Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-27
GREETING THE CHAMPION.
Corbett Receives Enthusiastis
Welcome From a Local Audience.

A very large audience filed Metzerott
Music Hail last evening, drawn there by the
fact that James j. Corbett, the champion
pugilist of the world would spar two three
round bouts and also illustrate his method
Of training for a fight. 1t was also an
nounced that there would be a number Of
interesting sparring contests between &C
complished amateurs but with the excep-
ton of three-round go between Joe Bate
man, the clever light weight of this city, and
James Delaney of New York. these alleged
sparring contests were simply farcical, and
in two or three instances Manager Brady
was compelled by the Kisses and sarcastic
remarks of the crowd to hustle the So
called boxers off the stage before the three
short rounds were finished. The audience
was truly representative one. members of
Congress, of the diplomatic corps, club
members. solid business men, lawyers and
physicians, horsemen and sports of all con-
ditions. from the diamond-arrayed down to
the blear-eyed bar-room lounger, all going
to make up one of the largest throngs ever
before seen in the hall. A number of o.
men. probably eight or ten, were also seen
in the boxes and on the floor.
TIE first part of the entertainment con-
sisted of sparring contests, in which a num-
temptedto kill time before the appearance of
the world heater 1t was. judging from their
feeble and ludicrOuS movements, about the
only thing they were capable of killing with
gloves, and the crowd accordingly guyed
them numerically, in several instances cry-
ing out to Brady to take them off the stage
OF course. the bout between Bateman and
Delaney was nOta bic exception, and the
two men put up very clever asld enloyab bic
exhibition of sparring. in which the rare
good work of the local man showed to de-
cided advantage. Following these bouts
came number of selections by the Tuxedo
Mandolin Club, which were much enjoyed.
Then Manager Brady introduced first the
trainer Of Corbett, John Donaldson. and
then the champion himself. for a three
round sparring bout. Corbett, arrayad in a
sleeveless pink shirt, full white trunks and
black half hose with a sash of the national
colors about his waist. was received with a
perfect storm of applause The applause
continued for several minutes. and the
champion at length stepped to the front of
the stage and in bashful manner. while
his good-natured boyish face was wrea thed
In smiles, said: Ladies and gentlemen,
thank you all very much for this very Kind
reception. l assure you that | appreciate il
very much. and can only say that will do
all | can to deserve it."
The little speech tickled the crowd very
much. and the big pugilist was again wildly
cheered. He and Donaldson then gave a
very interesting exhibition of scientific
sparring, putting up three short rounds
To those who had never before seen the
champion spar or fight the exhibition he
gave was a revelation of quickness and
science COrbett was in excellent condition
evidently being fit as a fiddle and he
simply played with Donaldson. hitting him
when and wherever he pleased while his
cat-like movements kept him out of the
reach of his opponent.
A turn by two variety performers fol-
lowed the champions sparring, and then
COrbett gave very short but interesting
exhibition of punching the bag In This ex-
hibitiOn his marvellous quickness of the eve
and hands also showed to great advantage
and gained for him backing here among
those who had hitherto believed that his
victory over Sullivan was due more to the
latter's dissipation than to Corbett's abili-
ties and it is safe to say that when the
champion and the dusky jackson meet Text
June the Californian will carry every dol
lar the Washington sports can pick up.
Immediately after the show COrbett bur
ried TO the railroad station. where he met
his late opponent. Mitchell. and the two
pugilists took a late train for Jacksonville
Fla. where they will stand trial for their
participation in the iiSht there on the 10Th
o. last month. Both men stated that they
were confident that nothing would come of
the trial and that they were going there
simply as matter OF form.
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