Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-03-26
WINS THE FIGHT
OUT coReETT IN A
LIVELY BATTLE.
Cornishman Is Loudly cheered-Big
Crowd Is Present-Estimated that
at Least 100000 Was stakcd ON
the Result of the Contest.
Fought Fourteen Rounds.

Robert FitzsimmOns defeated James j.
Corbett in the fourteenth round in the
contest at Carson City. New, for the pu-
gilistic championship of the world. The
decisive blow was n left swing on the
pit of Corbett's stomach. He fell on his
face in the center of the ring and was un-
able to regain his feet in the specified ten
seconds. The Californian seemed to have
a shade the better of the battle up to the
Inst round. He had Fitzsimmons weak
in the sixth round. but failed to finish him.
-Four thousand people were present. The
day was clear and beautiful and just right
for the kaleidoscope.
The result of the battle came like a bolt
of lightning to Corbctt's friends. who
deemed him literally invincible. The
kaleidoscope should net 100000 to each
pugilist, in addition to which Fitzsimmons
receives the purse of $4,000 and Cor
belts side bet of $4,000. There were
about twenty women present. Fitzsim-
mons weighed 1867 and Corbett 1873
pounds.
Time was calle! nj 1901. The lanky
pugilist refused to shake hands with Cor
bett. The opening sparring was cautious.
but the COrnishman soon began to force
Corbctt, trying a left swing.
For thirteen rounds the two men sway
ed and shifted pythonlike around the
white rosined floor. watching each other
like two great eagles. Then the bell clang-
ed for the fourteenth. and up they came
again. light-footcd. wary and aggressive.
F~it2simmons was bleeding badly at the
mouth. -Four thousand spectators roared
around the ringsidc like a troop of lions.
Hundreds of men became hoarse and hys-
%tcrical with bowling.
FitZsi:nmons' small, fcrrety eyes twin
klcd i'll his pink and apelike face like little
bits of shin:' glass as he swayed up to
COrbett for the final round.
Champion Ia Fallen.
Cor5ett darted forward and drove his
long left in Fitzsimmons' stomach. The
latter grlnted and swung back with three
hard raps Oh the Californian's jaw. The
finish followed, like IL tiundcrbolt. I'itz-
simmons sprnng forward with n great
~right-hanled smash over Corbett's heurt.
The blow would have finished an ordi-
nary a 1t only staggered the tremen-
dously muscular fighter. That momen-
tary staggcr. however. was sufficient.
Fitzsimmons rushed in with a left flush
in the pit of the Culifornian's stomach.
Down Went the big fellow on all tours,
like IL stricken beef. All his grand
strength had vanished. Fitxsilnmons.
with his face still contorted in that red
and featureless smile. stepped away at
the order of the referee, VII. sprung be-
tween them. With IL roar like ,lat of a
whirlwind 1000 spectators sprang to their
feet. turning Over chairs. crashing over
boxes and pouring iood-like down the
yellow pine slope steward the ringside.
1t is estimated that not less than $500.
OOO changed hands all over the country on
the result of the fight. Most of this money
was wagcred ut Carson City. New York
and San Francisco. Corbett wagered
nearly $1,000 on himself in addition to the
stake of $4,000 a side. Fitzsimmons did
not bet any money, for the reason that he
had none to bet. His stake money, even,
was deposited by two New York and one
Detroit sporting men. Martin Julian, his
manager, is financially as bad off us his
brother-in-law.
The fight was for a purse of $4,000 and
a wager of $4,000 n side. the winner to
take all. 1t was announced for the cham
pionship of the world. but as the cham
pionship of the world has never been tech
nically held by one man. the title is not
generally looked upon as settled by the
fight.