The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-18
PRIZE FIGHT WAS A FIzzLE.
Continued from Eighth Page.)


gan cursing their luck and abusing the
management, the loser and everybody
else who had anything to do with the
hsht. Many declared it a fake pure and
simple and the majority were inclined to
dlsoelieve that Pearce had really been
knocked out. Some declared that Pearce
was gutter while others held 10 the
view that it was plain case of bunco
me general verdict, to put 1t mildly, was
,hat II was the most unsatisfactory con-
test ever seen in Savannah
Both men were seen in their dressing
rooms shortly after the fight Neither APP
Feared to be much the worse for his ex-
perience Corcoran had a slight cut in
the forehead and his ma urally ruddy skin
was pretty We'll REDEEMED about The chest
Out from all appearances he could easily
nave gene on for another fight in ten
m nut6s.
Pearce did not look bit like a man
VINO had been lifted off the floor in a state
OF Vcllapse only fife minutes before He
had few slight cuts and bruises. but
nothing in anyway serious. His left arm
was slightly swollen at the wrist and he
said that he hurt it in the second round
He EXPIRE sed some fear that he had brok-
en- one of the bones of the wrist and later
went to drug store to have the arm
dressed. He did not attempt TO explain his
defeat, but expressed a willingness to
meet Corcoran again in September when
the weathr would he cooler.
After leaving the Theater the crowd
gathered in punches along Bull street and
expressed its feelings. The expressions
were long pronounced, emphatic, and in
some instances profane The majority de-
clared that they had not been given a
show for their money and that it was the
worst deal of the kind that had ever been
handed out to them in Savannah.
AS to whether the fight had been fix
ed" or whether Pearce simply lacked the
nerve to stand up TO Corcoran opinions
differed. Some of the regular sports even
declared thst they had been worked for
suckers, and it was pointed out as sig
nificant that a small coterie among the
sporting element who had devoted much
time to singing the praises of Pearce, had
been exceedingly eager to post bets on
Corcoran during the twenty-four hours
preceding the fight.
Pearce had a good record as a prize
fighter, and has bested several good men
in his time. The reports of his prowess
which were freely circulated here were
not without foundation. His friends claim
that he trained down too quickly, taking
off seventeen pounds in a comparatively
short time, and this, with the severe heat
Which HAS pTeNdlleQ since MS ARRIVAL mere
and from which he has suffered greatly
left him in no shape for fighting. 1t is
said that tips were received here by some
of the sporting men from acquaintance
in Louisville during the last few days that
Pearce, who had previously won num-
Der of fights, had recently gone to pieces,
and that a man in Corcoran's condition
could do him up easily. This may pos
sibly explain the fiasco of last night
Whether the large-sized disgust with re-
gard to prize-fghting will initiate against
future events Of this kind remains to be
seen. Australian Tommy Williams of
Louisville who has quite a record as
prize-fighter, autographed challenge last
night to meet the winner on practically
the same conditions as the fight of last
night. This fight will probably be ar
ranged. Williams gave Corcoran the
hardest fight of his life in Atlanta some
months ago being put out in the ninth
round by a swinging blow. Both men
We're groggy, and the result was consid-
cred something of an accident. "Myste-
rious Billy" Smith is said to have made
his reputation by licking Williams, so
that he would seem to be of some note
in the pugilistic world.