The San Francisco call., 1897-03-18

In view Of the great battle which Will
take place at Carson next Wednesday for
the heavyweight champions hip OF the
world, be ween Cornett and Fitzsimmons,
the following culling from Philadeiph'a "a
paper, published on the day after tne
Dempsey and Fitzsimmons fight, Will be
found interesting reading at this time. IL
says:
Bob Fitzsimmons, the tall New Zea-
lander, III single fight has leaped into the
front rank, gaming the title OF mldaIe-
weight champion and winning $l2,OoO.
He whipped Dempsey in thirteen rounds.
before $500 men from all parts OF the
country, III the rooms of the Olympic
Athletic Club.
Dempsey was outclassed from the start.
The city is ringing with Fitzsimmons'
praises to-day, such good judges as Frank
Stevenson, jim Corbett, Billy Meyer,
Parson Davies and others OF like note de-
claring him nothing shortof "phenome-
non," and vocing the opinion that
great many of the heavyweig ghts have no
business with him. He demonstrated his
of every body when he defeated the
acknowledged king of his class for so
many years with such astounding ease.
Dempsey never had the faintest glimmer
Of hope of defeating the big blacksmith
from the m moment time was called for the
third round. or the hrst round either tor
that matter, as Fltzsimmons forced the
pace and drove his man before him with
irresistible force. Dempsey landed often
enough to win dozen fights, but the An
tipodean walked rieht over the Nonpareil
and struck him two blows for the one re-
caived in return. His reach was some
thing wonderful and hi3 blows were full OF
steam.
Dempsey's seconds are censured to-day
for sending their man up like beef 10 the
slaughter when he had no chance OF win
ming, but this criticism is harsh, as they
were in favor of throwing up the sponge.
1t was Dempsey himself who insisted on
fighting on, his exh ibition of gameness be-
ing such that 1T will never be forgotten by
those present When he could scarcely
raise his lands to a level with his chest
Fitzsimmons begged him to stop and said
repeatedly:
II don't want to strike you, Jack"
"WeII, would punch you ii could, !"
was Demrsey's only reply.
The Southern and Western contingent
have won very heavily over the mill. but
the Northern and Eastern sports will have
TO walk home.
He was attended by physician in his
dressing-room after the fight. He was a
sorry spectacle as he lay back with closed
eyes. His nose is broken. His eyes are
very Dlack To-Day.
The Nonpareil is heartbroken and will
say nothing. Fitzsilnmons will return to
Bay st. Louis to-day to his wife and child.
The purse OF $12 600 was the largest ever
before offered In glove contest, and the
receipts also were the largest on record,
exceeding $4,000. These facts alone
stamped the occasion as o most notable
one.
The match between the two men was
suggested to the management OF the
Olympic Club imm ediateIy after the fight
between James Carroll and Andy Bowen
in October. Tat affair was so success
fully managed that 1T gave the Olympic
Club wide reputation, ard offers poured
in upon it from pugilists who were
ANXIOUS to measure strength and skill in
It's arena.
Robert Fitzsimmons had shown himself
such a shifty fighter in his battle with
Upham in this city last summer that the
ympic members were ANXIOUS TO give
him an opportunity to meet man IN his
class. Upon looking over the field 1t was
decided that Jack Dempsey was the only
man who could be matcheI against the
New Z,alander upon equal terms. Ac-
cordingly negotiations were opened with
Dempsey.
asThe Puritan Club OF Long Island also
entered the field and active competi-
ton between the organizations resulted In
a hnal offer of purse of $12, 600 by the
Olympic. 1t is PROBABLE that the Puritan
Club would have offered still larger in
dncements had it not been for the stand
taken by Fitzsimmons. He refused to
fight Dempsey in the arena OF the Puritan
Club on any terms, assigning as d reason
that he did not think that he could get
fair play there. So the Olympic Club
secured the match
The agreement signed by Dempsey for
himself and Carroll for FitZsim mons set
forth that they should weigh not more
than 154 pounds at the ringsiie five
minutes before the call of time and that
the $12 900 purse should be divided-$11, =
600 to the winner and $1,000 to the loser.
As guarantee of the goo6 faith of the
pugilists they were required to deposit a
forfeit of $1,000 each. The gloves used were
the five-ounce SIZE and the Queensberry
rules governed.