Evening star., 1897-04-06

decided to give prize bat for the best bat
tins average, and prize ball for the best
bowling average for the season. the condi-
ton being that the winner shall have play
ed In not less than three matches.
A PULLING SITUATION,
Is FitxstmmOns ChampiOne II So. of
What IL He Chnmpions
The "old SPORT was pondering over the
pugilistic championship when a Star re-
porter ian across him today ''The situa-
tion puzzles me-" he remarked, land am
afraid I shall have to give up trying to
understand it. The papers call Fitzsim-
mons the champion of the world. But 10
my mind his claim to that distinction is far
from clear. His defeat of Corbett could not
in itself have given him the title, for the
good and sufficient reason that Corbett did
not have 1t to lose. Corbett won the
championship Of America from Sullivan
and the championship of England from
Mitchell. but there is one man he failed to
whip. That is Jackson, the champion of
Australia, who, since his victory over Jim
Smith. claims also the championship of
England When he fought Corbett to a
draw in California a few years ago he
was the undisputed champion of the bar
riers, and, as he has not suffered defeat
since, and has not retired from the arena
1t Is fair 10 assume, he still retains .ha;
title. 1t Is currently reported that he is
broken in health as a result Of high liv-
ing. but that may not be SO. He is now In
England and. SO far as known on this side
of the water, he is still in the ring At
any rate, just before the fight between
Corbett and Fitzsimmons at Carson City
he announced his willingness to fight the
winner.
Similar propositions were made at the
time by other fighters. viz: Maher, Sharkey
and Goddard, and so far all have been
quietly ignored. 1t Is said by people who
know the men that Fitzsimmons is not
likely to meet Jackson if he can avoid it.
They are both graduates of the Australian
school Of fighters. and came to this coun-
try about the same time. Fitzsimmons was
one of Jackson's pupils when the latter
was the heavyweight champion of Au-
stralia. Fitzsimmons was then in the mid
dleweight class and was not considered
an aspirant for heavyweight honors. Even
after his successful entrance into the lat
ter class by his signal defeat of Maher
and Creedon, and when he first tried to
get on a match with Corbett, ne did not
think himself better than Jackson. This
was demonstrated In the challenge he is
sued TO fight any man in the world, Corbett
preferred. barring Peter jackson.
Everybody familiar with the early ef-
forts to bring about a meeting between
Fitzsimmons and Corbett will remember
that the former always barred Jackson by
name in his otherwise sweeping challenges.
He is probably confident now that he can
whip his former teacher. but it Is a fact
nevertheless that heretofore he was al
ways shy of meeting him In the ring.
l am inclined to agree with the general
belief that Jackson is a has BEEN bnt
that don't alter the fact that he is still the
undefeated and undsputed champion Of the
Antipodes. Unless he retires, is beaten
by Fitzsimmons, 1 hold that the latter is
not properly champion of the world
'Then. again. Fitzsimmons' claim to that
title is marred by the Sharkey episode. He
clearly outfought the sailor pusilist. hut
~ 1nt$ ocin er..f1
foul The record of the meeting shows that
it was won by Sharkey. and the facts in
the case cannot alter it. In order TO clear
the record 1t is necessary that FitZ SHOULD
get a decision over that fighter the same
as with all other men he has conquered. l
have a great admiration for FitZ as fight
er pure and simple. but I'll admit that his
alleged intention to retire now that he
has beaten Corbett, without attempting to
defend the title he claims to have acquired
by that act, looks somewhat suspicious.
Many people, myself among the number,
are not altogether satisfied that he is
better man than Corbett, and. for myself,
1 fail to see why he should refuse to meet
the latter again, especially as he can make
a small fortune by a second victory. No
matter what his preteXt, ii will be difficult
to persuade the admirers of Corbett that
| If Fitz does not accept his challenge it is
mainly because he is afraid to take the
chance of defeat FitZ has always said
| that he fought for money and not for
| glory, DuI tneTe Will De reason 10 uOuDl
| that or to question his own sense Of su-
periortty if he has really left the ring for
good.
| by the way. If Fftzsimmons has actually
retired, what is the status of the cham
pionship? FitZ can't be the retired cham
| pion and the actual champion at the same
| time. In case of his retirement, who is
| the champion of America, for instance?
Is 1t Corbett? Or is 1t Maher. to whom the
latter magnanimously surrendered it sew
eral months ago? Or would contest be-
tween those two and second one between
the winner and Sharkey be necessary to
determine that question? These are some
of the questions that perplex me, and none
of the so-called sporting authorities to
whom 1 have religiously applied seems to
be able to pass intelligent judgment on the
subject. Consequently 1 have concluded
to leave it to time, the only safe arbiter
of all things mundane"
L. A. w. Racing Board Completed.
The racing board of the L. A. W. has
been completed by the appointment of Hen
ry S. Dixon of Dixon. ILL.,, who will assume
charge of Fred Gerloch's old district, COM
prising Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minneso-
ia, Dakota and Nebraska.
Thompson Wins Mt Court Tennis.
E. A. Thompson of New York yesterday,
at Boston, defeated L. M. Stockton in the
first match for the national court tennis
championship, winning q straight three