The Saint Paul globe., 1899-06-04
BIG FIGHT OPINIONS
NOT so CLASSIFIED SAY OF
FITZ' AND JEFFRIES
C0RNISHMAN A FAV0RITE

GUhN1SAMAN d EAHOh11E
Jefries Has a Big Following, but
the Wise Ones Give Him Only IL
Chance to Win-He Is n POssibiI-
fty, as Is Any Strong Athlete In a
Ring BattIe-Fitz's Age Fixed by
IndIsputabIe Evidence.
Nearly everybody who knew anything
about the game was of the opinion that
John l.. Sullivan would defeat James ].
Corbett in their fstic argument in the
arena of the Olympic Athletic club, New
Orleans, on the night of Sept. T. 1892. And
nearly everybody was mistaken as to
the outcome Of that battle. To this day
. the wise ones will tell you that they
4 knew it. That Corbett could not lose.
That they went to New Orleans to see
%@the big fellow shorn of his glory, ETC..
etc. The ''I-told-you-so'' brigade Is ever
present. It was out in force in New Or
leans the morning after the defeat of
Sullivan. But it was not so numerous on
the night Of the fight. I saw New York
ers there, with. rolls of money big as
a dream. begging for bets, they offering
to. take the Sullivan end and give al
most any. odds, and narysa taker. The
New Orleans pool room did light bust
ness. 1t was all Sullivan. Those who did
muster up sufficient courage to lay a
+, wager or so on the Californian did it be-
cause they wanted to bet, and could get
good fat odds. They were taking for
lorn chance, and knew 1t. AS much as
ten to one was offered by the New York
t.
and no takers. And the next day there
were hundreds who would stop you on
the street. and tell you how well they
knew Sullivan would lose. And at that
Sullivan might have won had he been
the Sullivan of former days, instead Of
the physical wreck he was on that fate
full night. Corbett had a chance to win,
and he won. Jefferies has a chance to
VIM and should he catch Fitzsimons in
poor form he may win. Scarcely other
wise.
FITS AGE KNOWN.
There has been a great deal said about
the age of the Cornishman. Many have
persistently contended that Fitzsimmons
has passed the forty mark, and Fitz has
not taken occasion to correct any of
Sc statements. Now comes DR.. A. P.
way, of the London Mirror of Life,
and furnishes the record of Fits birth.
1t shows that he was born on May 26,
1863, hence is thirty-siX years of age. At
that the boilermaker has the advantage
of dozen years, but he Is not going
against a man who has passed the forty
year figures. That will add to the con-
fidence of Fitz's following, and give him
still better standing in the betting. There
is vast difference between thirty-stx
and forty, when it comes to q question
of age in fighter. Fitz is well-preserv-
ed in every way. He is q man who does
not dissipate, and that has always stood
him in hand. He gets into tip-top con-
dItion easily and quickly, because there
IS no need Of building up before start
ing into active training.
INTEREST IS GROWING.
Interest In the big fight is much great
er than the most ardent followers Of
had hoped for. Anything
bearing upon the possibilities of the bat
tIe-to say nothing of the probabilities
lis eagerly seized upon by the faithful.
Everybody wants to know what the
chances of the respective gladiators are
thought to be. Each man has his fol-
lowing. That is nothing more than nat
ural And there Is always a certain num-
Der, OF air men at that, who are with
tho other fellow-that is, they will pick
the new man to defeat the old one. They
know that any boxer has his first defeat
to meet, and they hope that the time
they pick the other fellow will be the
right time. Some day they may be right.
Perhaps, not this time, though.
JEFFRIEs A POSSIBILITY.
To state the situation in plain language
Jeffries Is a possibility. He Is not
probability. He is a big, strong, young
Fellow who is capable of hitting ter
rific blow. There is always a chance
that such man may land on his oppo-
nent If he should be so fortunate Fitz-
simmons is no more than mortal A
good hard one on the point will send
him to dreamland quickly as though
he were not the champion. Maher came
within an ace of doing the trick for Fitz
at New Orleans. In the opening round
the blacksmith started right after the
Irish champion. The men met in the
center Of the ring with impact similar
to that of two locomotives trying to pass
each other on the same track. Fitz was
d. sent reeling against the ropes, where he
clung helpless until his second, Joe Cho-
ynsk ran to his aid just as the gong
sounded the termination of the round
Fitz was assisted to his corner, where
the hartshorn bottle was applied, and he
soon recovered. But he was wary for
several rounds after that. Maher was so
dazed that he could not take advantage
of the effects of his chance blow. He,
too, was assisted to his corner in a condi-
ffon bordering upon collapse. Maher was
bleeding freely from ruptured artery
in =fhe mouth. The loss Of blood weaken
= cd him, and he was compelled to give It