Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-06
AREV|EW OF SPORTS,
Opinions About the Fitzsimmons and
Maher Battle Before and
Alter the Event.
MIR. NAEERISAVEIYBADARTIC
Two fugilists Who Are Likely to Defeat the
Tall foung Nan From
Australia.
HOI1GS CT BASEBALL MIGNATES.
MR.. NAHERIS VERY BADARTICLE
lOIIGS CT BASEBALL MlGNATES.
Excellent Prospects for q Busy Season Among the
Local Amateur Athletes

weeks there has been in sporting circles for
very long time. There has been lots to
talk about, even though the subject matter
has rot been of first-class kind. A pugi-
list bubble has been exploded and the pub
lie generally are now convinced that Peter
Maher is not a second Sullivan The form
er's defeat by Fitzsimmons "Wednesday
evening simply means that there never was
a man more falsely pulled up than Mr.
Maher was, and il was also another proof of
the scheming or pugilistic- managers" to
get public money either by hook or by
crook.
Readers ofthese reviews know the position
/ have all along taken regarding Maher and
results have proven TO the letter that / was
right in nv Judgment. This is not mere
case of 81 told you So" To prove what l
am now saving is correct, ] reprint what 1
said last Sunday:
but no matter how easily Maher may have
stepped to prominence, the fact remains
that he is to meet Fitzsimmons next Wednes-
day evening The question Is what will he
do? 4 correct answer to that l. what we
want, and I suppose is what we'll not get
until Wednesdays confess is over. Three
weeks ago ! had much to say as to the proba
ple outcome of the contesi. At that time
was inclined toward the chances of FitZsim-
mons, and after thinking everything over as
carefully as ] can am still so inclined. 1t is
quite true that many of the ablest judges of
pugilistic matters think otherwise. but de-
spite that fact cannot avoid the conviction
that Maher does not know sufficient about
fighting to.deteat the very active and tricky
Australian. If the contest was going to be
one IN which Maher could always be within
reach Of FitzsinlE1ons the Irish champion
couldn't we'll lose.
But what l rely on most is the fact OF Fitz-
simmons activity. We know that he is a
very clever fellow and has good Judgment.
He displayed both against Dempsey, and we
also know that many very clever men often
tried to corner Dempsey and couldn't. FitZ-
summons did it III very short order Well,
then, II the Australian brings into play his
cleverness Maher may be bothered much
more than he is anticipating. His ca1cula-
tions may be all upset. and when this is the
case in prize rins the disappointed man
very often gets ''muddled." L have seen it
happen often. If this difficulty should over
take Mahel he will be beaten. Regarding
the respective weights of the men / have
little to say because ! do not think that the
difference is of very much importance. If
the Australian is in good condition at the
weight he will fight at he should be heavy
enough to tackle anybody.
But Maher may be a wonder and If he is
my selection will he wrong. If he is as
clever as Fitzsimmons i will be mistaken.
The trouble is that VIC don't know sufficient
belief that he is noE class enough to cope
with EitZsimmons.
Features of the Fight.
Now, trust, that after reading the fore
going those who know everything about
ANYTHING will be fair enough this time to
give me credit for the current forecast made
in this paper.
There was never more disappointing
contest than that between Maher and Fitz-
simmons and lack of expert ence was the
rock on which Maher was wrecked. A
fighter is not made frst-class in a year and
it was very foolish for anybody to think
that Maheg would be the equal of Fitzsim
mons in cleverness. Doubtless Maher
would show to great advantage when pitted
against such inferior men as Fallon and
Sailor Brown. The comparison was
so much in his favor that a
very large number Of people really came to
the conclusion that he was great man. But
the false notion of his cleverness was soon
apparent when he faced something like a
first rater. OF course as L have always
pointed out he was nowhere as boxer when
he met Peter jackson, and some of his big
oted friends were very, very wrathy when
said that on Wednesday evening Maher
would have been all right if he had known
as much about boxing as Fitzsimmons But
Opinions regarding the contest differ ma
terially. Some people think it was good
one and some people otherwise. 1 think it
was a very bad one and after reading the
various accounts of il. / cannot in any shape
or form see where it was anything else but
had. Billy Meyer, who had high opinion
of Maher before the battle, says the contest
was settled in the first round. There is a
deal of truth in this because Fitzsimmons
found out Just what Maher was and what he
could do and wanted to do. Instead of
making a waiting fight of it as many
thought he would do Fitzsimmon9 at once
went at his mar and tha. fact had much to
do with the discontinue of the Irish cham
pion. lie became discouraged and every
time he made u miss his dlscouragement in
creased.
But Maher's greatest defect is lack of
pluck. Although he could not have won the
contest, he quit when he WAS in tolerably
good condition, and that is not the quality
found in good pugillsts. Irue 1t is claimed,
that Mahers mouth and nose were bleeding
so much that he could hardly breathe. But
that would not have stopped really game
man.
Some of Maher's friends also claim that he
was not in good condition An excuse of
this kind il almost always made in behalf of
n defeated man, but IN this instance IL docs
not amount TO much, because Maher was
beaten so quickly. Altogether, the features
OF the battle prove Maher to be q very poor
man indeed.
Not Much Glory for Fitz.
In nv estimation T Fitzsimmons has earned
little glory in defeating Maher. 1t seems
that his performance in defeating Dempsey
was much more creditable than his victory
OF Wednesday evening The Australians
latest victory does not make him any better,
but it makes Maher much worse. There are
many men who could have defeated Maher
Just as easily as Fitzsimmons did. But the
contest certainly added proof to the fact
that FitZsinmons can use both hands, and a
two-handed pugilist is always dangerous
man.
But while Maher was badly beaten it does
not follow that he will never be a good man.
With experience he may become very much
better. Ned o Baldwin, L think, made a
miserable show when he first started to fight,
but he persevered and, as all know, became
one of the best men there has been OF
course there is little lear of Maher becoming
as good man as o'Baldwin was, but can.
not help thinking ne viii become better
than he is.
WHO Fitzs1mmons' next opponent will be
is an interesting question. There are two
men vino are willing to meet him and they
have an excellent chance OF defeating him.
mean Jim Hall and Ted Pritchard. 1 think
Han is sure TO defeat Fitzsimmois if ever
thcv meet, but they are not likely to Tor q
iong time.
The Scheming Managers.
Itis very safe to say tina. William Madden
did extremely well financially on the con.
tes.. although his man lost. 1t is plain to
me that men like Mitchell, Slavin and Mad
den knew very well that Maher couldn'i
win, ai.nough they talked quite different
publ w. and don't hesitate to say that no
reliarce c:.n be pIaced on these "managers. v
NJ. dGen has doomed up Ma her IN the mos,
questionable way and has completely gulled
the public.