The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-17
IT is A new WRINKLE
Butte Will Soon See a Rope
Skipping Contest.
IT'S OPEN TO THE WORLD
Woods and Murphy Will Skip for
Thirty Consecutive Minutes-The
Contest Is for $500
Corner

Butte is on the eve of witnessing a
to this part of the country and COM
| paratively new in the world Of sport
rope skipping. There are in this city
two men whose records under this head
are right up among the best made
| Rope skipping performances are 2t-
tracing attention in Europe, as we'll as
in the United States. and Judging by
the evident fascination they hold fer
the sporting fraternity, the contests
will take prominent place in the lists
Billy Woods and James Murphy of this
city have entered into an agreement to
skip 30 consecutive minutes. The con-
test is open to the world and as many
| as desire may enter it. The contest is
to be for $500 a corner and the larger
the number of men the fatter will be
the purse.
Billy Woods is well known all over
the country. especially in the West,
where he has appeared before large au-
diences in the roles of rope skipper,
club swinger and boxer. Recently in
Denver he skipped $3.50 times in 271s
minutes. A few weeks ago in the In
perial theater in this city. he gave a
skipping exhibition. in which he skip
ped 4,450 times in 35 minutes, and this
without a break. The break was caus-
ed by a silver dollar which an ad-
mrer had thrown upon the stage. col
liding with the loop as it touched the
floor. 1t was Woods aim then to make
5000 in 40 minutes. The record of Al
Watts, the Londoner, for so minutes is
5000. So it will be seen that Woods
was in fair way to smash Watts rec
ord when the dollar went Billy's way.
Woods and Murphy are DESTROYS of
having Watts enter the contest and
efforts have been made to engage him
in communication on the subject. Sew
eral days ago Woods challenged the
world, through the Police Gazette and
other Eastern sporting papers, and it
is thought by this time Watts is aware
of the pending arrangements. The per-
formances of Watts have been wonder
full, and he, like Woods and Murphy
does not know his limit He is q years
of age and was born in London. Eng
land. About five years ago he tried
his hand at jumping over the cord, and
evidently found it as easy as though
he had never done anything else. After
practicing a short time the young phe-
nomenon skipped continually for four
hours. His first 1000 was skipped in
$3.50 in Sydney, and later in MaripOsa
he met the then champion pugilist. j. L.
sullivan, who was on his way to tire
colonies. Sullivan doubted the young
mans ability as a skipper and bet a
considerable sum that he could not do
1000 in seven minutes. Watts accomp-
lished the task in little over six min
utes. During the last three months he
has given number of private exhibit
tions, at which he skipped 500 in 3. 900
in $50. 1000 in IA. 5000 in q, 1000 in
$3.50 and 5000 in so minutes.
Jim Murphy is a we'll known miner
of this city and has been seen in pri-
vate exhibitions of jumping the cord.
He has done 5000 in A. The substance
of the articles signed by Woods and
Murphy, and Which it is hoped Watts
will also sign, is a. follows:
They provide that each man shall
skip so consecutive minutes, Billy
Woods to skin first and that within
80 minutes thereafter Murphy shall
skip, and whoever makes the greatest
number of skips in said time is to he
declared the winner. Each man must
swing his own rope. and to constitute
a skip the rope must be swung over
the head and under both feet. The
match is to take place within six weeks
and is to be for $500 side and each
man is to deposit his $500 in some Butte
bank on or before Feb. l, 1899 and 10
give check or certificate for the same
to the stakeholder. The newspaper
men are to appoint the stakeholder,
referee. record keepers and tmekeeD-
ers, and the referee may accept the
count of any record keeper, but he must
not announce his decision until he has
consulted the records of all the keep
ers. The time and place for the con-
test is to be appointed by the stake
a vi ha .y
the contestants "a hours notice.