The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-18
sHARKEY DIsAProrSrs THEM.
1ne Big atlor Has = Four Round 60
With DannIe Needhnm.


With Dannfe Needhnm.
A Jury OF about so Of the physical IN
fersors OF Tom Sharkey sat In judgment
upon his style OF boxing, as exhibited in a
four-round friendly contest. which came
on last night under the management OF
Frank Clancy, at the orpheun theater
Preceding the bout the regular vaude-
Vile programme OF the house was rem
dered, and the curtain was dropped 10 let
the crowd sit ten minutes In nervous ex-
pectancv. During the entire act the piano
player tore out some popular melodies. IN
which the crowd joined. singing the cho-
rgses noissly. Then the curtain rolled up,
displaying the stage Invested Of It's seem
cry. The Jury, fdgeted In its so chairs
and GRAINED its 500 necks. Gilbert Girrard.
noted for his .'spiels." stepped down 10
the footiights and raised his hand for
quiet He had rushed in from Lake Wash
ington 20 make the announcement, and
was evidently distressed for wind
Ladies ana gentlemen. said Mr. Cir
rard. IT have the pleasure of introducing
to you Mr.. Daanie Neeiham. ex-ehampion
welferwe.sht OF the world Mr.. Needhasn
slae-stepped and bowed Then AZ Cir
rard, with Arard flourish continued,
''an3 Mr.. Tom Sharkey. coming champion
heavyweight pngilist OF the world" A
hlare OF trumpets could not have made
Girrard's Introduction more impressive.
Al its close mass OF bone and sinew.
with great knots OF muscle all over IL, and
a full-rigged ship and star tattooed on its
breast. stepped out from the wings 1t was
the great Tom Sharkey. and the jury
gasped in wonder. The first view was mo-
mentary. but revealed the close-cropped
head and square jaw esRt have appeared
so prominently in Sharkey's pictures. Up
ON the places where shoulders should
have been there were piled in contempt Of
symmetry punches OF sinews and muscles
such as had never before been exhibited
in Seattle. and the crowd In front cheered
and applauded.
Mr.. Lynch. manager OF Sharkey. held a
watch and called time. II was a whiri-
wind from the first. and probably the
liveliest friendly mix-up that the jury
had ever been compelled TO pass upon.
There were none of the precautionary
studies OF the opponents style or manner
OF fighting, but a peil-mell sort of an
affair in which Dannie Needham gave a
good account or himself. and Sharkey
showed himself TO be a clever QUICKER and
fairly quick. There was. however, an al
most entire absence of science on the part
OF the wouid-be champion. and even his
most ardent admirers in front said that
IL Sharkey ever became champion It would
bo because he could stay. He is fairly
quick, bu. there is not that feline supple
ness about him or his work that has
marked Corbett and his way OF fighting
There was, however. nothing lacking as
an exhibition of fistic force. even IL science
We're lacking, and Sharkey didn't lose any
friends, If he didn't make any.
All through the full three-minute four
rounds the pace was kept UP. ana at the
end the marine heavyweight was dripping
with perspiration and blowing pretty hard.
This is harder work than a finish fight. .
said Sharkey to a Post-Intelligencer re-
porter. III am worse bowed than / was
when had Corbett all but out"
Then the jury swarmed out onto the side
walks, not having been able 10 agree.
.'E's got great duck on 'sm." said one.
Gle mixes up fast as ell" said another
admirer. Then Corbett admirer who had
listened said: "Corbett can't train on
French dinners; wait TIL he fights Shar-
key 10 finish; Corbett won't do a thing
10 him. There was a wide diversity OF
opinion expressed last night on the side
walks and in the barrooms that IL Corbett
does not best the marine pugilist in the
finish. some of the stories concerning the
deterioration OF the champion must be
true.
The Sharkey party goes TO Victoria to-
day, entirely dissipating the yarn that he
is British man-of-war deserter. Dannie
Needham is not looking for anything in
the way Of a fight until the Corbett-Shar-
key mill is pulled of. Then he says that
Mr.. Lynch viii back him for s., 500 against
any one OF his weight.