The Indianapolis journal., 1893-03-09
RECORDS OF THE PUGILIsTs.

Former Battles Won and Lost by Robert
Fitzsimmons and James Hall
Robert Fitzsimmcns was born in Corn
wall. England. June 4, 1862. lie was taken
to New Zealand while still very young, and
remained there until he crossed the Pacific
ocean. landing in California. He served
his apprenticeship In o blacksmith shop.
ana was, An expert in horseshoeing before
he became known as q boxer When Her
bert Slsde. the Maori. was touring through
New Zealand Fitzsimmons was in
duced to spar with him. The re-
suit was q startling surprise. not
only to Slade but to Fitzsimmons
himself. for the slender-looking blacksmith
knocked out the giant in three rounds.
FItzsimmons met Jim Crawford, another
heavyweight. and bested him In three
rounds. FitzsimmODs next defeated jim
Slavin, brother or Frank SlavIn. Next
came FItzsimmonss meeting with Hall.
Fitzsimmons claims thar In their first meet
ing he defeated Hall in five rounds. and
that in the second, by a precon-
cooted arrangement. Fitzsimmons
test of three and bali rounds.
Hall contends that his contest was q bona
tide tight on it's merits, but Fitzslmmons
insists that he agreed TO 20 out" The
the battle with Starlight" the colored
Australian middle weight. Fitzsmmons
succeeded In knocking him out in nine
rounds.
At Jem Mace's boxing tournament In New
Zealand. In 1880, FitZsimmons won first
prize by knocking ont four men in one
night. In the following year, 1881,
FitZsImmOns knocked out five men
In one night. Later be met Cooper ana
won in four rounds; defeated Murphy
in nur dc Drin in, fyyn
Greentree In four rounds. Randall in four
rounds Fay ar, Conway and Ellis in three
rounds each, Ellis being u heavyweight,
and Professor West, another big man. IN
four rounds. Fitzsimmons's first fight this
side of the Rockies was with Arthur Up
ham, before the Audobon Athletic Club In
this city. whom he defeated as he pleased.
He next defeated Jack Dempsey before the
class and defeated Maher before the same
club.
James Hall was born in Sydney. n. S. W.,
July 81. 1868 After leaving school he
served an apprenticeship at the piastering
trade. but this lasted less than a year. His
first fight was with George White at
Botany. Hall weighed $50 pounds and
White 1S2. Hall won In seven minutes
His next battle was with starlight"
which Hall won In twenty-five rounds
Hall next met Jack Slavin and defeated
him In six rounds. Then he beat Jack NAL
lery In SIX rounds and Jim Nolan, weighing
1y5 pounds, In eight rounds. He then under
took TO stop PablOfanque In twelve rounds
and accom- plished 1t in four. His next bat
tie was with Jim Fogarty. the law
breaker" and Hall claims that he had the
better of the battle. which lasted fourteen
rounds. He defeated Peter Bolan in six
teen rounds aud soon after this came his
fight with Fitzsimnons who lost In three
and q half rounds He next defeated Eddie
Walsh In five rounds. and Herbert Goddard
in four rounds. All these battles took place
in Sydney.
His next appearance was at Broken Hill.
where he was matched against Owen Sui
livan. giving away twenty-six pounds. In
| this fight Hall suffered his first defeat. Sui
| livan won in the eleventh round. Hall
| tried TO secure a return match with his
| conqueror, but failed TO do so. He stopped
| Tut Ryan, Dan Creed0n and Harry Mace.
THE Dummy" inside of eight rounds
| feat with Peter Bclan. on account
| of the lstter's continuous clinching.
| He challenged Joe Goddard to
an eight-ronnd contest, but the match
was not made. The story OF Hairs career
| in this country has been given in detail IN
| connection with the relation of the circum-
| stances leading up TO his fight and In FitZ-
simmons's record. and about all that re-
mains TO be told of him is bis victory over
| Ted Pritchard. the English middle weight.
In weight. height and reach Hall had
| some advantage over FitZsmmons. and
! the more cool headed of his hackers esti-
mated that these advantages would enable
bin to win with q man " no Is recognized
| as phenOmenallv clever and fast lighter.
Corbstt Bet Hall.
| KANSAS CITY. No., NJ arch 6-Champior
| James j. Corbett was interviewed after
| the Fitzsimmons- Hall fight and asked
| for his opinion on it. Said
| he: 1t is the greatest middle
weight fight which ever took place in
| this country and Fitzslmmons is undoubt
/ Adlv fha greatest middle weight In The