The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-23
SPORTING NEWS.
: New Promoter Of Sport at
st. Louis.
Harry Norris Said to Have
Such Ambitions.
FITZ NOT A BAD ACTOR.
Red Robert Does Well Where
He Acts Natural.
Gossip Of the Lanky Australian
and Family.
FITZ NOT A BAD ACTOR.

St. Louis, Feb. 2S.-J. 3. Sheridan says
In the St. Louis Republic:
It was commonly bruited about the
streets yesterday that Harry Hutchens
Morris formerly OF St. Louis. late OF
Boston and again OF ST. Louis. - to
shortly blossom out as a promoter Of
high-class sporting enterprises, boxing
preferred Air. Norris is at present in
the city
Mr.. Morris was very wen known in
St Louis in the middle nineties. 1t was
he who first brought Bob Fitzsimmons
20 this city. in 1898. when RED Robert
met Jack Steiner in Music hall
He later promoted many amateur
tournaments IN this city. Later MI
Morris departed for Boston. where he
became attached to the sporting depart
ment OF the Boston Post and made quite
2 reputation as a pugilistic critic Sport
&ng journalism. however. offered but a
narrow field for a man OF his wide abil
dty, and he has returned to St Louis
20 promote sporting events
Fitzsimmons. the pugilist. never looked
better than at present The erstwhile
EnlddleWeight. who won the heavyweight
championship from Corbett when very
close to the middle line, appears to be
bigger and stronger than ever His face
ana neck show great Improvement and
development His shoulders. arms and
chest. always large and muscular, also
seem to have increased in size. yet they
do not dwarf his other portions as once
they seemed to do.
Watching him punch the bag and spar
one cannot avoid feeling-although the
means of Judgment are not good-that
he Is harder. heavier and better hitter
than ever, though scarce as free with
his wallop as he once was.
His eye. always the best Of Indications.
still shines and sparkles like a diamond.
Frftz has a small. steel-blue eye, clear
and sharp as a lancet 1t is still with
Eim in all its brilliancy. On the whole
the ex-champton seems to be better,
bigger and more formidable man at 40
than he was at 80.
Just how it happens that at an age
when most men have long passed their
athletic prime F'itzsimmons is just at
his is not easily explained. He is older
than John L. Sullivan, who has been out
of 1t for more than ten years, ever since
he fought Kilrain, in fact. He is way
older than Jim Corbett or Peter Jack
son, both IN the sere and yellow
Some persons will say, careful Nv
ing" Well. despite all his bornbastic
defamation in his play, Fitz has been
q pretty heavy liver. and has gone many
champion of champions, old Bacchus.
Not that he has been a soak, like Sulli-
van, or q usher like Jackson; but he
likes good company and IS a good fell
low Then, though he loves wine and
song. he has never fallen for that ehich
goes with them in the song. The gay
Eoubrette has had but few charms for
Bob. who has always been a family
man.
or course. Fftz began his high living
late in life, when IS. and had a good
constitution already formed; but it is
probable that he is an illustration Of
slow development 1t is likely that he
was but big boy until he was 80 and
ut 40 he is but a man Of so; whereas.
fellows like Sullivan at 20 are old at 80
Fitz Is not a bad one in his play. 1t
was built for him and he acts just
natural In cases where persifiage and
gesture would work well. he is a bad
actor. But ne is the true-to-life black
smith and pugilist. There are parts of
Bob's play he might cut out It sounds
kind of funny to hear him decIaim. 7
Asin not sell this fight for a million dol
lars. I never sold a fight and never
wil." and then think Of that little affair
with Jim Hall before Bob came to Amer
sca- Bob was a young fellow then and
an bad hands. and II he did do wrong it
never was proven, and he has done a
terrible lot Of good. hard. straight fight
ang since but it sounds funny and might