The Lamar register., 1899-11-08
JEFFRIEs AND sHARkgY.
Big Fight mt Coney Island Decided In
Favor of the Former.

big fight mt Coney Island Decided In
Favor of tho Former.
Ringside Coney Island Sporting Club,
New York, Nov. 3.-.James j. Jeffries
retains the championship of the world,
Referee George Siler giving him the de-
cision at the end of the twenty fifth
round over Sailor Tom Sharkey at the
Coney Island Sporting Club tonight.
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 Jeffries 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 and
Drawn helped him to hold off the sailor,
and in the twenty-second round he
swung In 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 end
the fight Jeffries' left glove came off,
and practically the contest was over.
The thousands of spectators were
banked forty feet high in the building,
the place being packed from ringside
to rafters. and the aisles around the
ring were lined. The tremendous crowd
sweated under the glare of 400 arc
lights. Fifteen feet or less from the
canvas of the squared circle the heat
was intense. The fighters We're almost
exhausted, and the spectators shrieked
themselves hoarse. 1t seemed as though
1t would be short fight, for in the sec
ond round Jeffries put the sailor to the
ropes with a left on the jaw, and the
referee began TO call OF the seconds
MS Sharkey kneeled on the floor.
But from the third round on Shark
| ey, with his vicious swings to the ribs
and jaw, kept the crowd on Its feet
waiting for Knockout.
Jeffries stood the terrific punishment.
! and with his eye, nose and ear split,
came back Just rs viciously in the last
| three rounds and almost retrieved him
self. Then came the unfortunate and
unsatisfactory ending. Jeffries' glove
| flying of, bringing the fight TO an end.
| although the crowd urged Sharkey to
rush in and end IL. This he tried to do.
| but Jefrries fought him back and Ref
cree Siler rushed to the rescue. 1t was
| noticeable that Jeffries used his weight
| to its best advantage. throwing him
self all over the sailor. but the latter
both We're warned repeatedly.
Sharkey says of the fight:
81 was robbed out of n justly earned
| victory. outpointed Jeffries in ma
| jority of the rounds, and should have
had the decision. l protested against
| Siler as referee. knowing that he had
feeling against me and would give
| me the worst of It. 1t was only after
| Tom O'Rourke had told me of the deal
that l consented to have him act as
referee. think all fairminded persons
who saw the fight will say that my
| fears about Siler were well grounded.
II fought five rounds with two brok-
| en- ribs. l think that / can beat JEFF
| fries and want to meet him again.
What Jeffries had TO say:
'.Sharkey was plucky. My left hand
! went back on me in the seventh round,
or would have knocked him out. No
| more picture machines for me. The In
/ tense heat from the electric lights
bothered me considerably and made
| me very weak at times. Sharkey
fought very foul, and it's n wonder to
me that Siler did not disqualify him.
He repeatedly butted me with his head
and used his elbows more frequently
| than he did his hands"