The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-09
Landed a Tremendous Right Swing on
Halls Jaw in the Fourth Round.
The Lanky Blacksmith Watched for an 0p.
portuni,y to Take His Opponent Unawaras
aud Succeeded Better than He Expected.
Fitzsimmons Middle Weight Champion
and Possessor of a Big Fortune
The Fight Described BY Sports as One o. The
Best They Ever Witnessed-The Victor Now
an American-Records of the Gladiator.
FOUGHT FOR BIG STAKES.

FOUGHT FOR BIG STAKES
Fitzsimmons w hips Hall and Makes Enough
to Retire-A Peep at the Gladiators.
Special 10 the Indianapolis Journal
NEW ORLEANS. March 6-The fight for
the largest purse ever contested by pu-
gIlists was brought off by the Crescent
City Athletic Club tonight. in the monster
arena on Canal street. and Fitzsimmona
was the winner. The history OF the nego-
tiations which led TO this great match, IL
given in detail. would fill an ordinary-sized
book. but for the purpose of the present re-
port they may be given briefly.
Fitzsimmons came to this country a.
unknown man so far as the American On.
mails of the prize ring was concerned. and
soon won fame and money. Hall is also
from the antipodes Observing the sue
cess won by the lsnky. red-headed blsck-
smith, he desired to emulate his success,
and crossed the Pacific ocean TO engage in
q similar quest. The records showed that
he had defeated Fitzsimmons In Aus
tralis, and he was not long In ques-
tioning his fellow-countryman's title to
the middle-weight championship Of
the world. He showered challenges
upon him, and made every apparent
effort to secure . fight. but to all
of these Fitzsimmonsf for long time turned
o deaf ear. insisting that Hall should make
reputation before presuming to fight for
the middle-weight championship. Hall
retorted with the assertion that he had de-
feated Fitzsimmons In Australia and could
do 1t again were opportunity offered him.
Fitzsimmons's reply was that the so-called
battle in Australia had been flake" ana
that the fight was only for S15. and as they
were both poor the result had been ar-
ranged beforehand. This assertion lost
Fitzsimmons q great many friends and ad-
mirers in this country, and the fact that
he had sold out for such beggarly sum
was not regarded as any mitigation Of his
offense.
MATCH THAT DIDN'T COME OFF.
After the FItzsimmons- Dempsey fight the
Australian made several efforts to secure q
match. but they all resulted in disappoirt-
menr. and he finally consented to meet
Hall in large arena erected between ST.
Paul and Minneapolis. for a purse of sl2..
600. the conditions being that both men
should weigh in at the middleweight limit
Both men trained hard for this event and
many thousands of people gathered in tie
Twin Cities to witness it. but the legal
authorities Interfered and the original pro.
gramms for the light was finally abandoned
A proposal was made. however, by the meT
that they meet and settle the question or
the superiority in private. Fitzsimmons
eagerly accepted the proposition, but the
Hall party hesitsted and finally refused.
urging as an excuse that the light could be
brought off for the larger sum in some 9TH
er part of the county. The fight was not
brought off, and the men had their Jrain-
ing for nothing.
The Olympic Club last September Of
fered an enormous purse for tie match,
and as it was generally supposed that Fitz
simmons would concede everything asked
by Hall the coming match was looked upon
as a fixture The fight was announced as
q feature of the carnival. but it was finally
discovered that Hall did not want to fight
at that time. He refused to NEE.
Fltz on the date mentioned, urging that
his theatrical engagements were of moro
Importance TO him than any th ing else. and
that in order TO secure the fight the
Olympic Club would have to change the
date very materially. The Olympic Club.
valuing the fight more as a feature of the
carnival than on it's individual merits. re-
fused. and the meeting between the two
famous boxers was again inde fnitely post
poned.
Finally the Crescent City Athletic Club
conceived the idea that match be-
nj on III
be an attraction for which they
could afford a sum equal to q moderate
fortune. When it was learned that there
was possibility of bringing the
men together. both the c. &. A. C., of New
very lively competition for the contest.
The match was made for the largest purse
to be offered, and the bargain was finally
closed with the c. c. A. G. for a purse OF
$4,000. Never before was such sum
staked on the issue of q fight as $40. 200,
and a stake of $4,000 q side made the enor-
nous sum of $50, 600 dependent on the re-
suit.
HOW THEY LOOKED BEFORE THE BATTLE
1t may be questioned If two such mag
nificent specimens of physical manhood
had ever faced each other so equally
matched in the prize ring. There could
not be doubt as TO which of the peir
would have been the favorIte in an assem-
bly, Of artists. Hall, tall, broad-shouldcred
and darker in the pale rays of the electric
light than his opponent. looked an ideal
athlete. A large. sinewy neck, per-
fectly modelled. and gracefully Joined
to the broad sloping shoul-
ders. we'll coated with thin. hard
muscles. full and grandly developed chest.
cylindrical trunk. tapering slightly at
the waist and strongly joined to limbs
which, while powerful and muscular at the
thighs, looked shade lean from the knees
down though very hard and sinewy.
Handsome as he was. Hall looked every
inch O fighter A firm-set Jaw, botokening
undaunted pluck and endurance. and abil-
ity to take as well as 20 administer plnish-
ment, Halls measurements were: Neck,
tight measure. 1U34 inches; chest. withoue
expansion. ssh; calf. l43; thigh. 1919;
heIght feet a inch. barefooted.
AS Firz took his plane in his corner one
could not but be impressed with the idea
that he looked Eingularly like the typical
old-t time prIze-fighter. He was long and
lanky. He stands six feet in his stockings
and stripped to the skin. he measures over
forty-three inches around the chest. thirty
four around the waist. thirty-seven and o
half around the hips His thigh measures
TWENTY-FIVE inches, his calf fourteen, BIZ
ceps fourteen. forearm twelve, wrist eight
neck seventeen. He has a smallish and
somewhat rouad head. not unlike that of q
cat. There IL plenty of brain space above
the ear. and his smoothlv-rounded skull IL
rather lightly covered with not luxurisnt
growth OF yellow. sandy hair. His fore