The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-01-07
[coPYRIaHr. lsA.1

[coPYRIoHT. 1894
am out OF. the fighting business, and
am now, at request, essaying the role
of q critic.
do so reluctantly, because I have
been persistently and-with all dne re-
spect to profession which l esteem
and in which / count many warm
friends-unconscio perhaps. mis-
represented. Misrepresented not only
in my opinions concerning my OWE
abilities in an athletic way, but ais IRE.
garding those of others.
In one breath am quoted as saying
our memorable battle at New Orleans
little over year ago, and in the next
of asserting that my old-time rival
Charles Mitchell, of England, was the
master of nv successor in the worlds
championship.
On my honor as a man, never gave
expression to either sentiment. Those
who know me know that would never
plead the baby act l met and defeated
all corners from all quarters of the
globe-America, Ireland, England and
Australia and elsewhere, for twelve
years.
Like many better man, perhaps,
did not know when had reached the
zenith of my powers. made the same
mistake as my famous predecessor,
Yankee Sullivan" and many othea
i1lustrious fistic heroes of the past.
Corbett was younger, speedier and
more enduring than /. Competent
judges say, too, that he was bit clev'
erer than your humble servant. Nat
urally. met my Waterloo.
I never said the harsh things AZ
tributed to me about Corbett; neither
did pass all the aattering encomiumi
accredited to me regarding Mitchell.
do not bear the slightest luminosity
20 the youthful Californian for my
overthrow at the Crescent city. SIM
ply fulfilled the Scriptural injunction
the pitcher that goes to the well j,
sure to be broken. Some kind friends
say that was not the John L. of old
that Corbett whipped, but rather the
remnant of past greatness.
But I stand not on that. was but
thirty-four years of age, and, if wa,
not at my fttest and best, the fault
was my own and that of no other man.
So give Corbett all the credit for the
victory he fairly, honestly and man
fully won.
Mitchell is a strong, brainy, clever,
courageous fellow-a man utterly de.
void of fear.
Ha SC h,,% cl;~h%1x- he v~nsII1e
height, with extraordinary breadth OF
shoulder and an agility which, for one
of his compact build, is truly wonder.
full. This in face, too, of the jolly life
he has been leading, as gay, almost, as
my own.
Withal, he has the GOODNESS, the sub.
tility, the cunning, the sangfroid, of
Richelieu. He can endure punishment
humiliation, torture, and he knows
when to infiict punishment, torture and
humiliation. He knows when to re,
treat or advance.
He can discern quickly when victory
is within his grasp, and he can per
ceive the danger of defeat from afal
and stave off utter humiliation.
Mind you, 1 am not rhapsodizine
about Mitchell. am telling sound
unvarnished tale about the man.
have met him and know him.
Now l will give you the Corbett side
of the story.
The Californian is four inches tale,
than the Englishman, has a cores
ponding advantage in the way of reach
and is, if anything, quicker and clev
erer. He is strong, too, but not a.
strong as the Briton.
At out-fghting he can give Mitchell
cards and spades. Like all extremely
clever men-Mace, Coburn, Dempsey
Donovan and McAuliffe-he is corkel
at in-fghting when it is forced upon
him. That was shown in his battle,
with Joe Choynski and Peter Jackson