The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-26
FOUR GREAT BATTLES.
NEW ORLEANS AGAIN TO BE THE
SCENE OF FISTIC CAENIVAL.

Fights KecaHed-The Lewis-Roeber
Wrestling Match VIII be Contest
for "Blood'-Goddsrd and Smith Both
in Fine Trim for Their Battle-God-
derd's String Of Victorles-His Style
Of Fightins-The Hsn-Fit zsimmons
Battle VIII be Royal Sport"
(CopuI0htl
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 25.-New Orleans
has another carnival of sports on its hands.
In fact, there are two fistic tournaments in
prospect for the coming week, one follow
ing close upon the heels of the other. There
is a diversion Of interest in the Crescent
city, and the old Olympic Club has per-
haps little the best Of 1t in the coming con-
test for public favor and the public's purse.
March l, 2, and ere the red letter
carnival days, and coming as they do SO
quickly in the wake of the Mardi Gras fes-
tiviJias, there are those who have already
moved 10 changa the name OF New
Orleans from the Crescent city TO the
pleasure-loving "Paris Of America"
The Dawson-Ryan fight is the first on the
programme. 1t is for S. 900 purse, and
both men are in the pink Of condition.
George Dawson is an Australian, with
splendid string of home victories. But be
has strengthened his hold on the American
public by the clever manner in which be
won two brisk contests out on the coast.
On July %, last year, he won $4,000 purse
put up by the California Athletic CluD for
a fight between him and Danny Needham,
The battle lasted twenty-nine rounds, and
Dawson proved himself "a good deal of a
general and splendid ''in-fghter 1t must
be conceded that he had the best OF the fight
from the start, and could have won
earlier in the game bad he stretched his
powers to the utmost. In December he de-
feated O'COnnell as easily, and then the
Olympic Club made its offer for fight
between him and Ryan. Tom Ryan is a
Chicago boy, with record that must still
be classed as purely local, notwithstanding
the fact that he holds the title of champion
of America in his class. But in all his con-
tests tie evinced wonderful hitting powers,
an agility that is said TO be good deal
like that OF G )rbett, and a rapidity of arm
movement that borders on the mar
velous. This, coupled with splendid power
of endurance, completes the reason why
Chicago sports are betting so heavily on
their man. Both men are welter-weights.
aud the fight is for the worlds champion
ship in that GLASS. Ryan has been In train
ing at Bay ST. Louis, where Bob Fitzsim-
mons is preparing for bis big match with
Jim Hall. Dawson has been put through
his steps" at Biloxi, Miss, where his in-
terests have been looked after by George
Goddard.
The second nights sport will be ratr er
unique IN character. The McMillau-Hinds
fight, in which little interest is taken, will
be followed by q wrestling match for the
worlds championship between stranger"
Lewis, backed by PEARSON" Davies. and
Ernest Roeber, backed by Billy Muldoon.
Lewis is unquestionsbly the greatest Of
Amer can wrestiers His famous neck hold
has naturally made him formidable oppo-
nent but there Is every indication that
Roeber will best him. The German is
without question the greatest GRECO
Roman wrestler OF the century, His
defeats of Robinet AID Apollon, the
French O. ampions, placed him in the
front rank in that line of athletics. In the
last match with Evau Lewis, at Philaiel-
phia the conditions were all against Roeber.
The first bout was at catch-as-ca tch-can style
In this Lewis is undou teddy his superior,
provided the "stranglin G" hold is not barred
Lewis won this. The Gr8co-Roman bout
was won by Rosher in twenty-nine minutes.
Lewis thea had the choice OF style in the
final bout, and chose the catch-as-catch- can.
And right in this connection it will be in
teresting to mark the wrestling rules that
have been modified to a considerable extent
to suit the conditions of this match. In the
first place the agreement calls for two bouts
at Gaerco-R Roman, two at catch-as-catch-
can, and a final, II necessary, in a style at
the option of the man who has won a pre-
vious fall in the shortest time This Is
where Roeber will have the advantage. In
his last fight with Lewis the time
consumed in the catch-as-catch- can
falls was fifteen minutes. The
GRECO Roman bout was ended in
nine. But the records of the men al! show
q like disparity. The fact is that Roeber is
a greater master of Gr@co-Romau wrest-
ling than Lewis is of catch-as-catch-ca
And if the final is to be fought at all it Is
safe to predict that it will be at Greco-
Roman. But these modified rules will prove
Interesting reading:
CATcH-As-cATcH-cAN, OR LANCASHIRE wKEsT.
LING.
Rule Either opponent may press his arm
against his antagonist throat.
Rule 2-Kicking the limbs shall be considered
fair.
Rule 9-No fall to count unless the party is
down on his hack, two shoulders touching the
floor at the same time to constitute a fall
Rule 4-The match to consist of first fall, best
two in three, or three in five, according to mu-
tual understanding.
Rule 5-No less than ten nor more than TWEEN
ty minutes rest allowed between each wrestling
bout.
Rule 6-Letting go either hand, changing
holds, or grabbing by the legs shall be allowed.
Rule THE ring, when practicable. to be "a
feet square.
Rule s-All bets to go with the stakes The
stakeholder or his deputy to announce on the
grounds publicly at all times when a match is
not concluded which way the stakes 20.
Rule 9-If the referee be not chosen in the
articles, and the wrestlers and hackers cannot
gree to appoint one within fifteen minutes
from the time of entering the ring, the stake
holder shall appoint one
Rule 10-In all matches the wrestlers must be
in stocking feet or barefooted and they will not
be permitted to scratch throttle or pull each
others ears, or commit any other unfair act
toward each other Neither will they be allowed
to be rubbed with grease, resin or any perni-
cious drugs on any part OF their bodies The
competitors to be allowed one second each,
who must not be changed during the contlnu-
ance of the match, neither will a second be al
lowed to touch his own or his opponents maa
while wrestling Touching either competitor
while in the act of wrestling will be a disquaif-
cation against the offender and his party, and
the referee shall decide against them. IL the
wresters entRngle with what may be considered
the boundary Of the ring, they shall draw off
and renew the contest with the same hold as
when they drew off.
Rule 1l-Richhrd K Fox, proprietor Of the
Police Gazette, to be official stakeholder and to
appoint a referee unless the Olympic Club
agrees to select those officials.
GRECO ROMAN CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.
Rule THE wrestlers are only allowed to
take hold from the head and not lower than the
waist.
Rule 2-Taking hold of the legs is strictly for
bldden.
Rule 8-The wrestling IS with open hands, and
the wrestlers are not allowed to strike, to