Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-17
snEEDY TALKS ABOUT FIGHTERS.
Why Corbett VIII Never Take Sulli vans
Place-The Management of Pugiiists.

Why Corbett VIII Never Take Suni vans
Piace-The Management of Pugilists.
Special Correspondents of The Evening Star
New YORK, September le, 1891.
IF should whip John L. Sullivan do you
think that could ever take his place in the
hearts of the American people?"
Corbett, now champion Of the world, put
that question to Pat sheedy some weeks before
the great battle, and the latter replied:
"NeverI'
OF course Corbett asked why and Sheedy ex-
plained his reasons. Sheedy. as everybody
knows, quarreled long ago with Sullivan and
they do not speak. But that fact has not altered
Sheedy's opinion of sullivan particle. as was
evident from some remarks he made yesterday.
Said he,
'Noprize fighter ever had such place in the
affectirns Of the people as Sullivan has occu-
pied. They have bestowed plenty of abuse
upon him, but if any other pugilist popped up
and claimed to be champion of the world they
threw eggs at him. They were fond of him
without knowing why. But | can tell Won the
reason. 1t was because.Sullivan is and always
has been a square man. u
Sullivan has done a great deal that is bad.
He has been something of a brute and he has
squandered his substance in drink and riotous
living. In fact there is not much that il good
TO be said about him. except that one thing
which covers a multitude of sins-that he was
honest and square through and through. No
body ever knew him to do anything tricky or
underhand.
Nobody knows John L. Sullivan better than
have known him, and give you my word -
here Mr.. Sheedy let fall ponderous fist upon
the table-''that $40, 100000 in cash would not
have induced him TO throw the fight to Corbett.
If any one had offered him that sum on sach
hp how f,,l A
that has been alleged truthfully or otherwise
against him is outweighed by that one fact, that
he was square man.
What other prize fighter ia there living to-
day of whom ;he same thing can be said-that
he never faxed or did tricky thing? Just one,
and that is all. Jack Dempsey is that one. and
he is as popular at this moment as he was before
he was defeated. All the rest of them have been
caught at one time or another in some taking
Corbett is no exception. Did he not himself
confess that he promised Lannon not to punch
him In the stomach when they met at the Mad
ison Square Garden?
That is the reason why 'Corbett will never
take Suliivan's place in the hearts of the
American people. l told him SO to his face
Imagine, if you can, john l.. Sulliyan's promis-
ing not to punch anybody in the stomach. If
anybody had suggested such a thing to him he
would have said in his gruf and brusque way
Come near me and Ill knock yer dead That
is his STYLE
Il never had any serious disagreeableness
with Sullivan. He is good fellow and per-
tectly easy to manage when not in his cups. When
L undertook to he his manager had a verbal
agreement with him to the effect tina: so long
as he behaved himself and drank nothing
would take charge of his interests. For a
whole year he never looked inside glass Of
liquor, and we made a pot of money. Then he
violated the contract by tackling John Barley
corn and dropped him. Bad advisers in
duced him to use offensive language about me.
which dissolved our acquaintance. but he saws
himself to this day that l was the best friend
he ever had. My feelings toward him are per-
fectly kindly.
Il did not go into the business of managing
prize lighters for sport or amusement. 1t was
business with me, like keeping a grocery shop.
There Is no fun in that sort of thing to NV no
ton. Professional pugilists are certainly not
interesting or desirable company. The man
agement OF them is very like keeping a now of
Wild animals. III they get unruly the only
thing to do is 10 let them 90.
The public al large confuses the managers
of prize fighters with their backers 1t Is not
usual for a manager to put up any money on
his particular wild animal Somebody else
does that-as n rule, some saloon keeper or
other sportlve person who Is anxious 20 secure
advertising or to make himself famous Per-
sons of that desert ption are satisfied TO put up
their money for glory, expecting no return.
recover their stake; II he is whipped. their cash
Is gone. In no case do they win anything
That Is not what call business.
brains are the most important part of prize
lighting. 1t Is customary FOR the pugiist and
his manager to divide all the money that is
earned, on exhibitions and otherwise. after ex-
penses have been paid. / used to go halves.
cent for cent, with Sullivan when looked ont
for his interests. But there is everything in
the know how of the business. and tighter can
better afford TO give IS per cent OF the receipts
to q good manager than % per cent to poor
one. One principle that / followed was that
half dozen lines il a newspaper we're wor h
tons OF circular and posters and that il the
way did my advertising. Usually the man
ager and the fighter divide all purses and stakes
won, Us well as Other moneys. BY far the great
est pugili>tic manager living today is parson
Davies He never backs q man whom he has in
charge.
~ here has been great change in the prize
fighting business within the last few wears. The
money to be Tough. for. instead Of being pat up
by private individuals or by sporting news
papers. as formerly, is getting to be customarily
suppiied by clubs. Of course there sporting
clubs, like the Olympic Club of New Orleans. are
not organized for the purpose of amusement or
to stimulate the interests of athletics. They
are formed and incorporated with no Other
object than to make money. like any other bust
ness concern. L would like to remark that the
man among oil the prize fighters of today who
has the most brains Is the negro. Peter Jackson
You never hear any brag from him about the
stuf1ing he is going to knock out of the other