The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-29
sHARKEY WORTH $4,000.
Sailor Pugilist's Luck Has Brought Him
Contnuel Wealth.

Tom Sharkey, the sailorman, who a few
years ago earned the princely salary of
$lS per month in Uncle Sans navy and
delighted to participate in a bout with the
gloves for the genuine fun" there was in
it, is remarkably successful man. This
brawny young Irishman, who got "thir-
teen bullets every time the ghost prom
enaded," would not think of putting OH
the gloves in a real fistic encounter today
for less than a $4,000 purse. Things have
changed since Tom Sharkey scrubbed
decks, climbed into fighting tops, enjoyed
a meal of salt horse and bareback, etc.
Sharkey discovered that he enjoyed a.
pummeling as he did his rations, and
could give a lick as hard as a mules kick
With these wonderful pugilistic qualities
Tom thought to himself that he would 90
into the fighting business as a means Of
obtaining an easy living.
Toda, Tom is wealthy man. as famous
as Bill. Bryan, and walks along Easy
streets sunny side with the independence
of Russell Sage and the dignity of a
Richard Mansfield. He modestly asserts
that he would not change bank accounts
with some Wall street brokers. and people
VINO should know take the sailors word
for it, and claim that he has a nile of
cash as big as sky scrapng building.
Sharkeys career as pugilist has been
one successful run. He crawled into luck
when he first climbed into the ring, and
he is still crawling.
Sharkeys debut, or first bid for cham
plonship honors, was made in San Fran
CISCO. Noted lighters were convinced that
Sharkey, was holy terror. He was NOT
clever, they We're told, but the navy used
to use him to test the steel plates for bat
tleships, and il the plates stood Shar-
Keys SWINGS and uDDprpnts thnu
cepted; that is, the plates. not the
punches and uppercuts. Sharkey got big
purses from the time he entered for his
maiden race, as Frisco sports call
man S. first fight. He stood off Joe
Choynski, and eventually met Bob Fftz-
simmons, now an eminent actor, who is
teaching a novice of the footlights-Ned
Harrigan-how to draw big houses. and will
testify to the effectiveness of the WYATT
EagIR 5l9 Sy0 ooo sharlkey,s bank account
business. Sharkey toured a little. NOT ~ fop
his own health. but for the health of his
pocketbook. He fell out with his man
aSeI, Lynch, and that settled him on the
coast; He got match with Jefiries and
the latter got the decision Sharkev
claimed there was job and that the
worst he could have got was draw The
and, panied beyond expression, he de-
cided to leave Frisco. 1t was mean ia
make make ,, him the victim of job, and was
hated to see his beloved profession HEM
ished-so came east. 'ie'ii-
Here luck and sharkey renewed ac-
9g dnt lance H. He hardly reached New
like minute, and all he had to do t9
earn 1t was to tap August Rubin Of An
ron, o., on the jaw, sending August into
the land of Nod. Tom did other things to
make him famous, and his latest achieve
ment in the knocking out of one Norman
Selby, who ran away from Rush comfy
Ind. to avoid doing duty as a scarecroW
IL his fathers pea patch and adonfed
kid Mccoy as disguise to be safe
Thomas Sharkey is today worth Same
thing like $4,000. more or less. His man
ager,. Tom ORourke, says he never
spends a cent, and it is claimed that he
still carries about his person the first dol
lar he ever made. Sharkey can get all the
fight he wants, and victory in anv one ~
them means pile of money Peter Ma
her would give a big bunch of genuine
shamroclSs, which he dearly cherishes 10
get another fight with Tom. Peter Saws
he Is "cinch." says
Then comes Jim Jeffries ready to take
Tom on again, and last Mr.. Robert ITitz-
simmons. eX-coal heavei, ex-blacksmith
middleweight and heavyweight chamnio,,
of the world, Manayunk and the Phiiin-
pines, and present elevator of the stase
Fitz has $3.50 posted, defies Sharkev ia
challenge him, and says he will make The
sailor look like "A glass or Camden water
before an Introduction to a weir il thew
ever meet again. N'
But sharkey. knows his business. He is
going to let Maher, Jeffries and Fitzsin15
mons strictly alone, and announces that
he will take trip to London TO whln an
old man named Charles Mitchell" who
used TO be a pugilist. 1t makes no dir
ference to Tom who he whips. Old men
are easier than young ones, but Tom
needs the money The poor fellow can
not get along on $4,000 It's hard when
one has been used to spending as high as
s1S month.