Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-05-28
CORBtTI on FORTUNES
He Says They Are Easily Made in the
Ring and as Easily Spent.


BIGGER PURSES ARE BEING PAID
NOW THAN FORMERLY-SUL-
LIvAN GOT FOUR THOUSAND
WHEN HE PUT OUT RYAN
FITZSIMMONS, SHARKEY. COR
BETT AND Mccoy ALL FAIRLY
WELL FIXED-SOME SPEND
THRIFTS. AND HOW THEY
PARTED WITH THE COIN.
There is certainly no sport in the
world to-day that provides its expo
nents with such princely remuneration
as that Of pugilism, and from present
appearances the prospects for the COM
ing of dull season are extremely re-
mote. On the other hand, however,
the big men of the ring are making
more money every year, and the purses
demanded are now far in excess of
those fought for when John l.. Sulli-
van came into prominence.
Imagine the expression that would
overspread the countenance OF Fitz-
simmons, or Corbett, or Sharkey, Nc
Coy or Jeffries if they should be in
vited to fight for a purse of $4,000, and
yet that was the amount of the purse
when Sullivan defeated Paddy Ryan in
1882.
The big money record was brokn in
1889, when Sullivan whipped Kilrain
for purse of $4,000; but since that
time $4,000. and even $4,000 purses,
have frequently been offered.
In spite of this fact, however. it
seems 10 be the fate of the average pu-
gilist to go broke. During the busy pc
riod OF their life, they make big money.
Fortunes come easily, but it seems to
be the inevitable law of fate that this
money shall go as easily as ii came, for
there have been few stars OF the pro-
fession who have not ended their days
in poverty.
Among the men who stand at the
head of the lists to-day there are sew
eral who appear TO be exceptions to this
Fitzsimmons is saving his money. and
Sharkey is by no means a spendthrift.
He banks his money religiously, and II
luck attends him he will yet be the
richest pugilist in the country.
Long ago Corbett started to save
money, and. in spite of his reverses, he
probably has a pretty snug bank &C
count He has gone into the saloon
business in New York, and as he is al
ready coming money in his new place
ii is doubtful is he ever hears the
claws of the wolf Of poverty scratching
at his door.
MCOY'S MONEY.
Mccoy is also fairly well fixed fnan-
cially. He regards pugilism as nothing
more than a means TO an end, and that
end is TO earn enough money 10 be able
TO go into a more congenial business.
What that business is he has not sta
ted, but he has repeatedly said that il
will be something highly respectable.
All this, however. does not go to dis
prove the proposition that it has been
the rule for pugilists of note to die in
reduced circumstances, If not in actual
poverty. Few men in the ring have
made more money than John l.. Sulli-
van, and yet to-day his fortune has
gone, and he is depending chiefly upon
| his theatrical ventures for his support
Few of the great fighters have been
| more fortunate. Joe Goss had a LITTLE
| uiOAbN W utn lit uttu III IJOENOn. UuA iliif
| was the result of his labors as a poll.
| tician, and was not saved from ths
| profits of the prize ring. Ed. Price
Gentleman Ed, as he was called, on,
| of the most promising fighters of hi:
| time, managed to save his money, anC
is living in Brooklyn in excellent cir
| cumstances. Billy Edwards has an ex
| cellent position in the Hoffman House
and, while the ex-lightweight champion
| may have spent considerable OF the
money that he made during his days
| as a fighter, he has no reason 10 feal
| that want will oyertake him in his OLE
| age Professor Bill Clarke, the Bel
| fast Chicken" the peer OF all boxers
| of two generations ago, Is still makinl
| money I'm ST. Louis. and Tom Allen, tn
! ex-champion heavyweight, has a ga
| loon that Is providing him with com
| Portable living George Siler, wht
| made a reputation in the late sixties
is supporting himself in comfort as
| writer upon sporting events, and Their,
are few others that would seem TO dis
prove the theory that pugilism and pow
erty go hand in hand.
| THE proposition is entirely correct.
| Jim Corbett said the other day. "Ther'
| may be exceptions, but as a rule Their
| have been few of the well known psi
| gilists who have not felt the sting o
| poverty. | have seen them come an,
| 90. They have made good monc1
| when fortune favored them. but the
have spent it like lords They hav'
been good fellows and they never want
ed for friends-as long as their none,
| held out.
SUCCESS UNCERTAIN.
Success does not last forever. a
everyone knows, and when the day 0
| defeat dawns a mans standing as
fighter is threatened. and If he has no
saved money when things were COMING