The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-03
sIlApKEY WINS FROM "FlTz. !"

SIlAPHEY WINS FROM "FlTz."
Nh, sailor pnd ,.Lanky Eohf Meet In n
tn, Round Fight In San Ernnoi,eo.
iletTrom Start to Flnl'l, shrk,y wa,
knocked ont by Tonl How, ana the
Dt,l,lon Went 10 sharkey.
NEcnANIcs' P.AvILLIoN, SAN
FRANCISCO, Dec, a.-No event In the
,iuory Of puglllsm on the Pabinc coast
Ntr attracted public attcDlSn here as
5lI the battle between the heavy
weights, Robert Fitzslmmons and
Thomas sharkey, to-nlghs.E, Between
, 1900 and 10000 people ocopnlcd all thc
Available space In the big Mechanics
PAVILION and watched tho contest which
everyone regarded as practically decld-
lax the Championship OF ths-Forld. The
hnslcan New zoalander who has had n
succession Of victories in, the Ualtcd
states for the last Ave years, entered
the ring tonight with aimpst every
apparent advantage in his favor He
could count upon his experience and
st!sncc his height and rGach and ev-
cry other quality which enters into the
making of the successful prize fighter.
Against him was the sallpsS lad who
was unknown six months age, but who
rose to fame recently whep5he came
near trailing IN the dust the ,colors OF
Cal!.Ornia's idol, James ctss Corbctt.
AEalns: the science and experience and
The superior height and reach OF Fitz-
simmons, was Sharkey. with his youth
and strength, probably one OF the great
q, examples OF muscular, -deyelopmen
that the prize ring has produced. A
man not accredited with theiscience of
FitzsimmOns or Corbett,s but who
had proved that he would be- u Chop
ping block" for none, aiidI-who was
known TO posses most,p remarkable
strength and endurance and 10 fear
nothing that ever stepped into a prize
ring.
Both men had trained hard. and we'll
for several weeks before, the contest
and particularly the last feWsdays, and
each had expressed the utmost conf
Grnce In his ability to sainsa victory
and the ten thousand purse which the
National Athletic Club offer the victor.
Although the contest was limited to a
ien-round so, there was hardly a spec
iator In the pavilion tonight who did
rot expect TO see one or thesQther OF the
aghsrs so down to defeat before the
full limit OF the fight had been reached.
The men themselves evidently expect
II 80. Il. al, L.. 1T.
trainers were confident that Sharkey
would be put out in from eofe 10 five
rounds and Sharkey expressed every
confidence that he would defeat Fitz-
simmons within seven rounds.
In Flt1slmmonS Favor.
The betting public generally leaned
toward the man of experience and the
odds In Fitzsimmons' favor average
abou. two and one-half to one, In some
Few Eases going as high as four to one,
out just before the fight. started the
prevailing odds were abouf. twenty to
nine. There was no lack OF, Sharkey
money at these figures and many bets
were offered at even money, apd accept.
Cd. that Fitzsimmons would put his
man out within six rounds. so
The National Club hadndnade most
VidbpidtC ptGpdl dlIOIiS ltE ttlt-iiEifl anu
Il Is probable that similar contest was
never witnessed by as many people.
TIE twenty-four foot ring was located
in the center of the pavilion, the largest
building Of It's kind in SAM Francisco
and oyer one hundred and fifty. boxes,
accommodating from six tS.ISp persons
zach, surrounded the ring and beyond
the boxes were row after row of chairs.
Every seat In the building was occupied
and thousands OF men stood up back
q the rows OF chairs.
One unique feature of the night was
the fact that for the first time in the
History OF pusilism, the infringement OF
The club threw open the doors to wo-
men and several hundred were In at
tendance, some OF them grey haired
metrons whose enthusiasm on the sub
tact has led them to to venture beyond
TIE bounds of conventionaluES
One hundred police and asInary more
specia! officers were in attendance ard
a hundred usher5 in evening dress es-
c5rted the parties to their seats Long
before the fighters appeared III. the ring
solid mass Of humanity was banked
In front of the pavilion. There was no
lack Of enthusiasm at any Stage OF the
hight, and Notwithstanding the long de-
lay before the event of the evening"
occurred, there was nothing-but the
greatest good nature prevailing ey-
efywhere and there was not the slight
est sign of n disturbances. Several
preliminary events preceded;Jhe chief
event and it was very late when Fitz-'
s.9mmens and Sharliey appeared in the
ring.
One OF ttx. mos. noticeable differ
enceS IN the, men was In .rasard to
neignt. the New Zealander being five
!eet eleven and three-fourthi inches and
sharkey five feet eight ard three
fourth inches. Each Of the mon weigh
20 about one hundred and seYenty-five
pounds. The seconds for FHzsimmons
were Martin Julian, Dan Hickey and
JACK ste!zner. For sharkey, George
.NIen Australian Billy Smith and Dam
ny Needham. Wyatt carp. the famous.
Arizona stage driver, who has-fguSed
" many 4 gun fight on the bordar, was
shoseE referee late this afternoon.
Fighters .Apprnr.rL:Ss
It was'fplly9 o'clock beforcahc great
crowd began to make On Impression on
The vast amount OF vacant seats. Out
SIDE Of the pavilion stood crowd es-
umatcd at 10000 which commenced. 10
assemble as early as o'clock It2is es-
nnlatei that the National Club took in
~ least $4,000 at the box Office: At 0
ociJSE before threc-quarters of the
rats were filled, the prclimlnaries were
SSa!eG ard number OF local cclebrlt-
.. !. exhibited their ,prowess.l'S1Harry
n,,'aHorl, Of New Orleans, ana John
howard, OF San Francisco. camc up for
d lhFe" round 80. Lon Agnew,%,9t Chi
ago and Fred Muller, OF San Fran
. ,to light weights In ten round con-
sst We're the next attractions. 1t was q
Y,}Hunins good fight from the calr 3f time
stui!eT made a good showing until the
% %sth round. when hGnew knocked him
H9wn zeveral times. Tn, call. OF time
5aYcd MIN, but he lasted only about
ma!l minute In the sixth when sue
iI ss l,,, OF snashes on the jaw PIT! Null