The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-04-26

His Chances With Mitchell
Copyright, 1893, 10y Bachelor e. Johnston
Syndicate)
Naturally the eyes of the sporting
public arc turned to the Coney Island
Club, for it is there that the Corbctt and
Mitchell fight may be pulled off The
word may" is used with a mental
reservation. 'Iwixt cup and lip there's
many slip. While the gynnastic and
aggressive Judge Dick Newton has
signed Corbe,t, he has not the sigma
tnre of the elusive Mitchell 1t takes
two to make bargain and fight
From present indications it looks as
though Mitchell would be signed, but
- We'll, wei wait
Sporting men arc seldom easilv
fooled. As Il class. they are si,rewd
Being frequently thrown down thcy
arc always on the alert for the double
cross When SIS, 600 was offered for
McAnliifc and Burgc the sporting
world gasped. What? A fortune for
two fighters? The Coney Island Ath-
letic club was princely, they said.
But when they recovered from the
shock and thought the matter over
carefully they hesitatcd to believe tho
when the string which was attached TO
:he $4,000 offer was discovered. they
said, Bluff! I told you So" BY means
OF this offer the c. /. a. c. secured much
advertising and gave the officials of tic
club an opportunity to see their names
"a type.
But the withdrawing of the offer.
Then the cry OF insinccrity was raised.
Who knows but that the $40 900 offer
for the Corhett-Mitchcll mill lis the
same kind of a Jolly and an advertising
scheme? Shrcwd thinkers of sporting
life look beneath the surface and dis
cover the truth beneath the veneer OF
fake.
But here's another proposition
Granted, for arguments sake, that the
offer Is on the level and the Concy Isl
and officials mean business. will the a,,-
thoritics permit the fight to come off in
York STATE? To this Coney Island mag
mates will reply, in the language of those
who live by the sea, Cert They will
ndd that glove fight comes within the
provisions of the law governing fight
ing-a glovc contest, in fact
The prcliminaries to a battle of such
magnitude as that between Corbctt-
Mitchell will occupy much space in the
newspapers. With two such men
matched the interest will be keen /!
viii be an international battle. Those
who ordinarily take little interest in
pugilism will in this instance be anx-
ious to secure all the information Oh
tainablc. think that the Coney Island
people arc taking and lacking in sin
cerity. They know the hornets nest
the very idea of an international battle
between Corbett and Mitchell will
create, and simply threw the $40, GOO
con so as to be in line with the other
clu bs.
In word, Newton didn't want it 10
appear as though he and his club were
ont in the cold. It's dollars to an old
hat that the same string that pulled
back the Gi5, 0o0 offer 10 McAuliffc and
Burge will be used in the present
match 1t is not yet worn out Time
will show, however, just how accurate
this prophecy il.
Sporting man in New York who
never miss fight OF any prominence
would be highly pleased TO see the
Mitchel!-Ccrbctt difficulty settled at
Coney Island. The long journey 10
New Orleans is dreaded, and the two
last carnivals OF the Crescent A. c. in
that city were not good enough TO war
rant their making it. The vicinity Of
New York Is an IDEAL place for the bal
lie. and should Ike 10 See i occur
here;
I wouldn't be surprised if Charles
Noel held the key to the situation. 1t
Is asserted that he has Mitchell signed,
and at this writing I know nothing to
the contrary. Noers silence is suc-
gestive. He is very game and not to
be discouraged by such little things as
one or two failures He'll bid for the
fight and probably get it. Everything
goes in New Orleans.
Corbctt lost nothing 10y the genuine
or bogus offer of the Coney Island
Club He received advertising enough
TO warrant his doing good business IN
the houses in which he plays between
New York and Frisco.
by the way, no one on the inside be-
ievcs Corbett will enter the ring in the
form he did when he fought Sullivan.
When in New York it was noticed
that he was anything but well. His
cheeks were trifie wasted and there
was lack Of buoyancy in his steps
lie will find & course of treatment At
Hot Springs imperative. With his sys-
TEN cleaned out, if he can again stand
the training, he will be a . to chance
at the ringside.
was surprised the other day to learn
the full strength of Corbetts unpopu-
larity in his home in Frisco. l knew
that he wasn't generally liked, but |
thought he had few hundred friends
on the Pacific coast Ii my in forlt,rnt