Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-17

.IErrRIES-cORBETT FIGHT.

JESF,F Nt1 l ANAA
It has been decided that the prize fight,
eo-called, between j. j. Jeffries and j. j.
Corbett, shall be held in San Francisco
on the 10th of April. The announcement
has been made with considerable enthus-
iasm, the popular expression being that
the event will be a great thing for the
city, though as to this there are d.ssenti-
emit opinions, says the Bulletin.
No CUB it will attract a large crowd
of sporting men, who will spend some
money IN the hotels and saloons. and the
city will be given some advertising of a
questionable sort. But the public VIII
spend a large sum to see the contest. and
the pugilists will pocket IS per cent of
thiT and carry it away. The National
club. which will manage the affair, VII
get the rest, a large part of which it VIII
expend in the preparations for the affair.
While the meeting of these two men is
creating considerable interest among
sporting men, it is not expected to go
down IN pugilist history as a Champion
making event. James ]. Corbett is re
garded here, his former home, as a has
BEEN" His glory departed when he made
a miserable fiasco of a meeting with
Thomas Sharkey, though an excellent
fighter, has not yet succeeded in reach
Ing the championship. Except, perhaps
the present champion, he is the strong
est fighter before the public. He is 40
per cent better now than when he en-
countered Corbett in the Mechanics Pa
vil.on on hat memorable occasion when
he ran a1nuck in the ring and used the
referee as a battering ram with which
to level his opponent. In one rush he
knocked the referee against Corbett and
stood the latter up on his neck and
shoulders.
That fight was limited to four rounds,
Mr.. Corbett not caring in his then en-
feebled condition, brought on by dissipa-
ton and excuses, to risk his champion
ship honors and his precious hide to a
longer venture with a real fighter. Aft
err the first two rounds he was helpless,
and at the close of the fourth he hung
upon the %redoubtable Sharkey's neck UNI
til the police could interfere. Sharkey
was for licking him then and there re-
CARELESS of the sound of the gong and
the limit in rounds. and, let alone. he
would nave completed the job in two min
utes or less. 1t was said then that Cor
bett vas not in cOndition-a fact for
which the people who paid handsomely
to see what they thought would be a
good fight were scarcely responsible. 1T
h should be given a chance to recover
his old form he would give a different
account of himself in a fistic combat with
the doughty sailor.
Well, the two men came together again
in New York after considerable lapse of
time and Mr.. Corbett failed to remove
the impression of his inferiority to Shar-
key. Billy Delaney had to interfere to
save him from a licking again.
Since Sharkey's first fight with Corbett
he has twice met James j. Jeffries, the
present champion, who is now matched
to fight Corbett iE, this city in April. On
both occasions he fought with all his
we'll known fury and much greater speed
then when he practically whipped Cor
bett. but he found Jeffries too big ar un-
dertaking. 1t is no disgrace to Sharkey
that he lost the decision on both of these
occasions, for the champion, is a giant
in size n Hercules in prowess.
But the fact remains that Sharkey had
more than he could do. In the last fight
he took terrible punishment and suffered
the fracture of a couple of ribs, but he
was still on his feet and fighting when
the gong sounded in the twentieth round.
This man. who had twice demonstrated
his superiority to Corbett, was twice
unable to vanquish Corbett's next oppon-
ent.
The prize fight promoters " con-
.cluded that a match between Jeffries and
Corbett would not pay in he east and
they have decided to try it on a Fran
cisco.
If Corbett has any chance on earth with
Jeffries it will be found to be in his abil-
ity to keep away from him. He is known
Is a skillful pugilist and his safety will
lie in giving the big nan a wide berth.
The men who go to see this fight will have
to get their moneys worth out of a "get
away" exhibition, for the stale and lux
uriant Corbett cannot hope to stand up
against the man who could pick Tom
6harkey up and hold him as in a vice.
The National Athletic club has been re-
quested to postpone the fight or change
the date so that it will not fall in holy
week. The Rev. r. c. Foute protests
against having it come off at that time,
as not being conducive to religious
thought. 1t is presumed that Managers
Groom and Gibbs of the club will give
this matter consideration and pay due
Difference to the wishes of the other sidc
of the community. TIL influx of sports
is expected to set in. next month.