The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-22
InELAxD,s HAxDnALI CHAMPION.
Fitzgeraid Makes His Desut st the Brooks
iyn C1ub's Court.

There was = representative gathering Of hand
ball players. promoters, and critics at the
Brooklyn Clubs court yesterday afternoon to
see the Irish champion, James Fitzgerald.
make his American DEBUT. All were favorably
impressed with the new arrival. aud the apti-
tude he showed In adapting himself to the
strange court. conditions, and surroundings. IL
was q gala day at the premier court. and the
Celtic star received q rousing welcome from the
worlds champion, Phil Casey. eI-Alderman
James Dunno. Charley Johnson, and several
other well.known Brooklyn citizens. as well as
from his fellow townsmen. VI. and J. McAfahon.
Ex.Aldermap Dunno took Fitzgerald under
his wing. and the pair went In against Phil
Casey and J. Dunno. Jr., for a rubber. The
Irishman stripped well aud tipped the scales at
15S pounds. which In about twelve pounds over
his championship playing weight. Although
only 8 feet o Inches tall. he has IA good reach.
and is we'll proportional. Having been mostly
accustomed to Understandable service. the ace
found trouble In reaching the three wall twist
ers which came along whom the others went In.
sun he succeeded ia showing that he under.
he has a finished pair OF hands and the legs Of q
Before "Fitz" and the ex-Alderman got fairly
well together the other pair ran away with the
first game. From then on IL was n splendid
match. and the alI.round science displayed was
Ex.Aid. Dunno and James Fitzgerald . u IL 2i-o5
Great interest was then manifested In Fitz-
gerald's past record. and IL was found to be well
worth scrutiny. He was born at Tralee twenty
nve, yeArs ago and picke cd up the game naturally
portance was In 1892. when he played a home.
and home match with Timothy Twohill Of
Kanturk and beat him 4 to {. OF these he took
seven at homo and one at Kanturk. Twohill
scoring four at homo and. three on
Titzgersld's groand. His second effort was
defeated wnIlam o'Herlihy OF Cork. then cham.
pion OF ireland. The match took place at XII
kenny. and "Fitz" captured the rubber OF best
of thirteen In seven straight games. His next
was played In 1894 at Carlow and Dublin. At
homo Nolan held his man well. and they broke
even with nve games each, but In the balance
of the rubber at Dublin Fitzgerald ended sus-
penss by taking six games TO Nolap's one;
Lawlor. who returned to Ireland from this
country specially to wrest the Gaelic crown
from the Tralee boy. They mot In August,
1898. nj Cork In q two-day match of best Of
eleven games for the Irish championship Law
Tor professcd great condolences. and his follow:
ers offered heavy odds on him.. but Fitzgerald
easily took the rubber and title. keeping his OPP
ponent anchored at three games.
Ever since Fitzgerald saw Casey and tho
DUNES play under THE SUNS rules In Ireland
country. as he thought the modern system OF
play now In general vogue here would suit him.
Now that ho has carried out his design and
fallen into such good hands he has no doubts
for the future. Hoexpressed strong admiration
for the play of his partner and opponents IN
yesterdays friendly brush and also Tor the style
OF ball used. which ho thinks far ahead Of the
Irish article.