Waterbury Democrat., 1900-10-25
FIGHTS AND FIGHTERS
Tom O'Rourke Scares Sharkey
 and Calls Him a Quitter

and Calls Him a Quitter v Sharkey Says He Will Make O,Rourke's Coon Look Sick if They Ever Meet-Dave Sullivan Tries a Reply to the Criticisms About Him
 Luke Burke, a Fighter, Killed by the
 Cars Everything in Readiness for
 Tomorrow Nights Bouts.
 With the Horton law scarcely cold Tom O'Rourke is itching for q mill Just now he is anxious to match his black wonder, Joe Walcott, against Tom Sharkey, who until q month ago was under his management. What ever Of admiration ORourke once had for Sharkey has been turned to hate. It is no secret among sporting men that for some months previous to the time when O'Rourke and Sharkey each agreed to go his own way, manager and man have been at loggerheads. As q matter of fact, Snarkey only re- mained under ORourke's management because O'Rourke had a contract with him and he could not fight in New York state except under O'Rourke's management. -.'-,'. For some time past Sharkey has had | a forfeit of $2,500 on zap for a fight with any of the big men in the ring, special mention being made to Jenries and Ruhlin. Now O'Rourke, who be- lieves that Walcott can lick any man in the world, Jeffries barred, has GOV cred Sharkey's forfeit, and issued an invitation to him to meet Walcott in | hn ri, ct irrht .l-n out the following letter, which is self explanatory:
 On behalf of Joe Walcott, I have covered Sharkey's- deposit of $2,5OO. | Walcott is ready to fight Tom Shar- key. any old way, and any number of rounds, from six up, and at any place | he may choose. Or, if he is ''on the level' and means to bet S2,50O that he can whip Walcott in six rounds, my money goes. What is the use of his blufting about wanting to meet Ruh- lin, after the trimming he lately re- ceived at Ruhlin's hands? It is no ''fuke" punch which he gave to him, and it is my opinion that Ruhlin or anybody else today can jab his head off
 He claims he wants to meet Jeffries again. Not him! He could have had the match any time he said yes, but no coaxing of mine could get him to meet JeffrieS again. He said he would meet Jeffries for six rounds if Jeff ries would split the money. Nobody knows the trouble had in getting Sharkey in the ring with Jeffries the second time, and how lie had his trunk packed to jump to Frisco. but was finally prevailed on to see it out.
 | Everybody who saw the fight knows f,rI,+ No boS Am q he would have stopped only for the way he was forced by me to stay it out in the hope that ae would win which think he did-but he will nev- CT forget that fight. It will ever stay in his memory It took out of him all the fight he ever had in him. Terry McGovern would come pretty near whipping him today. He is. "has- been.' He made mere money than ever was made by one fighter in the same time-bar Dixon. who made three times the same amount in the same number of years. He says that Wal colt is ''quttter,'' but I know better. Sharkey knows who.-..is the -quitter. Walcott never arose from the floor and asked me if he was knocked out, as Sharkey did in the F1tzsimmons con- test. '-
 Sharkey. like all the rest of the big men we have to-day. bar Jeffries, draws the color line. Every champion we have ever had Sullivan excepted, has been stripped to meet colored man. Then why should Sharkey-a third rater-draw the color line? He first drew the color line when l chal- lenged him with Walcott in Frisco in 1897. and again, after he thought he could get line on Walcott at his training quarters, where Walcott let up on him, expecting this chance o1 getting a match with him. Why look for cheap advertising? Let him try and convince the public he is not afraid of Walcott. He cannot con-
 He says he will not fight a 'nigger. as he terms him. What will he do ii the ''nigger' whips him on the street some day? Run away. as he did at the training quarters at New Dorr while training for Jeffries? He was driving some ladies to the railroad stu tion and the wagon was held up py footpads. He jumped from the wag on and left the ladies to their mercy He talk about "duitters. Walcot' would die there first. Sharkey's mon ey is covered VIII ne let IL stay there or quit? ---. F' '
 Tip to the Pubiic:-Another Choyn ski match-all over but the shouting.
 Sharkey has come to my hotel three different times to make new con tract. He even brought my attorney Mamie Friend. to, induce me to make q contract to the effect that l wouio not challenge him to meet Walcott He is. without exception, the biggest fourGusher I ever had anything 10 dt with as a fighter and as man.
 TOM O'ROURkE.
 New York, Oct 24 -l.'
 "So that's what O'Rourke thinks o1 mo now?' Sharllev said@elast night when a copy of ORourke's letter waS shown to bi,n. "Well." the Sailor con timed. "O'Rourke used to have bet for oniniou of me, and it may be tha' he will go back to first principles pc } fore long. don't want to meet any colored fighters. but Ii O'Rourke keeps on .badgering me there's no teiiins what I'll do. He'll be sorry TOT HE coon if I change my mind. put . , haven't changed it ycc, and l ooh , think I will do so.