Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-17
THE TWO CHAMPIONS.
Mitchell and Corbett and the Work Cut Out
for Each.


Champion James j. Corbett is quite sore
subject to very considerable proportion of
followers of pngilism. He gave the blind be-
levers in the iryincibility o: John l.. Sullivan
a terrible disappointment. 1; was disappoint-
ment rather than an awakening for the parti-
sans Of the ex-ehampion after his defeat took
refuge behind tie position that really they were
right in their judgment of the comparative
merits of the two men, and that they were per-
fec,ly right and had the fgh. right" 1t was
sullivan Who was wrong" .too old to be got
right" ''gorc STALE" become an old man
without power" dc.
he refusal to accept Corbett' as a proved
great and frst-clGss pugilist II born. l believe,
IN the great majority of cases, from vexation
at his having cauged such a complete col
lapse OF the sullivan balloon, very aDtly re-
marks Capt. Cooke, the able pugilistic writer
Men who are so firm in their faith in n thing
that they wager to / on it-Si0e to S25 and
$1,000 to win s250-cannot be expected, l sup
pose. 10 appear wreathed all over with eight
inch smiles when the short end comes "a winner.
SIR. Corbett was too much Of minority
candidate for the championship last september
To make him Immediately upon his elevation to
the championship chair acceptable to the great
body OF sport followers and wagerers upon
fights. Their money was the other fellow at
'eel happy about it just yet.
Mr.. sHzEpYs VARIABLE OPINIONS.
Mr.. SLeedy, now of New York city, e1-man-
ager Of sullivan. has appeared in print Of late
IN syndicate letter as an apostle of the Lost
Cause Of SuIlivanism. For about year Mr.
Sheedy Sullivan's manager In 1886 he
made a transcontinental tour with Sullivan
through the states and territories to San Fran
cisco and return, Is Mr.. Al Smith did three
years previously. Mr.. Sheedy's. private views
upon taking fighting chances with Sullivan at
that time were no secret among those to whom
he talked his honest opinions and not his man
agerial "bluff"
The latter, which. Of course, was for the
great gulible sucker" public. took the Gus
iomary form of - 900 TO any man who can
face Sullivan for four rounds" &C. Mr..
Sheedys personal judgmen. of Sullivan's fight
ing ability six years ago did not lead him into
any uncertain hazards.
he let Sullivan meet his former antagonist,
Paddy Ryan, In public contest in the pavii-
ion. San Francisco, in which Ryan was knocked
out IN the middle of the third round and re-
ceived ~, 700 as a solace for second defeat at
Snihyahs hands. While Suiiivan's share wns
-, goo; but Ryan was hardly, think. q tough
job, even for . third-rate man.
sULLIvAN's ONE RISK
Sullivan. during his year or more OF touring
under Sheedy, took one other fighting hazard
Patsy Cardiff at Minneapolis, January II, 1887
Sullivan broke his arm in the contest and with
more reso.a'e antagonist in the ring might
have Jared ILL
He got of luckily on even terms at the end
OF six rounds. Dir. Sheedy was free TO say In
my hearing subsequently that sullivan had no
relish for lighting Cardiff as the time drew near
for 1t. and later, in Boston. after the diamond
belt presentation TO Sullivan at the Boston
Iheaicr August 8, 1887, when Sullivan and
Sheedy parted bad friends, there was no con-
cea.ment BY sheedy Of his openly expressed
opinion that Sullivan, ss . fighter, was mainly