Evening star., 1896-06-25
1T WAS A DRAW
Corbett Couldn't Whip Sharkey,
the Blue Jacket.
The BASE BALL GAMES
The Cornell Freshmen Won on
the Hudson.
V A RI o q 8 S P o RTS S

SAN FRANCISCO, June 25.-The cham
pion, Jim Corbett, climbed down last night
from his pedestal of pugilistic greatness,
and at the same time husky Tom Sharkey,
who was eight months ago a mere blue
jacket at the Mare Island navy yard.
mounted to the top notch in the sporting
calendar.
Ten thousand people saw the sailor give
and take blows with Corbett for twelve
minutes. and at the end of the fight they
saw an undefeated worlds champion hang
ing around his opponents neck. weak, list
less. painting and leaning against the ropes
to prevent himself from falling.
Declared Even.
AS it was, the fight was declared draw.
Had 1t lasted few rounds more there
would have been a different story to tell,
a story that would make pugilistic history.
There are those in San Francisco today,
and their number is legion, who say that
twelve more minutes of fighting last night
would have made a new worlds champion.
Corbett went into the ring smiling and
confident. He came out of it trembling and
crestfallen. He had not only failed to stop
the sailor in four rounds, as he and his
thousands of admirers confidently expected
he would, but he narrowly escaped being a
whipped man. Round after round the
him on to the victory he could not win, and
when he went to his corner for the last
time the crestfallen world beater suffered
the 1gnominy of having the sailor challenge
nm TO finish fight for the worlds cham
pionship Corbett, in the hope of recover
ing his laurels, accepted.
Disappointed His Friends,
In all fairness to Corbett, 1t Is to be said
that he did not put up the fight last night
fa1 1x- ,I1
coming was due to overconfidence; probably
Tom Sharkey was himself really the cause
of 1t, for Sharkey is wonderful fighter.
Corbett is magranimous, though, to declare
that the sailor Is the best wrestler he ever
met The blows rained thick and fast on
the champions head. Twice the sailor
trlpped him to the floor; twice he fought
nm to the ropes, while Corbett, in return,
failed to deliver the looked-for knockout
blows.
The surprising feature of last nights do
lngs was not so much that Corbett failed to
capped defeat. for. reviewed from whatever
side one may look at it. Corhett had the
advantage. In stature he was taller than
his opponent. His superior reach enabled
hinl to land with effect.
Corbett Talks.
In discussing the fight, Corbett said:
when say that Sharkey is a good strong
man 1 tell the whole story. He is a bull.
but he is no fighter. The people are mis-
taken if they think he landed a serious
blow on me- My face is now without a
mark or bruise- My shoulders are a little
red from the effects of his blows, but that Is
all In the second round l had him going
ard would have put him out If the round
had lasted ten seconds longer. The referee
stopper US when l had Sharkey In his
corner, ratified. in the second round and
offered to give me the decision, but 1 would
not accept it.
Il had no difficulty in hitting Sharkey.
but he can stand more punishment than tie
ordinary man. l could have blinded him
by continuing to hit him on the eye, which
nearly closed in the second round. but it
fellow that much, SO 1 refrained from hit
ting the right eye after the first blow.
Tried to Crush His Skull.
1.-The people seemed to think that I was
doing all the hugging III the last round.
but that is pardonable mistake. Those
Who simply saw it could not realize what
was being done as the participants could
Sharkey hugged me as often and as long as
he could and had a hard time of it keep
ing him from crushing in the top of nv
head with his arm. He aimed blow after
blow at my Uranium while we were clinchad
and If one of them had landed would have
N my seconds had made the claim,
would have secured the decision on fouls
Sharkey was continually giving me the
shoulder and croSs-buttock. But nv Sec
ends had instructions to claim no fouls.
About the 10000 proposition to fight to
a finish. l am ready for Sharkey at once
Let him cover the money and all arrange
ments will be made at once for the af-
fa1r. l am going to leave the city In a few
Gays, SO he must act quickly. Finish fights
are what desire and not four-round ba =
Ties, IN which man cannot fight scientifical-
ly. but must slug and wrestle.'
Sharkey Talks, Too.
Shortly after the fight Sharkey said: st
can whip Jim Corbett in a finish fight. and
" IL be glad when we face each other for
a second match. D. ]. Lynch is ready to
back me against Jim Corbett or any man in
the world for 5000 or $4,000 in a finish
hight. and l am ready and willing at any
fact challenged Corbett to fight last night.
ana don't see how he can avoid giving me
the match.
Il believe that II we had been given a
chance last night 1 could have whipped
hlm. He was done out, and he chung to
third round to stand up and fight like
man, but he would not do 1t. l was not
tired at the close. l was never In any fear
of him. and l believe I had the best of it.
He cannot lick one side of me- and 1 will
show him that he can't if we ever meet
again. ] am not hurt, and my only regret
Is that he did not fight me in the last two
re undS.
Il am now in a position to talk to all
these fighters, and am going to do it.
will take on F1tzsimmons or any Of them"
CORNELL. ERESHNEN wOy