The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-04
One of the Most Holly Contested
Battles Ever Fought.
SLUGGING WAS FIERCE
Sailor Had the Best of 1t Nearly
All the Time.
Jeffries' Staying Qualities Saved
Him From Defeat.
Sharkey Gave Out First and
Was Going Fast.

New York, Nov. flames J. Jehries
retains the championship of the world,
Referee George SiIer giving him the de-
cision at the end of the twenty-hfth
round over Sailor Tom Sharkey, at the
Coney Island Sporting club last night.
1t was one of the most marvellous bat
ties that has taken place and the great
est crowd that ever gathered in the
Coney Island club house witnessed the
desperate struggle for supremacy.
In five rounds Jenries had the better
of the fght-in the first two and the
last three During the other twenty
Sharkey forced the issue and, like a
bull terrier, was at his man with both
hands increasingly. In those twenty
rounds Jeffries great weight ana
Drawn helped him to hold off the sailor
and in the twenty second round ne
swung in a couple of vicious upper
cuts that made Sharkey groggy. Tom
came back again in the tWenty-fOurth
and twenty fifth, but he was weakened
greatly by Jeffries vicious blows. One
minute before the gong sounded TO emu
the fight Jeffries' left glove came OH
and practically the contest was over
The referee mOtiOned to JefrieS' cor
ner, an American flag was flung AROUND
the champions shoulders and the crowd,
on that side and end of the arena
cheered wildly. The crowd on the op-
posite side and end, in Sharkey's cor
ner yelled for Sharkey, and the men
were led back to their dressing rooms.
The thousands of spectators were
banked forty feet high in the building,
the place being packed from the ring
side to rafterS, and the a1SleS around
the ring were lined. The tremendous
crowd Sweated under the glare or 4OO
arc lights, fifteen feet or less from the
canvas of the squared circle. The heat
was intense. The fighters were almost
exhausted, and the spectators shrieked
themselves hoarse. 1t seemed at first
as though it would be a short fight, for
in the second round Jeffries put the
sailor to the ropes with a left the
jaw, and the referee began to call off
the seconds as Sharkey kneeled on the
floor.
But from the third round on, Sharkey,
with his vicious swings to the ribs and
the jaw, kept the crowd on its feet
waiting for a. knockout.
Jeffries stood the terrific punishment
and with his eye, nose and ear split,
came back just as viciousIy in the last
three rounds and almost retrieved him
self. Then came the unfortunate and
unsatisfactory ending, Jeffries glove
flying off, bringing the fight to an end,
although the crowd urged Sharkey to
rush in and end it. This he tried to do.
but Jeffries fought him back and
Referee Siler rushed to the rescue. 1t
was noticeable that Jeffries used his
weight to its best advantage, throwing
himself all over the sailor, but the lat
ter did his share of the hugging, too,
and both were warned repeatedly.
Ten thousand spectators gathered
around the ringSide Though COney Is
land was swept by a gale. the cars
came down crowded to the guards in a
swiftly moving line, and the sports
Waded to the narrow entrances leading
to the arena
At $50 there were 5000 in the build
ing, and later the boxes filed to over
flowing. All manner of men We're there,
and among those well known were
James J. COrbett and John l.. Sullivan,
former champion; Kid Mccoy, Peter
Maher, Tim keaTns, George Dixon,
senator Tim Sullivan and Assembly
man Timothy P Sullivan, Jacob
Schaefer and George Slosson, Frank
Hutchinson, and ParsOn Davies of Chi
cagO; Gus Rubin. Dave Gideon, Mike
Donovan, Chief of Police O'Mara, of
PittSburg; Police Commissioner Sexton.
Ed Delaney, of Salt Lake City; AS
semblyman Hamburger, register from
Maine; Michael Dwyer and Benny
Jacobs, of Detroit
A preliminary event Of ten rounds. at
12S pounds prec eded the big event and
Kid GOulette Of Rochester. who looked
good deal like Jeffries on a small
Brooklyn.
Then after. half an hours delay, Tom
SharkeY could be seen making his way
through the crowds He was we'll re
celVed, bFIt Jeffries was cheered to the
echo. harkey had on green trunks.
with an American flag for a belt, and
the champion wore black. Jeffries had
behind him Billy Delaney, Ernest Roe
Der, Tommy Ryan and his brother,
Jack Jeffries.
Sharkey was led to the southwest cor
ne by Tom O'ROurke, and was at
tended by George Dixon, Morris Kelly
and Tim McGrath, O'Rour1e superin-
tending the entire proceedings. George
Siler refereed
Jeffrfes weighed 212 pounds and Shar-
key twenty-five pounds less, but the
latter looked to be in better condition,
the Californian being callOW and hav-
ing staring eyes and giving other evil
dence of not being in the best con-
dition.
The betting at the start was 100 to
20 on Jeffries.
They shook hands and shaped up we'll
Jeffries led and then landed several
times, but was generally over or under
On the other hand, the sailor was wild,
going into the fight with both hands
and swinging wildly, but he did not
land the first blow.
Again in the second round Sharkey
was Topping around, and he came in
for a nasty left that rolled him over.
1t looked then as though Sharkey was
clearly Out-claSsed. O'ROuTke, how
ever, gave the sailor a talking to, and
/ to the amazement of all ShaII1ey swung
{ on Jeffries' ribs and jaw almost at will
| and there was a wild audience. As the
\ light went along, round by round. the
sailor fought his way into the hearts
| OF those who marVeled at Jeffries' ca
/ pacity for punishment. The Californian
! crOuched down low and though his eyes
| blazed, he smiled and glanced over at
/ O'ROurke, who was coaching his man
| punches began to tell, and at the close
! of the seventh, it seemed as though
! Jefries could hardly walk to his cor
ner, and it seemed certain there would
I be a new champion Sharkey's ear was
| split in the eighth and it made him like
/ a bull He rushed, swinging lefts and
rights, and landed nearly all of them
with Jeffries throwing himself over the