Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-25
F|IZ BESI8 SRARKEY.
WAS HOT WHILE IT LASTED
Sharkey Did Good Work in the
First Round, and Had "Lankey
Bob ON the Floor When the Dell
Rnng--He Was Unable to With
stand Fitxsimmon's Terrific
Punches In the Second, However.


Punches In the Second, However
NEW YORK, August 24.-Whipped
into insensibility in less than two
rounds is the story in brief of Tom
Sharkey's meeting with Bob Fitzsim-
mons at the Coney Island Sporting
Club tonight Fitzsimmons was the
victor: Sharkey the loser.
Fitzsimmons said all along that when
an opportunity presented itself he
would prove conclusively that he was
Sharkey's superior and settle accounts
tor the injustice done him when he
met Sharkey in California four years
ago
Sharkey was equally confident that
he would prove to be Fitzsimmons
master In the ring, but the result OF
to-night's battle and the brevity of it
proved that Fitzsimmons is still a
great fighter and able to beat the best
of the heavyweights. He has beaten
Corbett, Rubin and Sharkey. Fitz-
simmons was a decided favorite in the
betting owing to his showing with
Rubin a short time ago.
His defeat of Rubin on that occa-
sion and the previous victory of Rubin
over Sharkey few weeks earlier were
figured on as showing that Fitzsim-
mons ought to whip the sailor on this
occasion.
When the men met tonight both of
them declared themselves to be in
first class condition and they certainly
looked it. Fitzsimmons had taken on
Few Pounds of Weight
since his meeting with Rubin, but
neither he nor ShaTkey would tell his
actual weight but Sharkey looked to
be about twenty pounds the heavier.
When the men came together Shar-
key assumed the aggressive, rushing
fiercely and swinging wildly. Fitzsim'
mons had no difficulty in side-steppng
out Of the way. Bob soon began
feinting Sharkey into leads and when
the sailor tried his round arm blows
he left himself open, of which Fitz-
simmons was quick to take advantage,
as he stepped aside and put powerful
right and left smashes on the sailors
body and neck. He stabbed Sharkey
with his left, making the sailor lose
his temper, then Sharkey rushed more
wildly than before, missing most OF
the swings, while Fitzsimmons was
getting to him with great force and
using both hands.
n ct the close of the round Sharkey,
with terrific left swing, landed on the
shoulder and neck, put Fitzsimmons
down to the floor of the ring and Tom
fell over him in his mad rush. Tom
Tegained his feet quickly, but the bell
rang with Fitzsimmons still on the
floor. The spectators were cheering
like wild men, and when Fitzsimmons
got to his feet the men shaped to go for
each other, evidently not having heard
the bell amid the uproar. The referee
rushed between them,
Sending Them to Their Corners
and this is where Sharkey says he
would have finished Fitzsimmons had
he had ten seconds more. In the sec
ond round, Sharkey having gained con-
didence from his knocking Fitzsim-
mons down in the preceding round.
Went for his man as if to annihilate
him, but Fitzsimmons. having the
cooler head and better Judgment. out
generated the younger man, who SEEM
ed to lose all control Of himself in his
frantic endeavors to land on F'itzsim-
mons. F'itzsimmons stepped in with
a crushing right to the body and a
ready LEFT to the jaw, while the best
Sharkey could do was to swing left
which landed in the middle of Fitz-
simmonss back.
There was fearful force behind this
blow. as Fitzsimmons said after the
fight that he felt as ii he had been hit
with pick-axe in the small of his
back Fitzsimmons's GOODNESS never
forsook him, and he watched Shar-
keys wild efforts with evident salts
faction, as the sailor was leaving him
self very open. Fitzsimmons stepped
into him and literally battered Shar-
key down with right on the body and
let's and right on the head. Sharlley
took the count and came up groggy.
lie staggered back to the ropes witch
Fitzsimmons hot after him. Sharkey
was then unable to protect himself
and Fitz sent that fearful right once
more to the body, following up with
right and left to the body. Sharkev
Wabbied but still had strength enough
to keep on his feet. Fitz stepped in
again with another right on the body.
following twice with rights and l4fts
On the head and
Finished His Work and the Fight
with singing left hook on the Jaw