The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-09-17
CORBETT AND MITCHELL.
WILL rHEy Divide THE PURE
Ir THEY FTGHT.
Arthur T, Lun,iey's Opinion OF the Two
Prize Eightsrs-The "fnfamous '"'-
bett-Mitchon Match.
copyrighted. 1893. for The Time'|


r.ser 10 the fraternity not as wnoie
ana except those with intelligence enough
to look beneath rhe surface ana MINK
themselves. The most remarkable evidences
~ su,libility Is 10 be found In the now
famous. or, 10 be more frank, INFAMOUS
Mi,cheu- corbett match. These two fight
ers for months have had the American
and English sporting public by the ear
snd have been 'trowing in the con IN
such q finished manner that some OF their
amenities and detractors. even think they
mean to be on the level,
In the history Of the prize ring no TWO
such fakirs have been brought TO NelW'
Nv a system OF buncombe, ceYlllshl IN us
ingenuity and remarkable for its sur
prlses. these two men have placed thehi-
selves IN a position 10 be talked about IN
every country where the word pugiiism
10 known.
fakIrs. Honest men do not run into print
nj the slightest provocation. IL they nave
any idea In mind they do not run 70
newspaper and blow into the ear OF
friendly reporter. The old-time fighters
didn't pursue this course. Did ueeban
and Sayers attudinize as CorDeu
ard Mitchell are attitudinlzing? When
axttsd 10 fight there were 10 pyFotech-
mics. no displays Of 1000 bills with strings
ettached) and no buncombe. The articles
we're quickly arranged and as quickly
aligned Ueenan and Sayers appreciated
the fact that each was battling Tor ths
championship of his respective country
and his dignity alone was sufficient.
Columns Of newspaper tax cCulo not
add the honor In their eyes.
-.
iists. one Mitchell, man who has done
comparatively little to warrant his repu-
tation and Corbett, a fighter, who. since
his defeat OF Sullivan has been human
bippodrome And where does Mitchells
reputation as a pugiiist come, IN? He
should be known as the IMAM OF draws.
He Is not Englands champion. Peter
Jackson holds this honor. He has never
whipped O. first class man, and his chlet
claim 10 distinction is his draw win
Sullivan.
Corbett shows up in better light lie
has fought and whipped a number OF
clever men, and up to the time he met
Sullivan he had some reputation ana
few friends. How much reputation ana
how many friends has he now L VIII
not answer this question. i Will Jaeve
II to the judgment OF my readers. But
had Corbett seen III TO be on the level
ne could have been the most popular
champion this country has ever seen.
Here is one experience / had VITA him.
which will indicate his character. A
little over n year and half ago IL was
proposed to match Mitchell and CorpeV
for six rounds in the Madison Square
Garden. When Corbett came East ne
called on me and said he wished me 10
be his adviser. He would be guided by
me. he said, in all things. a few days
IN
20 to the Clipper Office with him ana
arrange for finish fight between him
and Mitchell / consented, and sug-
gested that we take cab. Corbett
agreed, and added;
'Oh. YES. Let rs have a cab, Autbur
A nice one, you know
Before agreeing 10 go TO the Upper
office with him II WIS arranged that ne
should meet Mitchell on his OWE ground:
that there should be no jollyns. and
that only business should be discussed.
We arrived at the Clipper Office where
Mithcheii was awaiting us. Imagine my
surprise az the way Mitchell and Cor
bett greeted each other III must be
understood that these two men were
supposed to be at daggers drawn, and
that there was no love lost between
them.
Corbett started his jolly as follows:
L
10 see you. have heard you are n very
skilful boxer. and a thorough good fell
low" II Is an honor, my boy, to meet
YOU, and | hope we viii see more of
each other" and more talk in a similar
vein.
Ii was then Mltchelrs turn TO jolly,
and he began this way:
IL hardly expected TO meet su n a
gentleman. why, Mr. Corbett, while
have always heard you were nice fel-
lows you have, exceeded my ideas. 1
understand. too. you are a great pugi-
list. Believe, me. my boy, this is one OF
the greatest moments of my life. and /
Will always remember the occasion"
And then Mitchell and Corbett fell on
each others necks and wept for JOY at
the meeting.
Great ..ehosphat Shades OF John j..
Sulllvanl And these two men met TO
make a match on the level.
/ was disguised. and told Corbett so,
and left him to continue his joiiyins
The articles We're signed fou a six
round go. for the gate money. and had
the men met they would have Joiii 81
the public and got the money. This bit
of insincerity was not enough to COM
pieteiy sour me. however. / said to my
self: perhaps l am mistaken. There
may be some good In these two men,
after all. I'll reserve judgment"
And then came the Sullivan fight, ard
the latter's defeat. Now, 1 said, Cor
bett will have chance TO show him
self. If there IL good in him II will
come out. If there is fake. he will
show Il.
Hardly had he won the fight than he
began TO throw his friends. Mike Dono-
van. who provided nearly $1,000 of the
$4,000 stake money was the first. DOno-
van had been his friend and adviser FOR
years. What did Corbett care for this
friendship ! What was friendship 10
himi A mere name.
Next he threw Charlie Stencil, Of
Frisco, a man who loved him as a
brother. OF Stencil. who ruined him.
self because OF his liking for Corbett,
the latter wrote.
III will see you In the gutter. you bum. -
and this after Stencil went broke for
this champion Note the way ne has
thrown his frieads and fellow workers.
Dwyer and McVoy. Figure up the women
women who became Interested In
him, who have also received the same
treatment. Every one who mas ever be-
frisnded him. and whom ne thought Of
no further use TO him has been thrown,
some harder than others. Corbett has
left behind him a wake of neglected
friendship and the bones OF those who
stood by him in adversely ara. now that
ne is on Easy Street. scattered from
Maine 10 California. Can such man
be sincere? I guess not.
These things are only mentioned 10
show that Corbett is the very incarna-