The Irish standard., 1901-06-01
ENGLAND IS ourcLAssED.
In Pugiltsm America Is Bess of the
World.

featherweights, and outside of Jack
Roberts, who might be considered a
lightweight, we have also the bulge
ON that country with the little fellows
There was u time, and not so long age
at that, when England, and, 1 might
add, Australia, cut quite a figure in
pugilism, but at present the best those
countries can boast of are easy pick.
ing, says George Siler in the Chicago
Tribune.
Pugilism was born in England near
ly 200 years ago, Or about 100 years
before Americans stood around an i'm.
provfsed ring to witness, what was
termed, a prize-fight between Jake
Hyer and Tom Beasley. Prior to and
for thirty years after the Hyer-Beasley
fight England ruled the roost in pugi.
lism. 1t was not, however, until Tom
the son Of Jake Hyer, defeated cyan.
kee" Sullivan that America managed
to break its way into pugilism.
From the Hyer-Sullivan battle to the
great international fight between John
@. Heenan and Tom Savers, which,
took place on April II, 1860, was but
step toward pugihstic recognition
for this country. Although Heenan
secured but draw from Sayers and
met with defeat at the hands of Tom
King three years later, he doomed
pugilism to such an extent that Eng
ish pugs came to this country in
swarms.
The Civil war was on, money was
plentiful, and the knights of the
bunch of fives" came from Great Brit
ain to get our coin. Good, bad, and in
different fighters, at all weights, were
dumped into Castle Garden with moth
ing but the clothes they wore, but
overloaded with jabs, cross-counters,
and battered visages.
OF the batch that landed on our
shores during and Immediately after
the Civil war Tom Allen was I'M
doubleday the best and the most dis
liked. He was disliked because he
rersistenly challenged Joe Coburn, our
heavyweight champion, and proved
himself the best by defeating the men
he met. He was whipped by Charley
Gallagher the first time they hooked
up, but reversed the decision the next
time they met. Coburn in those days
was considered the most scientific
pugilist in America.
The foreign fighters, however, out
side Of Allen, did not make much
Roadway in this country until the '7O's,
when Jem Mace, champion of Eng
land, dropped in among us. Jem was
preceded by Ned O'Baldwin, the irish
giant, and Joe Wormald, but as they
settled an old dispute between them.
selves and did not exchange blows
with Americans !. will pass them up
Mace. however, became Il factor in
American pugilism by defeating Tom
Allen easily and "sojering' through
Il draw with Coburn.
Following Mace, came Arthur
Chambers. Johnny Clark, Tim Collins
Bat Mullins and number of lesser
lights. OF these Chambers is the onl,
one who can boast of gaining a cham
pionship title. In fact too, he de
fruted George Seddons for the feather
weight championship, and by the bold
est piece Of highway robbery ever per
petrated in the ring, won the light
weight championship from Billy Ed
wards. Billy was beating Arthur
easily, when Seddons, who was be
hind Chambers, bit Arthur on the
shoulder and in the next round claimed
foul, showing the imprint of what he
easily led the referee to believe was
Edwards teeth
That battle and one that took place
between Abe Hicken and Bryan Camp
bell, a few months prior, in which
Hicken was shamefully treated 9 ant
also robbed of the fight, gave pugilisn
black eye in this country. Mace re
tired after his fiasco with Coburn
and the latter was sent to Jail on the
charge Of killing policeman. O'Bald
win was killed by his saloon partner
and the death of Joe Wormald lef
Tom Allen cock of the walk. Joe
Goss and Allen, both Englishmen
then battled for the heavyweight
championship Of the world, and Goss
won. Not, however, because he wa.
the better man, but because the crowt
Of rutlians at the ringside would no
lermit Allen to win.
To defeat Goss meant death fol
Tom. So he wisely lost in a foul, or
rather, a foul WIS claimed and al
lowed, to which Allen did not dare oh
ject. Goss, who was afterwards de
feated by Paddy Ryan, was the las
EngliShman to hold the heavyweight
Ampionslip title in this country lm
til Bob Fitzsimmons won it from Pc
ter Maher in Mexico, and later de
Tended it against Jim Corbett in Car
son City, New, on March II, 1897.
England, with its heavyweights. hat
the honor of engaging in two cham
pionship battles in this country, ant
three championship contests will
-lgihtweights. In the first Mace me
Allen and Allen fought Goss. In TIL,
lightweights. In the first Mace me
| Tim Collins mud A,.thllr Cham lor.,