San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-03
MAULIFFE TO RETIRE.
The Light Weight Champion Pugilist
on His Way to New York.

The Light Weight Champion Pugilist
on His Way to New York.
Among the passengers on the Sunset
Limited, which passed through yes
terday en- route from San Francisco to
New Orleans, was Jack McAuliffe,
who for the past fifteen years has held
the light weight pugilistic champion
ship. McAuliffe is on his way to New
York to accept testimonial benefit to
be rendered him by his many admirers
at the Madison Square garden shortly
upon his arrival.
II am on my way to New York to
retire and accept a benefit, the first of
my life" said he to Light represen-
tative. Il feel we'll, but my right arm
has been giving me trouble, and can't
handle it as we'll as used to. I can't
say what my plans for the future are,
but for the present I'll take things
easy. l don't know if l ever will enter
the ring again. At any rate wouldn't
be in condition to do so now, as l
haven't been training for quite a
while"
Prize fighters are as modest about
teens, and Jack is no exception. He
said he will be 81 next March, but Joe
Cooley who has been a bosom friend
of the champion light weight for many
years, believes him to be about SO.
He therefore ought to be in the prime
Of life, but McAuliffe, like John l..
Sullivan and Jack Dempsey, has lived
at a rate which does not last long. Nc
Auliffe has won several small fortunes
in his time, and has managed to spend
them all. The night before Corbett
whipped Sullivan at New Orleans, Nc
Auliffe whipped Billie Myers, the
"Streator Cyclone" for $4,000 purse.
So confident was he of John L. that he
placed all of this money on the Boston
boy, and as much more other money
as he could get. When this great bat
tie was decided McAuliffe didn't have
enough money to get out of New Or
leans with. But he soon made anoth-
er raise and started 1.-THE McAuliffe
Vaudeville company" on the road,
which has since disbanded.
McAuliffe is the last Of the ''Three
Jacks" who twelve years ago were the
IeCOBIlZtu CIldluplOIlo VI TIC pLiGS ms
in their respective classes. They were
the idols of all the admirers of the
manly art, and their friends were le-
gion. Since then Jack Dempsey has
died, John LIS days are numbered,
and McAuliffe is all that is left of this
famous trio that could yet make
stagger in the squared circle.
McAuliffe was met here by Joe Cool
ey and representatives of the Light
and Express. Hardly had the train
stopped when he was on the depot
platform, looking for his friend, Joe,
whom he had telegraphed of his COM
ing. The greeting was a hearty one
They used to say we looked alike,
Joe, but believe I am better looking
than you now" and McAuliffs smiled
from ear to ear and his sparkling eyes
were almost shut. I've just gotten
out of a sick bed and you ought to
have the best of me-" responded Joe,
and the party repaired across the
way" About a hundred men and boys
who were at the depot, crowded around
the little champion, and some Of them
approached him with. Jack, old boy,
I'm glad to see you," and shook him
by the hand. A newsboy then sold
NcAuliffe a paper. Jack gave the boy
a dollar, but the latter had no change,
and the fighter replied. Run away
now and stop your rubbernechng.
NcAuliffe appears to weigh about
100 pounds, while his fighting has al
WAYS been about 1873. He is very feshy
and has a good complexion and ap-
pears to be in good health, Sharkey
did not accompany him. He remaine7
in San Francisco. McAuliffe said that
Sharkey will be at the .ringside when
Corbett and Fitzsimmons meet, If they
ever meet, and will challenge the win
ner. He believes that Sharkey can
whip either under London prize ring
rules. McAuliffe says his money goes
on the Australian.