The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-17
TWO TEN-ROUND FIGHTS.
They Took Place Last Night in Music
HaII--.0ne Was Very Tame
Affair.

Another entertainment" as Presi-
dent Joe McNally put it, was given un-
der the auspices of the Excelsior Ath-
ietiC club at Music hall last night. Five
hundred witnessed it. There We're two
ten-rOund bouts, the first between Toby
Gardner, of this city, and Steve Flan-
aghan, of Philadelphia, one hundred
and ten pound men; the second between
Emil Beck, of Philadelphia, and Billy
Jerome, of Syracuse, who weighed in at
122 pounds.
The little fellows gave by far the bet
ter exhibition. 1t was Gardenrs first
big fight, but after his stage fright wore
off he showed up in good form. Elan
Afghan, who has a record of standing
OFF Barry, the bantam champion, is a
little wonder and but for GardnerS ad-
vantage of seven pounds weight and
several inches in height and reach
would have had an easy thing of it,.
He is one of the best twO-handed fight
ers seen here and for a boy shows re-
markable readiness. Gardner was shy
with his left but his right was terrific.
He has lots of strength and grit, "a
| good frame, Well developed chest and
| back, and all in all is the making of a
good boxer.
They went on at $50, Richard Eav-
ers, Mike Connolly and John Tighe
looked after Gardner, and in Flana-
ghan's corner We're Joe Willischeck,
Emil Beck and Ed Brown, all of Phla D..
delphia. Pat Murphy refereed and Sig
Cohen and James j. Coleman held the
watches.
The Philadelphia boy started in to
force things and had a lot of fun for
a minute, while Gardner was getting
his eyes open. When Gardner started
in with his right hand though, Flana-
CHAN eased up and evidently came to
the conclusion that he wasn't going to
have things his own way. He however
fought with the greatest confidence
and at no time acted as if the result
was the least in doubt.
In the ninth round neither man
seemed anxious to rush things, but
nevertheless some hard long distance
blows We're exchanged. one of them
split Flanaghan's ear and another
started the claret from Gardner's nose.
The tenth round was a regular whirl-
| win. The men We're fairly painted
| from head to waist with blood, and
/ both pitched in recklessly to make it
| a finish. Honors We're even as far as
hard work was concerned, the referee
| said, and declared it a draw in conse-
| quence. Flanaghan demurred against
| the decision and offered to give Gard
ner a fight for money.
The second go was as tame as the
| first was lively. Beck, who is the box
| ing instructor of the Caledonian Ath-
| letic club of Philadelphia, acted as if
| he was afraid of venturing his reputa -
| ton as pug and wanted to get out of
the affair as easily as possible. jerome
| was just the opposite and made a
monkey of Beck for the first few
rounds, keeping him in his corner and
| rushing him at will against the ropes
| Owing to an agreement that if both
men We're ON their feet at the end OF
| the go there should be no decision, Ref
cree Murphy declared 1t "A draw
| jerome, however, got the purse
Beck had Willischeck, Brown and
| Flanaghan as his seconds. jerome was
cared for by Patrick John Hopkins
Jack Tighe and John Maroney, the lat
| ter of Syracuse.