Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-12-07
SHARKEY THE VICTOR.
Won from Fitzsimmon3 on a
Foul.
Was Fits Battle from the Start, but for
Referees Decision.

him in the groin and gave the contest to
the sailor, although the latter was
knocked out and had to be carried from
the ring. Spectators Kissed and groaned
at the referee.
The foul, if foul it was, could not be
seen from the press stand, but Referee
carp gave his decision in spite OF Fltz-.
/ simmons protest. 1t was EitZslmmOnS
| fight from start to finish. He fought
| fairly while the sailor continually used
foul tactics. He would clinch and lift
| Fitzsimmons from his feet strike in
| clinch, though the men had previously
| agreed not to do so. and he was gener-
| ally unfair.
Several times during the fight Fits
| simmons had the sailor going, but could
not land a knockout blow. In the eighth
| Sharkey started in to do the leading, but
| seldom landed. Bob continually sent in
left-hand jabs on sharkey's face, send
ing his head back every time Eltzslm-
mons soon had his man going and went
at him ferociously. A right-hand swing
staggered the sailor and then came
| left-hand swing and left-hand arm
punch under the chin that sent Sharkey
| over with a thud.
! While the marine was falling, the ref
cree claims that Fitzsimmons struck him
in the groin with his knee, thus COM
| hitting a foul. Sharkey was undoubt-
eddy badly hurt. He was unable to move
| his legs, though he clutched spasmodical-
| ~ at his groin with his gloved hand:
| His seconds rushed into the ring and
raised him up, but he tainted away and
was borne from the ring unconscious.
| Hardly anyone among the spectators
| saw the foul, and the decision was re-
ceived with Kisses and groans.
AS far as the art of fighting goes,
! Sharkey is not in the same class with
Fitzsimmons. He. is a willing, strong
man. but has little science. A clever
man like Fitzsimmons had no trouble
| in avoiding his rushes and he contin-
| ually left himself open to damaging
| blows.
The Crowd How1ed.
] At first the crowd did not seem to
grasp the situation. but when it dawned
upon them that the decision had gone
against Fitzsimmons. such a howl of in
dignation as went up has seldom been
| heard in this section. Kisses. curses,
groans and boots split the air. Fitzsim-
mons Indignantly denied that he had
| fouled Sharkey He said he had fought
| fairly and there was no temptation for
him to commit foul, as he knew he had
| his man going. Sharkey could not be
seen. He was carried into his room by
| his seconds and followed by a doctor,
who examined the injured sailor.
| Fitzsimmons' fighting all through was
| in marked contrast to that of Sharkcy.
Bob broke away promptly from the
| clinches and made no attempt to strike.
The New Zealander showed himself
master of his craft. He cunningly kept
away from the sailors mad rushes, polk
ing his long left into Sharkeys face
| whenever he got too near Sharkey
could not get inside of that long, thin
arm which,. when it Strengthened out,
was like bar of steel. 1t was lively
| IL. E9.o10
| aggressive than Sharkey, and kept his
man on the move all the time. In the
very first round, Fitzsimmons saw an
| opening and p right swing on the jaw
sent Sharkey to the floor. This made
the sailor bit cautious, and during the
next four rounds he tried to keep out Oh
reach.
In the fourth Sharkey pushed Fitzsim-
mons over upon the floor and before Bob
! could get up, made a couple of vicious
! passes Of him. Fitzsimmons cleverly
| clinched and avoided damage, but 1T was
| a clear case of foul on Sharkey,s part
| No claim was made. however, and the
| fight went on.
Sharkey Nearly Out.
/ In the fifth, Sharkey did more mean
work, grabbing Fitzsimmons around the
| legs and trying to throw him. Eitzsim-
mons began to warm up, and went after
the sturdy sailor like cyclone. A poke
on the nose and a left swing on the
jaw sent Sharkey down. He rolled I'M
der the ropes and would have gone
off the platform had not Bob courteously
| hauled him back. It looked as if Tom
I was done for, but the gong sounded and
he was given a half minute in which to
| recuperate.
In the sixth, Sharkey made pre-
| tense Of fighting, leading for Bob's wind.
He missed connections every time, how
ever, while Fitzsimmons would land his
! left on the Jaw When the round closed
/ Sharkey was decidedly groggy, but was
on his feet A joyous shout went up
| from the many sports who had bet even
money that he would last SIX rounds.
No Foul Committed.
Then came the disastrous eighth, Fitz-
| simmons went at his man with a Will and
fairly smothered him with lefts and
rights First it would be the mouth that
suffered, then the nose and later the eye.
| FitZsmmons was working like demon.
| His long arms shot out with amazing
rapidity and Toms head bobbed back
and forth in response. Then Fitzslmmons
| got up close to finish the job right
half arm jolt under the chin sent the
| sailors head to one side. A left hook
similarly applied sent him over back
wards. Then came the much disputed
foul. Very few of the immense crowd
could be convinced that Fitzsimmons had
| DcCn uuldlT, anu IL Is dluIOSI CCIldlu Illdl
! if foul was committed, it was uninten-
tional.
Fight by Rounds.
Round 1.-The men advanced to the center
| of the ring and spared moment Fitz-
| simmons tented several times with his left,
| but Sharkey got away. Fitzsimmons landed
/ lightly right on the head; Sharkey clinched.
! Sharkey swung his left at Fitzsimmons'
| body and moment later landed a hard left
swing on Fitzsimmons' neck. Sharkey land
| ed right and left on Fitzsimmons' head, and
ducked a vicious left swing Sharkey tried
with his right for the head, but Fitzsm-
mons got away. Sharkey ducked hard
right swing. sharkey tried for the body and
| rushed Fitzsimmons landing left on the
body. Sharkey landed left on the body and
| got same in return. FitZsimmons knocked
| Sharkey down with his right twice in the
jaw The round ended with Sharkey in his
| corner and Fitzsmmons trying for his neck.
Round 2-Fitzsimmons stood up before
| time was called. The men spared and FitZ-
! simmons landed light left on the face.
Sharkey rushed, but Fitzsimmons clinched.
| Fitzsimmons swung his right and left, but
missed Sharley landed hard left on the
| chest. Fitzsimmons tried left for the face,
but got q light left on the head. Fitzsim-
nous ducked hard left. Sharkey ducked a
| N l.;