Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1895-09-13
A HOT TURF FIGHT.
Strech and Kelley Battled foI
an Hour
JUST ACROSS THE STATE LINE

Therefor Awhile the Men Fought
FuriousIY-strech Bled. But Was Game
Until the Fight Was stopped.
John Speakman's farm at Southwood,
a little station on the Lsudenbnrg
branch of the Baltimore and Ohio rail
road, WAS yesterday the scene of one Of
the best turf fights seen near Whining
ton in the past decade
Southwood is Just a station beyond
Hockess in and Is said to be In Chester
county, Pa. Ii is an hours ride from
Wilmington, and most OF the fortunate
sports who had received the tip" left
Wilmington on the 2 o'clock train from
Market street station.
The fight was a scientific and orderly
affair as far as science and order can be
carried into turf contest OF that Sort
but Referee Stirling never had TO lay
bis hand on either fighter once. They
behaved like true spOrtsmen. Strech is
about 26 years old and Kelley Is over %
Both were hnelooking, EthleticAlly
speaking and had splendid physiques.
When the long row Of Wilmington
carriages drew up at his sequestered
farm, old Mr.. Speakman, who had given
permission to some well dressed men to
play a game OF bReeball, came down TO
where a gang of men was cutting
stakes and pitching the ring, near 4
clump Of woods, and well hidden from
view The leaders began to tremble.
What, you fellers goin to play ball In
that small field2' he said, pointing TO
the twenty four foot ring then completed
Nobody would answer
Then somebody said they were practic-
ing for football and when Kelley and
Strech hustled out Of the woods In black
pumps and white tights respectively, he
evidently believed the story But when
the fighting began the old farmers
expression changed and be became
excited
But there were ninety two men there,
all looking determined to see a battle
and he could do nothing but turn his
back upon them and saunfer TO bis house
His daughter told the EVENING
JOURNAL representative after the dght
that her papa had been deceived and
that the affair is not settled yet 1--WE
live way back In the country, but are
not so far behind the date as that" she
said
A Collection Was Taken
by Ed Mcconnell aud Jack Stirling ana
about $54 was clustered together ia this
way Another "call" was made aud
about SO in dimes aud quarters was
realized.
Condition of the Fighters.
Strech was a trif the heavier, tipping
the beam st 145, while Kelley could only
run up l42 pounds The welter-welght
agreement under which they fought
provided that both men must weigh
below 14S pounds Such hot weather as
the men had Of late to train in spoiled
their chances to come up TO weight and
Strech's svoirdupois advantage amounted
to very little.
Strech is the fellow who surprised all
the sporting fraternity OF Wilmington
last year when he was called down off a
wagon TO take the place of Ed Mcdonnell
whose father had just met violent
death-and dght Jimmy Fox, a very
clever lad
Strech came down of the band wagon
(or beer wagon, It Is not certified TO as to
whicb) and gave Fox the toughest tussle
for six rounds he ever fell up agsinst
Bat at the last IL was a case Of fox
running up the strech before him,
Kelley, whose real name is something
else and begins with the second letter ot
the alphabet, is we'll known Ia Whining
ton as the trainer OF Ed Mcdonnell, nos
lightweight champion OF Delaware OF
course Mac was right on hand to look
after bis old friend aud trainer and he
and Frank Brown, a sturdy Whining ton
blacksmith, acted as "Kelley's" seconds.
Prepared for Hard Fighting.
A few hours before the fight both men
we're plunged into a hot bath TO clean
out their pores and give them freer
action. Then they were considerably
weakened, but the usual invigoratiEg
application of wbiskey to every muscle OF
their body, with here aud there a taste OF
1t for the stomRch's 5 sake, soon fred them
up again
Jack Williams and Jack Stirling the
latter a Boston man, were booked for
Strech's corner. Stirling is one OF the
most experienced prizs-ring men In the
East, but he was called to referee and
another second was chosen.
Beginning Of the Combat.
Kelley entered the ring at As. looking
pleased aud the picture Of health
At SO Jack Stirling advanced In the
riBg aud announced that it was impos-
sible to get ounce gloves but that
6-ouncers' had been secured and
the f xht would go on as arranged.
At So S5rech entered looking some
what excited.
The Fight Began at 400,
strech landing hard ones on Kelley'l
chest and chin Kelley ducked cleverly
and got 10 some good uppercuts, but
Strech was the harder slugger. Kelley
got tangled up Ia Strech's legs and
fell, the tough grass and small stones
about tearing his back and shoulders
somewha
Second and Third rounds--Strect
played for kelley's breadbasket knocking
his wind every time Kelley banged his
adverssry's mouth and strech mutteret
"a beaut."
In the fourth round the TIVE
exchanged some heavy blows
Fifih-Strech came up slowly but
soon got In the game. Kelley was
succe sfully ducking the hard blows
Strech landed one, however, fair OF
KelIeys rectdlng chin. Strech wa
leading.
Sixth-Strech got in some light one
and then cracked Kelley's stomach
strech was hitting and then runninl