The Portland daily press., 1897-03-16
EVE OF THE BATTLE.
How the Pugilists Busted Themselves
Yesterday.
AL Three Fights Will Come Off Tomorrow
The Star Event Expected To Be Short
Corbett and Fitz Meet On the Road.

SO".eS OSOAAoA UuoU dAi UAICo VI UhO HAA Oc
will be pulled off Wednesday, thus max
Ing the carnival the greatest in the his
tory Of pugilism. Hawkins, Flaherty,
Green and Smith, were ordered to be on
hand for medical examination Wednes-
day morning. The men will be examined
by the official physician, DR.. Guian of
this city. Stuart evidently believes, in
common with the majority Of the ex-
ports, that the big mill will not be very
prolonged. 1t is not by any means
equally. certain that the other two bouts
can be finished in the day.
| A summer temperature. bright sun and
clear sky greeted Corbett and Fitszim-
mons this morning when they arose to
prepare for the last finishing touches
which are to cap the climax of their ar
duous labors. Two specials and a regu-
lar train landed a goodly crowd of sports
this afternoon and the town puts on quite
q busy appearance. The pool rooms
opened this morning, but there was lit
tle or nothing doing in the way of bet
ting and no big wagers were eooTded.
Corbett and Fitzsimmons bade adieu to
most OF their train ing paraphenalia to-
day.
Jim inflicted for the last time the jabs
q nd upper cuts that have made the lives
of Billy Woods and Jetfreys miserable
for weeks past.
All the Fitzsimmons party were in
town early. Bob took drive with
Mrs. Fitzsimmons toward Shaw's
Springs. They did not go quite to Cor.
bett's quarters, but the rivals narrow
,>,I
trary to expectations neither of the king
pins knocked off work entirely today.
Both Of them went through the usual
programme with slight notifications.
Corbett played with his favUrjte wrist
machine nearly ten minutes. When he
WAS through with the wrist machine he
punched the bag hard nm hour and then
announced himself ready to take Jim
Nea1ons scalp at hand ball.
Three red hot games werssplaYed in less
than an hour. NealOn did not figure
in any of them to any great extent. Jim
kept cross fire of sarcasm at his old
friend. His easy victory Of Nealon left
him in good humor and he took pity on
bis trainers when the gloves were
were gone through with, but no blood
was spilled. Corbett danced about and
coaxed his partners to try for his head,
but he took good care to keep iG out of
range. Not Ii glove touched him during
the entire exercise. He finished without
'ta show of exhaustion.
In While Jim was taking his rundown
his trainers specuiated as to his weight.
None of them have seen him on the
scales and nobody can say for certain just
what he does weigh. Whites guess of
1872 pounds was supposed to be the near
est mark and is probably within two
pounds of the correct figure.
hi 1tvr, ID fkoxr >yn
sprint, Mr.. and Mrs. Fitzsimmons were
driving along the road to Shaw's
Springs. They saw Corbett trotting
down on them a few hun dred yards
ahead. Fitzsim mons pelted his horse
and logged along until he reached fork
in the roadway, whe,e he turned off on
the pike toward Reno. Mrs. Fitzsim-
band and took good. look at theSCali-
fornian. Bob kept his eyes ahead and
never once glanced in Jin's dire ction.
Corbett logged along with his trainers,
paying no heed to the pair on his right.
Very few visitors saw F1tzsimmons
put in the last days work. The Cornish
man scorched around the ranch on his
wheel half an hour. with Yarum AS a
peacemaker before putting on his run
ming shoes. He did not waste much
time in sprintinR and seemed impatient
to get into the gymnasium. Ihe punch
Ing bug was given long inning and the
drives which Bob let 60 were not love
taps.
The great champions IN battle will
not be betting affair. There is less play
on the heavy weights than on any OF
other fights Most Of the combinations,
beginning with Corbett and ending with
Hawkins, commanded premium OF
about 30 per cent over those ending with
Flaherty and almost 40 per cent over
those beginning with Fitz. Fitzsim-
mons's adherents want 10 toT6 on Their
man. The pool rooms are laying 10 to
and taking nothing on the Austria.
lian. Not single individual bet of any
magnitude has besn reported In Carson.
Tom sharkey, who has taken the meas
ure of both champions arrived with g
bullying pocket book with challenge te
the winner. The sailor will receive ne
recognition whatever from either Corbett
or Fitzsimmons, if statements of theil
managers go for anything. Choinski
Maher, Goddard and others who are re.
, ported to lie ready with def, will also
be overlooked.
fHE WEATHER.