The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-05

THAT VIII Probably he the Ex-
pIanntiun offered for the Falling
Through of the Proposed Battle
for the Championship.
.Fitzsimmons and Sharkey may meet
to settle the question of pugilistic su-
periority, but the outlook is that they
will do nothing of the sort. day
may bring forth a match, yet the New
Workers are already cenSuring Shar-
key for failure to clinch the match
while he had FitZSimmonS where he
could not get away. The CorniShman's
money was up, for Sharkey or any one
else to cover, and now the day has
passed when FitZsimmons announced
it would be taken down, and yet there
has been no match made Who is to
blame? Some say Tom O'Rourke.
Others are censuring the sailor for
not overriding his manager and max
ing the match, with or without his con-
sent. There are those who are cruel
enough to insinuate that Sharkey is
just as well pleased that the money
is down, and to add that the sailor has
probably not forgotten that little af-
fair out in San Francisco, when the
man from Timaru put the sailor to
sleep with blow that Sharkey claim
ed was foul.
SHARKEY NOT A COWARD.
While it must be conceded that there
is room for criticising the failure of
Sharkey to take advantage Of the op-
portunity to clinch a match with Fitz-
simmons, yet it is scarcely fair to at
tribute coWardice to the man who has
met and defeated the leading gladia-
tors of the ring. It is not cowardice
that is lettering Sharkey from has
tening to make a match with the Cor
nishman, but caution-likely due to
the acumen of one Thomas O'Rourke,
who. like the story told of "Parson'
Iavies-''is not always looking for the
worst of It," Carpenters are receiving
small wages these days, and, should
O'Rourke be compelled to return to
the bench, he would find it difficult to
dine on tenderloin steaks with mush-
rooms and hold his job. If 1t Is the
fault Of the Sharkey party that there
has been no match made, then charge
1t up to the shrewdness of Tom
O'Rourke, and not to the cowardice of
Tom Sharkey. O'Rourke is making
money out of the sailor, now. If he
were to be defeated by Fitzsimmons, 1t
would be different. There's the rub.
FTTZ is CONFIDENT.
I cannot believe that Fitzsimmons
Is to blaine for the failure to make a
match. He is as confident of his abil-
ity to defeat the sailor as he ever was
that he could win battle from any
ordinary boxer. He gives Sharkey due
credit for strength and willingness, and
ability to take punishment that is mar
Vicious, but that the sailor can beat
him is proposition that the Cornish
man has never given serious thought
Rain will not hurt a man who has
an umbrella" is a favorite maxim
with Fitzsimmons, upon the thesis
that strength will not win q boxing
match where the other fellow knows
how to keep out Of the line of danger
In brief, Fitzsimmons has the utmost
contempt for Sharkey's ability as a
Queensberry fighter. Blind rushes will
not avail, If the opponent Of a giant
meets his hand with the sort Of argu-
ment that Jars him into a. condition
that renders his strength nil. In 9TH
er words, Fitz thinks he can beat
Sharkey as he did Maher-with SCI
ence
MAY BE A MATCH.
1t Is by no means certain that Shar-
key and Fitzshmmons will fail to reach
an agreement to fight. It transpires
that Sharkey did cover Fitzsimmons'
forfeit. but with an uncertified check,
which was not acceptable to Martin
Julian, Fits manager. Now O'Rourke
has agreed that the check shall be TAX
en- up and cash deposited in its stead.
If this is done there is chance for
meeting of the men. And yet the New
Workers are displeased with Sharkey's
apparent indiference--to put It mild
ly-and justly contend that there
should have been left no loophole for
a squabble. In brief. that Sharkey
should have covered Fits forfeit in
due season. with cash or a certified
check, that could not have been dis
puted. AS the affair now stands there
Is chance that the FitZsimmons peo-
pie will refuse to listen further to
6harkey, and the Cornishman may take
on Jeffries, and thus leave Sharkey to
follow his present bent for theatricals
1t is foregone conclusion that if Cor
bett beats Sharkey in their Chicago
bout there will be no battle between
the sailor and the Cornishman.
MANAGERS TO MEET.
1t Is said that Martin Julian and
Tom O'Rourke are to meet either in
New York or Chicago this week, and
endeavor to arrange a match. That
naturally leaves the matter open, but
1t does not follow that there will be q
fight for the championship. Had Shar-
key acted promptly there would have
been no clubbing. Julian Is about as
foxy as any of the fight promoters
and II he sees a chance to do better
for his man than to match him with
the sailor. he has all the advantage of
the controversy. He can say that the
Cornishman's money was up, that 1t
was not covered, and that Sharkey
must now await the pleasure of Fitz-
simmons. Summed up, there is just a.
possibility, and perhaps there may be
q probability of the sailor and the
blacksmith crossing gloves in the
squared circle.
SHARKEY AND JEFFRIES.
The wise ones in New York are pre-
dieting that the next big match there
will have for principals, not Sharkey
and Fitzsimmons, but Sharkey and
Jeffries. There Is good ground for this
statement. Billy Brady has been SUBJ
sisting on snoWballs and wienerwurst
for 10. these many months, and needs
few Of the shekels that make glad
the heart Of the caterer who can. when
80 urged, produce for the epiourean
prize fight promoter q dish or dishes
that have labels on them resembling
the dossier in the Dreyfus case. Brady
and o'Rourke know what It Is to eat
Brady to make g few dimes he Yill
O'Rourke makes a few dollars on the
side. ORourke manages Sharkey and
the Lenox club. Brady has big Jeffries
in tow. Ergo, 6harkey end Jeffries
will meet-in the rooms Of the Ienox
club, and the Quartette will divide the