The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-26
MAHER DOPES O'DONNELL,
The Australian PugiIist Pul TO Sleep in
One Minnie and a hali...AnXiOuS
Sports DisgusteG.

New York. Dec. 25.-It took Peter
Mahcr just one minute and a half in
the :irst round to send Steve O'Don-
nell from Australia down and out this
afternoon at the Greater New York
Athletic club, at Coney Island, former
ly the Seaside Athletic club. The men
were matched to go twenty rounds or
more, which practically meant finish
fight, but Maher saved the manage
ment from infringing on the Horton
law by giving the Australian his
quietus with three left hand punches.
Maher also sent right handler to the
head, but it was too high to do any
damage, O'Donnell's solitary contri-
button was a very short left which
opened the battle and barely grazed
Peters breast. The last time the pair
met in the Empire Athletic club, at
Maspeth, l.. l.. Peter sent his man to
sleep with three punches in one minute
and three seconds.
AT 2 o'clock, the hour set for the pre-
liminary bout, there were not more
than six hundred people in the build
ing and it looked as if the frost outside
was to be emphasized by another
frost of a different nature inside, but
when the big fellows shook hands at
3.37 p. m. there were fully $500 present.
After Alf Brown, of BROOKLYN, and
John Suter, of the same place, had been
announced as the official referee and
time keeper respectively, the opening
pair were put on. They were Fred
Wright of Massachusetts. and Jerry
Sullivan, of Brooklyn, who boxed at
129 pounds. Wright was substituted
for Elwood McCloskey, of Philadel-
phia, as the latter was over weight.
The Massachusetts boy displayed un-
usual ceverness and after the fifth
round had all the best of the battle,
and the referee declared Wright the
winner.
Although the principals in the main
events lost no time in. getting in the
ring, there was some delay before they
shook hands. as O'Donnells seconds
insisted on having one of the windows,
through which the sun was streaming
on their corner, darkened, and then the
first set of gloves was found to be too
small for the Australian, and they
had to be changed. O'Donnell was
looked after by Billy Madden, Sam
Fitzpatrick, Gus Ruhlng and Mike
Butler.
Maher's aids were John Quinn, Peter
Lowry and Pete Burns.
Round 1.-The men spared for about
five seconds. Mahers face wore de-
termined expression at which ODonnell
appeared nervous and shifted uneasily
on his feet. The Australian thought
he saw an opening, he put out his left
in n half hearted manner and just
reached Mahers breast Maher swung
his left to the head and they clinched.
While they were locked together they
exchanged lefts. but the blows We're
bo ornlecS The refprea broke them and
then Maher shot his right to the top of
O'Donnelrs head. The Australian
looked astOnished and dropped his
guard. The Irishman came in like n
tiger and sent his left hand on the jaw.
The Australian stayed down about four
seconds. When he got on his feet Ma
her came at him again and with left
handler that was a combination of hook
and swing caught the unfortunate Aus
tralian on the left cheek just under the
eve. O'Donnell went to the floor with q
bang, turned over on his back and was
counted out. His seconds helped him
to his corner and he walked out of the
ring all right after a few seconds. When
Mahcr landed the final blow he did not
wait to see what O'Donnell would do
but went quickly TO his corner Then
he went over and shook hands heartily
with Billy Madden.
1t was announced that n challenge
had ben sent on behalf of Maher to Tom
Sharkey to fight in the Greater New
York Athletic club, and that also If
Mahar was successful in the contest, he
would challenge the winner of the Cor
bett -FitZsimmons fight. The disgusted
sports filed out through the snow, be-
wailing the expenditure of 50 to Sc for
q minute and half's sport.