The record-union., 1898-11-23
SHARkEY- Y-CORbETT
RING CONTEST.
The Fight Terminates in a Most
DisgracsfuI Fiasco.
The Sailor PugiIlst Awarded The Decision
in the Ninth Round.
Connie McVey Jumps Into the
Ring, Leaving the Referee No
Alternative But to Disqua1ify
the Californian-Sharkey Proves
Himself Clever Fighter, Hav-
ing ALI the Best Of the Contest
From Beginning to End.

Ing ALI the Best or the contest
From Beginning to End.
NEW YORK, Nov. 22-The Sharkey-
Corbett fight, which was witnessed by
the largest and most representative
gathering Of sporting men that ever
congregated to see a ring contest,
ended in most disgraceful fiasco to-
night at the Lenox Athletic Club. Cor
bett had all the worst of the encounter,
when one of his seconds, Connie Nc
Vey, jumped into the ring, appealing
to the referee, thus violating the rules,
and the referee, Honest John" Kelly,
had no alternative sbut to disqualify
Corbett and award the bout to
Sharkey.
McVey's interference was absolutely
inexcusable, and the referee, believing
that there was a JOB" in McVey' s
action, took it upon himself to declare
all bets off. Before Kelly did SO, how
ever, many of those who had bet on
Corbett, and they were legion, ap-
pealed to the referee to take such ac-
tion, while the Sharkeyites shouted
against such interference on Kelly s
part, and protested that he had no
authority to declare the bets off. How
ever, the referees word went with the
majority Of the spectators, and conse-
quently all money paid on wagers
made will be refunded.
1t was an unfortunate and abrupt
ending to what promised to be a most
interesting fight. For weeks both
Corbett and Sharkey had trained faith
fully and carefully for the contest and
when they stripped they both showed
to be in good condition. Sharkey was
very confident Of success, and the
manner in which he acquitted him
self in the ring while it lasted showed
very plainly that his confidence was
founded on good grounds. Those who
believed that Sharkey could not fight
fairly changed their opinion after the
bout had gone one round. On the other
hand, Corbett hit the sailor in the
body rather low, and Sharkey pro-
tested
Sharkeys quickness and aggressive
ness was astonishing from the very
beginning, and from the first 1t was
evident that he had Corbett SAFE. In
the second round there were wild yells
from the admirers of the Irfshman
when he floored Corbett with a right
hand swing on the head, preceded with
a powerful blow on the body. Sharkey's S
rushes were successful invariably, and
Jim's leg work was tested to it's ut
most in trying to evade the aggressive
sailor pugilist. That Sharkey has
wonderfully improved goes without
saying, and on the other hand, that
~ -
Orleans is beyond question. At no
time had the Californian the upper
hand of his younger and more sturdy
rival Sharkey is a fighter, and a
clever one at that, and his work to-
night stamps him beyond all doubt as
being second only to Fitzsimmons.
From the second to the eighth round
Sharkey held a decided advantage. In
the ninth round, which was so pro-
ductive of disappointments and un-
looked-for incidents, Corbett seemed to
be stronger than at any time during
the fight, but it was apparent that
he was slowly but surely fading un-
der Sharkey's onslaughts.
1t was two to one on Sharkey after
the second round, and had not McVey
acted as he did there is very little
doubt that Sharkey would have won
handily Some of the most prominent
bankers, brokers, lawyers, doctors and
business men in this and other cities
were present during the mill, and not
one of them could see any reason for
interference by McVey. The general
belief is that McVey acted from some
unexplained motive, and some persons
said that he jumped into the ring to
prevent Corbett going under.
When McVey first put his leg
through the ropes the referee evidently
did not or would not look in that di-
rection, but continued to pay close at
tention to the fighters, who were mix
ing it up in the center of the ring.
Inspector Mclaughlin caught hold of
McVey to pull him out again, but the
latter was evidently more than anxi-
Gus that Kelley should see him. In
this he was successful, but not until
half the people in the house had yelled
repeatedly to Kelly to disQualify Cor
bett.
When the big Californian realized
what had occurred he was furious with
passion, and rushed at McVey. Had
he caught the latter there is no tell
Ing WHdl SOIDSlt WOul0 LclSC dOiAS 49,
his frenzy, but the police We're on hand
and rushed between the men, thus
avoiding a scene which would have
added to the disgracefu1 exhibition.
Just what effect the untimely incident
will have on boxing in this vicinity in
the future cannot well be gauged, but
that it will injure pugilism in this city
is beyond question.
A close estimate placed the attend
ance tonight at 5000, and it is now
learned that the receipts exceeded
$4,000.
Such a representative gathering of
the sporting element from all over the
country was never in the city limits
at one time before. The fact that the
contest would certainly take place
without any legal interference induced
many hundreds of followers and admir-
ers of the art of self-defense to make
long journeys in order to be at the
ringside when the fight took place.
Nearly every city of any prominence
in the United States was represented
by parties of at least dozen, and in
many instances delegations numbering
over a hundred each, in charge of well
known men in different sporting CEN
tiers.
Weeks ago. when the seats were first