The herald., 1897-06-07
THE PUGILISTS

Sporting Life of st. Louis, in describ-
ing the verascope exhibition OF the car
son fight in that city, says:
Corbett's friends admit that if Jim had
the advantage in his fight at Carson
with Bob Fitzsimmons until the Aus
tralian dropped him with body blow
in the fourteenth round, the verascope
pictures as seen at the Academy of
Music do not show such a condition of
affairs. The pictures tell the truth, and
the general opinion of those who saw
them is that Fitzsimmons proved the
better pugilist and won fairly. Barring
slight fiickering and change of light
now and then the pictures are remark
ably good. The first pictures thrown
upon the canvas show the entrance of
Corbett and Fitzsimmons, together with
the trainers, into the ring. Fitz's stride
is deliberate and he carries his arms
folded behind his back. Corbett, on the
other hand, keeps talking apparently
to somebody over the ropes. He also ap-
pears to be anxious for the fight to begin.
Before the first bell sounds Jim and Bob
walk in front of the verascope and bow.
Both are smiling good-naturedly.
Fitz's refusal to shake hands is plain
enough. Then the battle begins.
| To the surprise of the crowd Fitz be-
gan forcing matters and Corbett for the
first three rounds was seen to be on the
defensive. If anything, Fitz had the bet
ter of all of these rounds, according to
the pictures. The next two were Cor
belts, but Fitz showed no sign of dis
tress except for a bleeding lip.
Everybody was anxious to see the
sixth round, for Corbett has made many
claims that he was deprived of the ver-
dict by reason of slow count. The pic
ture shows Corbett forcing matters AMI
Fitz apparently blocking swings and
clinching. In a sort of clinch, near the
further side of the ring, Fitz is suddenly
seen to slip on his knees, his arms around
Corbett's legs. AS Siler begins to count
off the seconds he pushes Corbett away.
Fitzsimmons seems far from being
groggy, and when he does stand up he
begins to fight back strongly.
During the next three rounds Corbett
appeared to be growing tired. He
dropped his guard repeatedly and is al
most constantly on the defensive. Fitz-
simmons, on the other hand, seemed to
rounds showed Fitz boring in and Jim
firing, but Bobs blows are twice as
heavy as the Californians. 1t is easy
to see that the Cornishman is slowly
wearing his opponent out.
"Good-bye, JIM" yelled a Fitzsim-
mons enthusiast away up in the gallery
at the Academy of Music, and the crowd
burst out laughing, as the fourteenth
began. Watch now, for that foul
blow!" was the remark heard on all
sides, because of alleged pictures which
have been published recently There
he goes." was the cry as Fitz finally
put his terrific left into the pit of Jim's
stomach. AS Corbett began to sink Bob
made another motion to hit him with his
left, but whether he landed it or not no
one could tell, for the pictures did not
show 1t. "Where's the foul?" shouted
the crowd "Fake." howed many per-
sons, but they were quickly silenced by
the picture of Corbett on his hands and
knees, his face horrible with agony. As
he crawled almost helplessly toward the
ropes and away from the place where
his conqueror stood, FitZ never moved
toward him. The referee can be seen
counting the ex-champion out and then
FitZ dances jig.
The commotion in the ring with Cor
bett in a frenzy and his striking Fitz as
he is in his corner are shown.
A match has been found for big Jim
Jeffries. the pride of Los Angeles. in size
at least, and a contest between the young
giants has been practically arranged.
Says the Examiner Of Saturday:
When Jim Corbett went down before
FitZeimmons at Carson it was remarked
by not few that the prospect of an
Americana born heavyweight regaining
the championship was not over bright,
The lament was prompted by the belief
that Corbett had seen his beat days, and
by knowledge of the fact that he was
the only representative of this country,
eince Sullivan g time, who had exhibited
championship form.
Choynsk, probably the next best, had
succumbed to Irish Peter Maher and
Australian Goddard, and while a brill
liant performer on occasions he was not
looked upon as a man fit to cope with the
mighty Fitzslmmone.
No better indication of how hopeless
the situation is regarded in some quar-
ters can be- found than the glamor that is
being thrown around Middleweight
kid" McCoy's achievements. 1t is be-
girining to look, indeed, as If the sports
of the east are coming to regard the
kid as the last shot in the pugilisltic
locker, for they are all epeculatipg on,
what he will do to Fitzstmmons when he
has filled out" bit more.
But while, aside from Corbett, the