The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-03
Referee Claimed Fitz FOuled
Sharkey In a Fall.
THE CROWD JEERED.
Fitzsimmons Had All the Best
Of Fighting.
Immense Crowds, and Many
Women, Attend the Mill.


was given the decision by Referee carp
on claim Of foul Fob jolted sharkey
under the chin with his left. and the
sailor went over backwards
As ne fell he put his hand 20 his groin
He made no attempt TO rise and was
carried unconscious from the ring The
foul. if foul il was could not be seen
from the press stand. bur Referee carp
gave his decision in spite of Fitzsim-
mons protests
1T was F'itzsimmons' fight from start
TO finish He fought fairly while the
sailor continually used foul tactics He
would clinch ana lift F-tzsimmOEs from
his feet. stul IN a clinch though the
men had previously agreed not to do 50
and he was generally unfair Several
times during the fight Flrzsimm0ns had
the sailor going. but could not land a
knock out blow
In the eighth Sharkev started in to do
the leadlng, but seldom landed Bob
continually sent in left hand jabs on
sharkey face, sending his hand back
every time.
The referee gave the decision to Shar-
key. claiming that while Sharkey was
falling from Fitz' left hook on the chin.
Fitzsimmons struck Sharkey IN the
groin with his knee.
The crowd did not seem to grasp the
situation but when il daWned upon
them that the decision had gone against
tltzSlnU1Ons. such howl of indigna-
---i-- d. ff1A-- u = HAS 1-llDlL DCEE nEdEQ
IN this section Kisses, curses. groans
and boots split the air On the platform
IN the ring Bob EirzsimUOns and Mar
tin Julian were jumping about and try
ing 20 make themselves heard. Al
though their words were indistinguish-
apL@, their actions were expressive
enough. Dismay and disgust were Wv
llly portrayed EllzslnmOns indlg-
uautly denied that he had fOuled Shar-
key He said he had fought fairly and
there was no temptati ton for him 70
commit foul. as he knew he had his
man going Sharkey could not be seen
EIe was carried into his room oy his see
seconds and followed by a doctor who
examined the injured sailor
No event IN the history Of pugiIisn
on the Pacific coast ever attracted pub
Ac attention mere as did the battle be-
tween the heavyvFeights. Robert F'itz-
simmons and Thomas Sharkey last
night.
Between 5000 and 90 600 people occu-
pied al the available space in the big
Mechanlc' Pavilion and watched the
contest ~ hlch every one regarded as
factically deciding the championship
or lne world The long. lean New zeal
ander VINO had such a succession OF
victories in the United States Tor the
last i've or SIX years. entered the rms
last night with almost every apparent
advantage IN his favor. He could count
upon ms experience and science. his
height, and reach every other quality
which enters into the making gf the
successful prize fighter Against him
W DIS -AA- 1elA-8E lad vs. no was unknown
inDl-tAs ago. out VINO rose To fame re-
Gently when ne came perilOusly near
trainns lil the dust the colors OF Cali
f0rDia ; IDOL. J. J. C0-bett
Both men had trained hard and v-aI
for several weeks before the contest
and particularly during the last Few
days and each had expressed the Ut
most confidence in his ability to gain
a victory and the $4,000 purse which
the National Athletic club offered the
victor The contest was limited TO ten
rounds.
The betting public naturally leaned
toward the man of experience and the
odds ia Fi1zsimmOn favor AVERAGED
about ~ to 1. in some few cases 90
irs e high as 70 /, but just before
the fight started the prevailing odds
were about 20 10 g. There was no lack
of ShartSeE money q these figures aud
many bets were offered at even money
and accepted that Fitz would put his
man cut within six rounds
The National club had made most
Ella Dorate preparations for the fight and
il is probable that a similar contest
was never Witnessed by as many Dao-
PIE. The z4-foot ring was located ia the
center Pr the pavilion. the largest
building Of its kind in San Francisco
and over $50 boxes accommodating from
to 10 persons each surrounded the
ring and beyond the boxes and in the
galleries on four sides of the building
were row after row of chairs Every
seat in the building was occupied and
thousands of men stood up back Of the
rows of chairs.
one unique feature of the night was
the fact that for the first time in the
history of pHgilisrn. the management
of the club threw open the doors to
women and several hundred women
were in attendance. some Of them gray
haired natrons whose enthusiasm on
the subject has led them to venture
beyond the bounds of ntiOnaliry.
One hundred police and as many more
special officers were in attendance and
q hundred ushers. all in evening dress
escorted the spectators TO their seats
one of the most nOticea bic differ
euces in the men was in regard 10
height the New Zealauder being FIVE
feet eleven and three-QUarter inches
Each Of the men weighed about 1T5
pounds
The seconds for Fitz were Martin Ju-
liam. Dan Hickey and Jack Steiner
For Sharkay- George Allen. Australian
Billy Smith and Danny NAedham-
Wyatt carp, the famous arizona
stage driver. who mas figured in many
q eun hEht on the border was chosen
referee late in the Afternoon
Ii was fully 9 O'Clock % fore the grsat
crowd began 70 make an impression on
the vast amount Of vacant seats Out
side OF the pavilion stood a crowd estI-
mated at 10000 which commenced 10
asseulb as early as Is O'Clock It is es-
tlmatad that The National club took
in at least $4,000 at the box Offices
Sharl-ey appeared two minutes after
F-5tzsfmmons. and his welcome was
equally as warm FiLzsimOms chatred
with frie dds at the ring side as If a hard
feht II ere not on hands When Shar-
the ring and shook hands cordially with
the sailor and his seconds.
/ Both men E-<rs 1nF5lOped in long.