The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-04
ECHOES OF THAT
BIG PRIZE FIGHT
Bob Fitzsimmons Is Angry at the De.
cisiou Of the Referee.
carp MAKES AN EXPLANATION
Insists That the Knock Out Blow
Was q Foul Whether Intentional or
Otherwlse..The Opinion of Other
Sporting Men..Sharkcy Is Quite
Badly Injured.. FitzsimmOns shows
No Ill Effects From the Fight.

San Francisco, Dec. 3.-Fitzsimmons
was around the Baldwin hotel at an
early hour this morning, showing not
the faintest trace of his encounter with
Sharkey last night. He Is most bitter
in his denunciation of the sailors
foul tactics. Referee carp ana the
management of the fight. He says he
was robbed of the decision and that 1t
was a preconcerted scheme to give the
battle to his opponent. The blow which
laid Sharkey low, the Australian de-
clared, was right hand hook ON the
stomach. This landed fairly and not
below the belt as maintained by the
referee. FitZsimmons Is anxious to
meet Sharkey again and will fight him
any time and place the latter may
name. Those in attendance upon Shar-
key say that he suffered terribly all
night, requiring the constant services
of two physicians up to four o'clock,
when he fell asleep.
Three of the most reputable citizens
in this city, Doctors b. B. Lee. ID. f..
Ragan and 7. A. Rottanzi, examined
Sharkey at 1915 this morning. The
result was this statement from Dr..
Ragan, the other two doctors acquies-
cling:
"Sharkey had a cash over the left
eye, which could not have been caused
by blow from a glove, as the eye is
not closed, also Il swelling on the left
cheek, to which we applied leech this
morning. The left ear Is swollen from
eXtravasation. or blood settling under
the surface. There is not a bruise or
q mark on the upper part of the body
save a slight abrasion of the skin,
caused by contact with the ropes in the
fifth round and which is of no conse-
Quence whatever. This is what caused
the damage"
Here Sharkey was stripped and the
physician pointed to huge swelling
on the lower part of the body near the
groin. There was discoloratiOn in one
spot showing where the blow had land
ed. This Shurkey said was caused by
FitZsimmons hooking him with his ell
bow. DR., Ragan explained the swell
ing was the same as in the ear and
would require leeches to subdue. There
is no hernia and no permanent injury,
but the doctors were unanimous in the
belief that Sharkey could never have
entered the ring or stood on his feet
had he been in his present condition.
1t will be several days before Sharkey
can leave his bed
EARP'S DEFENSE.
referee of the Sharkey- -Fitzsimmons
fight, telegraphs the Evening Journal
as follows regarding his decision:
'The foul blow of the night was seen
plainly by me. FitZ smashed with las
right on Sharkey's shoulder, and then
with an uppercut with the left he
struck the sailor below the belt. Shar-
key was leaning over and the blow
knocked him down.
1T was clearly foul and before the
sailor moved mentioned that the fight
Tho irct hlnu,
and / believe the second blow was in
tended for an uppercut, but it struck
foul.
mo man on earth ever questioned
my honor. have been in many places
and in peculiar situations. but no one
ever said till tonight that I was guilty
of dishonorable act, and l will re-
peat that / decided in all fairness and
that my judgment was as true as
my eyesight, l saw the foul blow"
Mr.. McNaughton, sporting editor of
the San Francisco Examiner, tele-
graphed the Journal as follows:
IF Fitzsimmons struck Sharkey a
foul blow last night l did not see it.
But even at that would scarcely like
to go on record as saying that the
punch on which the fight was given to
the sailor was no FOUL as Fitz had his
back to me-"
saw WuiZZlls lell uOOk 20 up
from Fitzsimmons hip. 1t caught
Sharkey on the chin or mouth and the
sailor began to sink. Then l saw
Fitzsmmons' right elbow come back
and he delivered body punch. l
should imagine 1t took effect some
where about Sharkey's stomach or
short ribs, on the left side. Anyhow.
In moment Sharkey was on the floor
on his back. He was not knocked out
He was making grimaces and placing
his hand on his groin, and IL he were
not in agony all l can say Is that he
must be a cOnsummate actor and must
have acted that particular scene many
time. Afterward / heard a dozen
citizens of excellent reputation say they
saw the foul plainly. Some of them
said the blow was accidental and 9TH
ers thought from the manner of it's de-
livery that 1t was Intentional This Is
something | cannot understand. In the
fifth round, when FitZ sent Sharkey
down under the ropes. the Cornishman
put out his hand and helped the sailor
to his feet. He complained to the
referee and chided Sharkey every time
the sailor struck foul in his clinches
Why on earth should he alter his tao
tics and fight foul. the more especially
as he was over the worst part of the
iourpav and hoI hic nrpoctuDity