The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-26
FIGHTERS MUST FIGHT
AMERICAN PUBLIC WILL NOI
HONOR THE PUGILIST WHO
DODGES BATTLE
SRkRKEY STOCK AT DISCOUNT


Eitxail.tmouS' Star In the Ascend
arcy Since His AGreeme" I"
Meet JcKries-Rare Chance At
foresed the Latter to Win Fame
and Forlune-Iltz's First Rrut
Ring HattIe-Gossip OF the Ring.
All the world loves a lover. and all
Americans admire a fighter, but will
not stand fer the ring gladiator who
talks fight and. when offered the OPP
portunity to do battle. creeps out I'M
der the cover of a technicality. The
sudden fall in Sharkey stock is evil
derce of the truth of this claim, and
the strength of il is accumulated by
the rapid advance in popularity made
by FitZSimmOnS since he made match
with Jim JeffrieS. Fitz was far from
being in public favor prior to that
event. There were whispered comments
upon the fact that he had not made a
fight for two years. and there were
those who insinuated that the cham
pion had reached the age where he
should acknowledge the corn and give
up the championship to some one will
Ing to defend ii. Now it is different,
and wherever Fitz goes he is followed
by admring crowds, who hail him as
the real champion-the man who beat
the man who beat the only John l..
Sullivan.
SHA RkEY LIKE CORBETT.
Sailor Sharkey is acting much as did
James j. Corbett after his defeat Of
John L. SulliVan-he seems determined
to take no chances to lose the prestige
he has gained by risking defeat at the
hands of such dangerous opponent as
he knows FitZsimmons would be. His
rheumatism story is too gauzy to
stave off the popular cry against the
fighter who refuses to fight when offer
ed the opportunity. He has missed his
chance, and may never get another.
After COrbett's defeat of Sullivan he
studiously avoided all the aspirants for
championship honOrs. and did not fight
again until he was forced to it by pub
lie clamor. He had announced, with a
great blare of trumpets, that all he
desired was a return engagement with
Peter Jackson. with whom he had box
ed a questionable draw in San Fran
cisco. jackson offered to accommodate
him, and Corbett stipulated that he
would meet the big black nowhere save
In New Orleans or 1owa-in the former
place the colored man would not be
permitted to fight a white man, and
In Iowa the authorities would have
lynched them both had they attempted
to meet in the prize ring within the
boundaries Of that state.
SHARKEY AT THE BOTTOM.
Sharkey will find. when he gets ready
to fight. that he will have to begin at
the bottom again. and battle his way
up. There is but one chance for shar-
key to crawl out of the hole into which
he has crept-that is the defeat OF
Fitzsimmons by Jeffries. Should the
big boilermaker conquer the Timaru
blacksmith. a match between Jeffries
and Sharkey would be right in line.
But If F,itz wins he can deny Sharkey
an engag cement, and the public will not
condemn his action. It cannot be denied
that F1tz gave the sailor every chance
to get into a ring with him. Sharkey
saw fit to "crawfish" and must take
the consequences. 1t may not be the
fault of the sailor, but he will be held
responsible Just the same. ORourke.
doubtless, wishes to keep the sailor off
the reefs as long as possible, for the
money there will be in it for him.
JEFFRIEs' GOOD FORTUNE.
Jeffries Is certainly a fortunate fight
er. Many a boxer has tried in vain to
get on with champion, after having
done more than has Jeffries In the ring.
The boilermaker has a chance to win.
If that chance serves him, he will be
. the champion Of the world, and can
dictate terms. His destinies are in
the hands Of one Of the shrewdest man
aagers in the business. i was Billy
Brady who piloted Corbett to fortune
without fighting, and he may do SINH
larly by Jeffries, should that boxer
manage to defeat the Cornishman. JET
fries has a difficult task before him,
He may win. There is always a
chance for any man In battle Of that
sort. If he does, he will be hailed as
his laurels by the stress Of adverse
circumstances Should he lose, he will
be none the worse off than at present.
He is certainly a most fortunate young
gladiator.
FITS FIRST BATTLE.
Now that Fitzsimmons is again be-
fore the public as a real fighter, the
story Of his first ring encounter will
doubtless be read with interest by
many who have not heard or seen that
part Of his pugilistic career. There Is
no mention of it in the record. AS is
known, Fitz is the son of blacksmith
and himself a clever wielder Of the
hammer His first victory In a ring
In Timaru. There was big bully who
had terroriZed all the fighters in that
section. He knew little Of Queensberry
rules, but was a dangerous proposition
at the London style. One day a match
was quickly made between the burly
bully and young Fitzsimmons. 1t was
an impromptu affair, on the turf, with
bare knuckles. The spectators made
up a purse and the men went at 1t
And a most sanguine encounter II
proved.
FTTZ FINALLY WON.
In the opening rounds of the battle
Fitzsimmons found his opponent 6
sturdy fighter. He was repeatedly
knocked down, and got all the worst
of the close work. 1t was then he
called. to his aid the cunning and skill
as boxer that has since made hin
So famous. He stepped in and out, as
warily as fox, and administered Sc
we're punishment to his big opponent
In each essay. Stand up to me an6
fight" finally blurted out the bully
but Fitz laughed and lodged ant
ducked and tented and crosscounteret
until he had his man in Queer street.
Finally he found an opening and pu
In one of those solar plexus puzzlers
followed by right and left to the