The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-20
TWENTY-FIVE BLOODY ROUNDS
M'DONALD GIVEN THE DECISION
OVER TOM CORCORAN.

COrcOran's Followers Raised n Howl
and the Club Reversed the Deci-
siOn-The Hardest Fight Yet in the
Pastime Clubs Ring-McDOnaId's
Features Knocked All Out of
Plumb.
In the twenty-five-round glove contest
before the Pastime Athletic Club last
night, Larry Mcdonald obtained the de-
cision over Tom Corcoran at the end of
the twenty-ifth round.
The fight was one of the hottest and
best ever seen in Savannah. The men
were very evenly matched, and at several
times during the go ii looked as if either
man might put the other out.
There were several live preliminaries be-
fore the main event. which did not begin
until after 10 o'clock. There were prob
ably $50 spectators present. The room
was insufferably warm, and most of the
spectators removed their coats and loos-
ened their collars to admit of freer breath
ing. There were all kinds Of people pres
ent, and some os the spectators had a
good deal to say. One ardent follower of
Corcoran, who had probably imbibed an
overdose of whiskey, was persistent in an
endeavor to place a five dollar bet on the
man from Maine He had difficulty in
obtaining a taker, which made him more
persistent. He had lot of fun with his
five dollar note and evidently went away
with the idea that he was a regular
plunger of the Riley Grammar type.
Corcoran entered the ring first with his
seconds Billy Veronee and the Terrible
Swede." Mcdonald came in a few minutes
later. He was attended by "Spitfire" Bal
lantyne and Charlie O'DeH Louis Muhl-
berg was selected as referee and Joe Cou-
nihan as timekeeper.
Both men looked fairly fit. Corcoran
was finely musced, and he looked healthy,
but he did not appear as hard as Nc
Donald. Mcdonald looked we'll physical
ly, but his face had a drawn and I'M
healthy appearance The muscles of his
face looked contracted and drawn and
his system seemed to be out of order.
For the first few rounds Corcoran had
the advantage. He did most of the lead
ing, and landed repeatedly on McDonaId's
head and face Mcdonald used compar-
n.
and that was right hand swing. Neither
man used the left much, and both seemed
not to see their advantage in following at
critical times.
Corcoran brought blood from McDon-
AIDS nose in the fifth round and in the
seventh he hit Larry a terrible swipe over
the left optic that opened up large cut
and almost closed that member The flow
ing of the blood seemed to rile Mcdonald,
for he fought hard from this on.
In the eighth round Mcdonald scored a
scratch knock-down. There was sharp in
fighting in which Mcdonald had the better
and while Corcoran was unbalanced Larry
hit him a belt on the jaw that sent him
to the floor. He was up in a second how
ever and the Maine man did not appear
to be phased.
The blood continued to flow from Nc
Donalds nose and eye but he put up the
gamest kind of a fight. He had the better
of the next few rounds In the four
teenth he scored a clean knockdown, Cor
coran taking advantage of the time limit
In the twenty-third round there was
some hot work by both men. Mcdonald
swung his right twice with terrible effect
and the men engaged in several seconds of
infighting and clinched. In the breakaway
| Corcoran fell to the floor and laid there
while eight seconds were counted.
The twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth
rounds were warm, and honors were about
| even.
At the conclusion of the fight Referee
Muhlberg announced Mcdonald as the
| winner. There were a few seconds of
GREATNESS silence then the Corcoran men
sent up howl. One youngster who said
he was from the home of Corcoran jump
ed over the ropes and shaking his fist in
the seconds face said: eff you don't close
| your trap I'll crawl over there and bite
my name in your neck"
A
| think the decision was a fair one and said
| that he thought the manager of the club
! should reverse il. Mr.. H. \. Goette STEP
ped forward and said that he also thought
the decision unfair, and, as manager of
the club he reversed it.
OF course, Mr.. Goette had no power to
| reverse the decision and it stands as rem
! dered by Referee Muhlberg. The referee
was selected by the club and the fighters
and his decision was final, no matter what
| it might be.
Corcoran semed to have a large follow
| ing, the majority of whom were partisans.
! The decision might have been a draw. but
| splitting things down fine, 1t was all right.
| Corcoran did most of the leading, but he
did not land any oftener than did McDon-
! aid, and the latter scored the knock
| downs, which offset the blood for Corco-
ran.