The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-25
The Proposed BeIIiveau-LaWIer
Match ExCites Much Interest
Among Local Sports
POSSIBILITIES OPENED
FOR PLUCKY JACK WOOD
Many Worcester Men win See the
Good Exhibitions at Hartford
and New York Next Week

There has been no boxing interest in
this city this season, but that sport
has begun to look up, and for the re-
mainder of the winter lively interest
will be manifested. Prospects for a
match between Jack Lawler and Al
tanned good backing and there has
never been any doubt regarding Law
ler's ability to find financial support,
The boxers are to meet in The Spy
office Wednesday evening at 7.3O
o'clock to make the match if they can
come to terms on conditions, Nothing
has been said by Belliveau regarding
conditions. Whether he has in mind
any stipulations that will halt the
match can't be told until the men meet
to talk over the preliminaries.
Lawler may object to making a
match with Belliveau on the ground
that he won once from the latter and
didn't get what was coming to him.
Lawler claims he was never paid the
stake money for his victory over Bel
liveau. One Of his friends in speaking
of the proposed match said Lawler is
only too anxious to show that he can
repeat his trimming Of Belliveau, but
he will not fight the latter until he
gets the stake. money of the former
battle. OF course if Lawler insists on
that position there will be no battle as
nobody will give him 5000 to make a
match with Belliveau. He can hardly
maintain his position in the present
negotiations as the man backing Belli-
Veau for the proposed match was in
no way connected with the former
fight and knows nothing of it. He
could not be expected to take any in
terest in it. His interest is simply in
fight between Lawler and Beliveau,
and he is willing to back the latter.
1t may be that the Lawler party will
see the injustice of their position by
bringing the old trouble into present
negotiations when BelliVeau's hacker
had nothing to do with the difficulty
The match would arouse a great To-
cal interest and be the best incentive
for a resurrection of the sport, that
could be devised. The readiness of
LAWYERS friends to furnish him with
backing shows that they
HAVE NOT LOST CONFIDENCE
in his ability when he is matched in his
class. They are as confident of his
ability to whip Belliveau as they We're
when they made the last match be-
tween the same boxers. The assurance
is all on their side, None of the men
who have backed Belliveau in his
fights are behind him now. He has
confidence in himself and must have in
spired confidence in others in order to
secure backing, but fistic circles of this
city show a decided leaning toward
Lawler.
The showing Jock Wood made in the
amateur contests of the B. A. A. last
week will also give an impetus to box
ing in this city. 1t will open a posi-
bility. of a match between Wood and
George Boles., There has been talk rel
atlve to such a match, but Wood has
RETAINED from saying anything until
he could get line on himself in Bos-
ton bouts. He has made a better show
ing than any boxer that ever. left Wor-
cester with the exception of John f.
Dinsdale. He is the only man who has
returned from the hub with decision
with the exception of Dinsdale. And in
his case it was more difficult of obtain
ing than Dinsdales was, as he had to
whip three men. The class filled well
and Wood had to beat his way into
the finals.
Wednesday night, in the pEelimina-
ries he defeated Mack and Broadbent,
the former being rated good. Saturday
night he won the final of the 115-pound
class from A. S. Gilmore of East Bos-
ton. Gilmore had the advantage of
nearly two pounds weight, which is no
small advantage in the 115-pound
class. Gilmore won his bout Wednes-
day evening handily. He showed such
superiority that he monkeyed with his
opponent. One of the Boston papers, |
speaking of the bout, said: Gilmore
was one Of the comedians Wednesday
evening, but last evening he had a diff
ferent kind of an opponent. Young
Wood had very little waste action and
landed with both hands in a clever
manner. Gilmore tried
SOME OF HIS FUNNY BLOWS
in the first round, but after that set
tied down to protect himself. Wood
had the better of the second round al |
so. In the third Gilmore made rally
while Wood acted as though he were
tired. They confused the judges, but
Referee Peters decided in favor of the
clever youngster from Worcester" !
Speculative matches between Lawler
and Belliyeau and Wood and Boles in
terest the sporting men of this city a
little, while a match already assured
is attracting much attention 1t is the
2O-round bout between Patsy Sweeney
and Dial Hawkins which is scheduled
for Hartford, the afternoon of New
Years day. A large delegation of Wor-
cester sports will be seen at the ring
side. They are already laying their
plans so they can attend the match.
The boxers are well known to Worces-
ter sports, Hawkins on account of his
reputation and Sweeney because they
have seen him at work Martin Fla
herty has been a favorite with lovers
Of boxing in this city for many years,
and Hawkins is rated high on account
Of his easy conquest of Flaherty at
Carson City nearly three years ago.
Sweeney's PAGES are known on account
Of his battles with Lawler and Joe Fla
herty, which We're witnessed by many
Worcester sports. His career has been
eagerly followed by Worcester sports
since his match with Iawler. Even If