Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-05-19

| thing, will place pugilism, the art Of self
defense, among the legitimate sports of the
day. AS far back as 1879, when but IS
years old, I was interested in sports of
all kinds, but they did not then cut
much of a figure, being reported by the
| minor class of reporters except in the case
of horse racing. I always took an interest
[ in the events and even as a boy saw all Of
the amateur athletic Journeys, six day
| walks, horse races and boxing bouts. Sui
| livan saw in every four round go he con-
tested in at Madison Square Garden and
other places and always had an excellent
| ''ine' on him. I backed Mitchell to fight
a draw with him at Chantilly in 1888 and
backed Sullivan against IHilrain at Rich
burg in July, 1899. My prediction was
| that when the clever man came forward
| who could box, was strong, quick on his
| feet, and, last, but not least, was intelli
| gent, Sullivan, the mighty, would go down
| before him.
In the eyes of some people I may know
! nothing; others may think know great
| deal My experience has been confined to
| Corbett, and as 1 satisfy him don't lose
! any slumber over what his contemporaries
| think. At least q dozen times when Cor
I bett was training for Charles Mitchell
was strongly advised by Corbett's friends
I to drop the Englishman and take on Jack
! son, but always held that q victory over
| the Briton would be worth ten times as
| much to as over any other man, no mat
| ter how good he light be. I think this
| has since been fully proved.
Compliments For Corbett.
There was never a pluckicr fighter, a
| Drawer boxer or a moro intelligent ring
| general in fistic history than Corbett. He
! does not fancy he already knows it all, but
| is guided by the advice of his friends, and
| no one who was ever connected with him
| can say that he ever did them a wrong.
| He has treated them too well, if anything,
| even the men who have gone out of their
way to vilify him in the public prints.
first met Corbett when he was 10 years
| old, at which time he was q clerk in the
| Nevada bank in San Francisco. 1 got my
| first ''linc" on him when saw him smoth-
or Jack Burke in eight rounds. After this
driftcd into theatrical business, and when
in February 1890, Corbctt fought Kilrain
at New Orleans I wired him an offer to
tour with one of my companies at large
salary To this he paid no attention, al
though l at the same time offered to match
him against any man in the world. After
he fought the draw with Jackson l again
telegraphed him, and finally, about june
1892, he contracted with me for one year
That was the beginning of my relations
w
nous challenge to the world I accepted it
for Corbett
Praise For Mitchell.
Charles Mitchell being England's only
recognized boxer, Corbett was also anX-
ious for go with him, and when 'Chaw-
ley issued his challenge to the winner
of the Corbett-Sullivan fight we deter
mined to take him on next. The features
and difficulties of the matchmaking are
well remembered. Mitchell, like q clever
man, always wanted the best of it, but
think even he himself will admit that ho
never got it. He is certainly clever
matchmaker and as comical a mortal out
of the ring us ever lived.
To my mind the best club this country
has ever known was the Olympic club of
New Orleans. Tho members were as
straight as a string Every man knew his
place, and they never interfered with ono
another Nothing could have had better
management than the Corbctt-Sullivan
fight and the other events which this splen-
did organization pulled off during it's sew
eral years existence. But while the pres
ent governor of Louisiana retains his seat
it is unlikely that there will be any more
boxing at Now Orleans. Boxing to fin
ish in Indiana, Michigan, Washington or
some of tie other places where clubs arc
now offering heavy purses for the Corbctt
Jackson fight is entirely out of the ques-
ton. 1t seems to be agreed on all sides
that this great event will come off in Eng
land before the National Sporting club,