum.
And there have been more important bat
ties before than any one that is to take
place next month, but 1 dare say that all
the previous battles in the history of the
ring put together did not have half the
amount of advertising the trio of contests
to take place at New Orleans have had.
And all because Sullivan is going to fight
Corbett. Most assuredly we would have
heard little about the Dixon and Skeely
affair, or the Meyer and McAulife contest
if the two hesvy-weights had not been on
the list
Asa r.snlt .or,a o.o,1o will ,,,Ia q for
tune, and the managers of Sullivan and
Corbett are not idle. Tney mean to take ad-
vantage OF the pages and pages OF news
paper articles that have been spread broad
cast among the public. Benefits for the
pugilists have been arranged to take place
before the battle. This, of course, is a new
feature, but it is a monev-making method,
and to get money is the only aim of those
theatrical people and sporting spectators
who have OF late identified themselves with
modern pugilism. Depend upon it that it
will be barren heath, indeed, if these man.
ayers do not get something. The winners
of the big contest will be easily in way to
make fortune in year simply because of
the way in which the contest and the prin-
cipals have been advertized. Surely this is
q remarkable country.
Biting on the BIG Battle.
During the week Just ended there has
been comparatively little money bet in the
Sullivan and Corbett contest. There has
been any amonnt of talk about betting, but
there has really been little done. As far as
1 have been able to judge there is an ab-
sence of Corbett money. There are very
large number of people who would like to
see CorDett win aud who really think he
will defeat Sullivan, but who do not care
to bet on The result They are afraid of the
big mans right hand.
Then again the hackers of Sullivan are
not disposed to bet big odds; by big odds 1
mean 2 to l or to 4, because wnen there
are only two contestants that is big odds.
If the Sullivan followers would come out
with offers OF 2 to l on their champion there
would be some lively betting, and taking
everything into consideration hackers of
Corbett ought to expect something like 2
to for their money. The latest reports
sent out from the Sullivan camp stale that
John L. was never better in his lie, and
that he cannot possibly lose erc Ii assur-
ances OF tnis kind do not enthuse the ad-
mirers of the champion L don't know what
will
But despite all the statements to the con-
trary do not believe that Sullivan is in as
good condition as he ever was Nor do |
think he Is anywhere near it. / also be-
lieve that lie need not be in as coed condi-
tion as he ever was to defeat Corbett, if he
Sullivan, displays any judgment at all in
their contest. 1t is absolute nonsense to
talk about a man like Sullivan being in
hrst-class condition and weighing 212 or
pa pounds. The thing is prepostrous, and
those who send out such reports from head
quarters are either out and out falslfiers or
fools.
When all the clans get gathered together
at New Orleans l expect that Sullivan will
be very strong iavorite. While the West
erners are anxious to hail Corbett as the
winner and are booming him up every day,
they do not seem to have very largeamount
of money to invest.
Corbett continues to be in frst-class oon-
dition and according to his latest talk he
does not expect to be punished by John. In
this he may be wrong
someth .ng Alb out the Little FelIows,
There is much that is interesting being
overlooked regarding the Dixon and SkellV
and McAuiitie and Mver battles, because of
the more important affair. During the last
few DAYS there have been any amount of
stories In circulation about McAuliffe dis
sipatlng. There may be truth in the report
and there may not 1 would not be sur
prised ii there was some truth in them. but
I want to state that ii McAuliffe is mol tax
ing care of himself, and the utmost care, he
will be defeated. Last week when l ex-
pressed the opinion that he would defeat
Myer Is was on the full understanding that
he was lit and we'll. AT his best he has
nothing like an easy task to defeat Myer,
and now, assuredly, if he has been neglect
ing his training he will not win. Before |
Investing on the contest the most careful |
inquiries should be made about McAuliffe. |
My information is to the AFFECT that he is all |
right, but, OF course, that information may |
not be altogether correct
1 anticipate that with both men all right |
the McAuliffe and Myer contest will be the |
best of the three II will likely be the |
longest OF the three as lar as fighting goes.
CorDett and Sullivan may be in the ring
longer, but they will not probably fight rs
much as the Two light-weigh.s.
There ls little interest in the feather
weights as SO many people think that Dixon
has walkover, the unexpected often hap
pens in the hstic arena and of course it is
possible for it to happen in the Dixon and
Skelly contest 1 don't think it will aud
on public form one would think il impossi-
BILE
1t was a surprise to me when a match was
made between Dixon and Skelly because
there were such good and tried men ready
80 meet Dixon, notably Johnny Murphy.
o,=e other day Paddy Mcbride has this to
say about the matter in a conversation with
me:
1.-The man behind Skelly knows nothing
about fighting, but ne has plenty of money.
He put up Skelly's 5000 and the Olympic |
Club wanted fight Dixon evidently |
understood somebody's wink and agreed to |
fight Sicily. Dixon was all right because
ne is alter easier things than fighting MUIR |
ply and 1 don't think he'll fight Murphy |
Tor very long time.
Mcistids's weeping Challenge.
The challence of Paddy McRride srhinh