The herald., 1893-02-05
PUG|lSTS, PAST AND PRESENT,
The Ring from Marlborough,
1860, to New Orleans, 1892.
From John C. Heenan Down TO James
j. COrbett.
Cowsrdly Behavior of an En glish Referee
at Farnborough-Joe Coburn and
Jem Mace's Great Fake-Jack
Dempsey, the Wonder.

1t is not to the liking of the HERALD's
editors to have anything of continued
nature go into these columns; and
therefore it WAS with regret that l was
compelled, two weeks ago, to break in
the middle my sketch of the more i'm
portant events of the American prize
ring. In today's issue, the sketch Is
concluded to the satisfaction of the
writer (who never dreamed it would
have been 30 long) if not TO that of the
readers OF this paper. 1 left off at the
point where William Bryant, brother
of Dan the minstrel, was sent over in
company with Frederick Falkland, to
match John @. Heenan against Tom
Savers for $1,000 side and the cham
pionship. Heenan's hackers in this
match have already been given, as we'll
as his trainers. The hackers OF Sayers
were John Gideon, o London bookmaker,
and Thomas Powrie of Glasgow. His
trainers and seconds were Jenny Welsh
and Harry Brunton.
x*x
The fight took place at Farnborough,
on the 18th day of April, 1860, aud
lasted AZ rounds, after which the ring
was broken In by roughs in the interest
of Sayere, whose strength was failing
fsst. On this occasion Mr. Frank Dow
ling, fstic editor of Bells Lille (since
gone to the graveyard of newspapers),
ran away and left Heenan and the
toughs to get along as best they could.
Over G1,000,000 had been wagered on
this fight, the Duke of Beaufort alone
having bet $4,000 on Heenan in the
betting houses of London and Liverpool.
All this money had to be drawn down,
of course. My own opinion is, however,
that Tom Sayers was the best man OF his
size thst ever stepped into ring, but
with Heenan he was clearly outclassed.
Sayers died November, 1885, and Hee-
nan October 25, 1878, each trlfie under
40 years. Sayers's funeral was the
biggest ever given in London to any
fighting man, for little Tom was a
mighty man in his day.
x*x
Heenap returned to America by the
Great Eastern and had great reception
on the 18th of August at Jones Wooda,
now q portion OF Central Park. He
then went to Philadelphia and Boston,
where he met with similar testimonials
of public favor. In these three exhi-
billions Heenan netted something like
$4,000. He was simply great, big,
noble boy, with nature as frank and
buoyant as that of child. Everything
about him WAS mellowed by his genial
presence. John Bray, a brother OF our
county recorder, came over from Eng
land with him on the Great Eastern,
and told me that no one heard Heenan
utter q loud or indecent word on the
trip. He was one who deserved i'm
itators, for never did man try harder
to be q gentleman. In 1870 the old
fand betweon himself and Morrissey be-
came entirely settled and Morrissey put
Heenan in the way of making some
money. Heenan's widow, Sarah Stew
ems, is the old lady of Joe Grismer's
dramatic company.
~
From that till 1863 there was nothing
doing in the way of pugilism. Joe Co.
burn, New York tough, but one of the
greatest boxers that ever lived, beat
Mike McCoole at Charleston, Md, on
the 9th of May. McCoole was simply a
big brute, without science, and Joe made
ia chopping block of him. The fight
lasted 81 rounds, in an hour and 10 min
utes. Coburn, being the smaller man,
had to fight very carefully. On the 10th
of December, in the same year, Tom
King beat John 9. Heenan in "a rounds
lasting 35 minutes. Heenan knocked
King out of time twice in the fight, but
his seconds never claimed it for him. It
is generally believed the Benicia Boy
was sold out. On the 14th of May fol-
lowing Joe Coburn went to England to
to get on q match with Jem Mace for
$1,000, but they failed to agree on a ref
cree, and Coburn came back to America.
The next Big fight was in 1865, when
Mike McCoole whipped Bill Davis of
Nevada at Rhodes Point, Mo-, in "a
ounds, for $4,000. Then California had
Q fight for the first time in years. Tom
my Chandler beat Dooney Harris at
Sheep island, near San Francisco, for
5000 a side. % rounds, 2S minutes,
April Is, 1867.
x*x
That year Rockey Moore beat George
Rocks at the Isle of Shoals in 25 rounds,
and Mike McCoole beat poor old Aaron
Jones in "a rounds somewhere in Ohio.
In 1868 Billy Edwards had two terrific
battles with Sam Collyer for the light
weight championship, in both of which
he was victorious. In 1869 Tom Allen
and Charley Gallagher fought draw at
St. Louis. Only IL rounds were fought,
but they lasted As minutes, and both
men were exhausted. In 1870 Jem Mace
beat Tom Allen for 5000 in 10 rounds at
New Orleans, May 10. On the 11th day
of May, 1871, Joe Cobum and Jem Mace
met at Port Dover, Canada, to fight for
$4,000 and tho championship, but the
soldiers intcrfered. They then went to
Bay st. Louis, Miss, where they fought
IL rounds and ended in draw. About
this time Ned O'Baldwin, the Irish
giant, came over to America, and match
was made between him and Jem Mace.
but they could not agree on a referee.
In 1878, September 23d, Tom Allen beat
Mike McCoole in seven rounds at st.
Louis, Mo.
~
In August, 1874, Billy Edwards and
Sam Collyer had their third battle in
West Virginia and Edwards won again
He came on to New York and won two
glove fights with Fiddler" Neary and
Pete Crocker within a week. In 1875
Ned O'Baldwin was shot dead by Mike
Finnell. In 1875 Joe Goss beat Tom
Allen in Kentucky for $4,000, but won on
u foul. In 1879 there were several hard
fights, among them Arthur Chambers'
victory over Jack Clark. 1876 rounds
lasting 2 hours and 20 minutes. John
Dwyer beat Jim Elliott afterwards muir
dered by Jimmy Dunn in IL rounds. On
Il N