The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1894-02-08
CORBETT- MITCHELL.
Why Corbett Became So Furious
in His Assault.
Corbett Was a Mailman in The Last
Round With His Antag-
OniSt.

q, f. Eddy, manager OF the Man
haitian Club at Teledo, 0 in an inter
view with reporter of the ConStitu-
ton in Atlanta, said:
Every body Is asking why Corbett
lost his head in the last round" The
fact is, he was a perfect maniac at the
windup and his seconds and handlers
had the greatest difficulty in. keeping
him from striking Mitchell while he
lay bleeding and prostra'e Oh the floor.
l have seen all the big fights for the
last dozen years, but ] never saw any
thing like the ferocity of Corbett in
that last round. His face was distorted,
his eyes looked green like mad cats
and his blows sounded like butchers
sledge striking an OK. 1t was this ter.
rible rage that won the fight, for in his
rdshes he laid himself OPEN time and
again, and had Mitchell been able to
withstand their awful impetuosity he
had ample opportunity to land knock
out blow.
$50 you see he went into the third
round with every inducement to play
his cards well, and take no chances on
losing the prize within his grasp by
making foul. But what happened?
Why he rushed from his corner like a
mailman, paid no attention to his
guard, but lunged out any way and
every way to hurt his opponent. His
incredible quickness and great
strength carried him through. He
was living tornado and no human
being could have stood up before him.
When he knocked Mitchell down he
rushed at him to strike or kick him on
the floor and it was all Kelly could do
to pull him off. at one time it took
three men to keep him from bouncing
upon the poor, bleeding, blinded beaten
boxer at his feet. The man was evil
IDENTIFY beside himself with rage. Il
was the most brutal thing l ever saw
in ring.
Now the question is Why did he
| do it? One blow would have cost him
$4,000 and his reputation. He must
have had some strong reasons for his
madness. l happen to know the truth
about it. | got 1t from Corbett's own
lips and the circumstances fully war.
rant the story.
edward the end OF the second round
the men clinched and it was directly
after this that Corbett's hurricane
tactics began. Close observers thought
that Mitchell said something to him
when they were Rugged together. He
did, and after that Corbett was not q
boxer, but u fiend."
1t is impossible to print or even hint
at what Mitchell said. "Why did he
do it?" asked listener TO the story,
horrified at the atrocity Of the result.
ut is an old trick with fighters,
started by Yankee Sullivan, who used
to call his antagonist foul names in an
undertone for the purpose OF madden.
ing them into throwing off their guard.
Mitchell went too far. however, and
did not calculate the effect OF his
words. He crazed when he merely
meant to anger, and went down under
the fury he had excited. Any think
ing person who examines the report
OF the rounds must see that something
occurred at the last end Of the second
round to make the champion lose his
head, and this was it. Corbett ted of
the occurrence directly after the fight"
"Why did he shake hands with
Mitchell afterward?' some one asked.
"Oh, that was for effect and to make
it appear to the Judge that it was a
mere exhibition of science. Corbett
did even that most reluctantly, and
then only after Brady had begged and
entreated him."