The herald., 1897-05-24
THE PUGILISTS

other editions at every point"
THE PUGILIsTs
1.-THE Fight of the Century" has juE
been issued in book form. 1t is COM
plete history of the F'itzeimmons-Cor-
bett fight at Carson, and is written and
compiled by George Siler, the referee of
the historic engagement, with Lou M.
Houseman, sporting editor of the Chi
cago Inter-Ocean, as collaborateur, un-
der the direction of Dan A. Stuart.
While the little work contains much that
is comparatively valueless, consisting of
reprints Of newspaper specials from Car
son before the fight and similar matter,
there is one feature that will commend
it to every follower Of pugilism and will
make it invaluable as book Of refer
ence. This is the history of the fight by
rounds, with illustrations giving each
blow struck, and this is alone worth
much more than the very modest price
charged for the entire work. The book
will be on sale at all the exhibitions>of
the fight by the verascope, and as no
money has been wasted in expensive
typography 1t will doubles net hand
some fortune to the clever trio who con-
ceived the idea and put it into execu-
ton.
After all the talk about Corbett fore
ing Fitzsimmons to give him another
match or forfeit the championship, it
may be a matter of interest to know that
there are no rules in America governing
championship matches. In this connec-
ton, Sporting Life says: In the old
palny days of the ring there was rule
ir England that champion had to fight
anyone who challenged him, provided
the challenger could put up a stake of
E200 Then no champion could tell man
to "go and get reputation" He had
to fight all corners who had the proper
monetary backing, but the rule provided
that he did not have to fight within six
months after he had been engaged in
a fight. In other words he could not be
made to defend his title more than twice
year. There is no such law in America.
When John L. Sullivan became cham
pion he established himself as a fistic
czar, so to speak, and for many years
there was no one to say him nay. After
he broke his arm on Patsy Cardiff's
itSeAo AC Wdo ChdiCASSo w u ohC lAiii all,
and when through that accident and his
subsequent illness, he was unable to ac-
cept Jake's challenge, he virtually for
feited the championship, but after his
victory over Kilrain and his defeat by
Corbett he claimed to have been cham
pion for twelve years. There is no rule
that can compel Fitzsimmons to fight
Corbett even If Jim whipped every other
good man on the list. There is power,
though, that is superior to any ring
rules, and that is public opinion. If Bob
claims to be still in the ring, unless he
accords Corbett another meeting after
six or eight months, Fitz's claim to the
championship, while perfectly valid.
would not be of much value to him in a
money-making point of view. He should
either stick to his avowed purpose i'm
mediately after his victory at Carson
City, or if he intends fighting again he
should give Corbett the preference and
meet him again before the year ends,
He doesn't have to do this, however.
4 4 +
Young Mr.. Mccoy has found his
tongue since his return from South AZ
rica, and all the indications point to a
very bad case of swelled head, superin-
duced and doubtless aggravated by the
injudicious putting. he has been re-
ceiving at the hands of the eastern
sporting writers. Here is his latest:
"There is one man I would sooner meet
than all the others put together. That
man Is Bob Fitzsimmons. I see he still
claims that he is the middle as we'll as
the heavyweight champion. l don't be-
lieve him. I don't think that he can fight
at middle-weight, but If he thinks he
can, am perfectly willing to make a
match to fight him for $4,000 side for
the middle-weight championship, both
of us to weigh 154 pounds at the ringside.
Some people have had me willing to
challenge Fitz at heavyweight. I have
no proposition to make of the kind at
the present time. I am but % years old
and am still growing. hope that when
I am 25 will be big enough to challenge
(9Titz for the big championship and re-
store the title to this country. I think
an American ought to be the champion
of America, but in the meantime claim
that I am the real simon-pure, none
genuine without the name blown in the
BOTTLE middle-weight champion of the
WoIAu' dhu IL MT' rltzSliIlHOHS tnlnkS
otherwise, he can break me and a num-
ber Of my friends who have dollars to
my dimes"
\ + \
Professor Charles Goldsmith writes
the sporting editor Of The Herald, chal-
longing any 140-pound boxer to spar for
points or to finish for $500 to $1,000 a
side, bar none. Money and man can be
found at Professor Goldsmith's Athletic
club, Pasadena. The professor also says
that he has an unknown that he will