The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-08-27
EVENTS IN SPORT.

| Sullivan and CorbetJ are in Good Condition
| tor the Great Contest.
! There are only few days between the
event which will be Waterloo to John
l.. Sullivan or the browning glory of his
career. Considering his age-nearly 81
years-the hot pace he has run for the
last Is years, aud the natural effect of
approaching middle age upon his magni-
ficent physique. he is in fine condition.
He lacks the elasticity which is an in
sepsrsble part of youthfulness. still he
skips rope with the agility of q young
girl. Judging from the care be takes Of
himself and his obedience to his trainer
he fully appreciates the necessity of be-
ing in the pink of condition, although
his naive assurance naturally leads him
to assume that he has got the ''softest
thing in his history" as some of his sun
guine admirers are in the habit of ex-
pressing it.
! The champions stay at Good Ground
has been one continual round of adula-
tlon. That portion Of Long Island has
never had Sc great lion to admire
Never has he appeared upon the piazza
| but what from fifty to one hundred pair
Of eyes were fastened upon him. The
champion has become so much accus-
toned to this adulation that he is sur
| fc; T-1r ~
! than the ordinary Importance he pays no
attention to the many sight-seers who
come to soc him. Besides John T.. Sui
livan cannot by the greatest stretch of
fancy be called good humored man.
His personality is such that most men
staud in fear of him. Even his express
sions of playfulness are apt to inhict
physical pain upon the recipient. Yet
thousands Of persons pay exorbitant
railroad fares and put themselves to
great personal inconvenience to see the
strong boy from Boston and would pay
almost any price to enjoy the bliss Of
shaking his hand. But only very few
enjoy this privilege. TO the ladies, how
ever, he is courtesy itself. No reason
able request made by one of them re-
mains unfulflled.
One popularity about the visitors here
is that they are nearly all big men. The
more avordupois man has, the more
admiration be seems to feel for Sullivan.
! At the present time there are at least q
! dozen men around the inn who weigh
| 200 or thereabouts. It would he hard to
analyze the motives Of these big men in
coming here, but it is undoubtedly for
| the purpose of comparing the big fellow
with themselves, with the idea Of learn
ing where the disparity exists. AS rule
! Sullivan is morose. 1t is only at ex-
! ceptioDal times that he becomes good
humored. But it is wonder that he is
| good humored at all, considering the
petty annoyances to which he is sub
jected in the way of impudent question
ing. r.
Here it is that Phil Casey gets in his
fine work. He acts as minister pleni-
potentiary between the crowds and the
pugilistic hero. The women always ap-
peal to Mr.. Casey to secure them an in
PRODUCTION to the champion. In his mo-
ments of leisure Mr.. Casey is very in
teresting talker. He frequently sits on
the piazza and delivers little impromptu
lectures on training. His points are al
ways illustrated by story. Casey re-
sorts to all sorts of expedients to keep
up the courage of the champion while he
is wading through the sand on the hot
dusty road, For several evenings during
the past week there have been concerts
on the piazza. John has occasionally
joined in with few discords which have
been respectfully and even admiringly
listened to and applauded heartily.
Casey IS not making any effort to
bring the champion down in weight. II
was his intention TO reduce him to zoo
pounds, but he has given up the idea and
is satisfied to keep him as near to his
fighting weight as possible. Johns fight
ing shoes have arrived. They are made
of kangaroo skin and weigh but SIX
ounces apiece. When worn in the ring
they will be tied with a waxed end.
| CoRBETT.
Within the past week or two Corbett
has shifted the course of his training and
has buckled down to steady, hard labor.
A few days ago Jim DAILY, his heavy
weight boxer and training partner, and
John McVay, the huge Philadelphia
wrestler, took his place. The reason
of this change was no weakening on the
part of DAILY, but Corbett's desire to
handle man whose weight would be
more equal to that of the Dig Bostonian.
This change has greatly increased the
severity Of the training, as it requires
far more muscle to handle McVay's 90
pounds than Days 1856.
/ Your correspondent was with Corbett