The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-13
Sharkey Announces That He
Has Retired from Fighting.
The Sailor Will Be Seen No
More in Prize Rings.
NOTIFIES FRISCO CLUB.
Marine Gives Up His Match
With George Gardner.
Is Rated as Being Worth $7O,-
900 Made With the Gloves.

San Francisco, Sept. 13.-Tom Shar-
key has wired that he has retired from
the ring and Alexander Gre9gains Is
forced to hunt up somebody else to
give George Gardner a fight. II Man
ager Houseman was specially anxious
to get Root a return match with the
Lowell boy he might do SO now, but
If the clever Chicagoan's injury does
not permit him to sign for an early
date Marvin Hart will probably be
given the chance. Greggains is now In
Communication with the Louisville box
ef and expects to arrange this or some
other match for Gardner at once.
1t must have been the beating Sailor
Tom took from Rubin in London this
summer that finally did it. Probably
no man living since the days when the
boxers wore the steel bands on the
hands has one taken so much punish
rnent from punched fists as this same
Tom Sharkey. A bundle of muscles.
understood on the giant order COM
pared with Jeffries, he successfully
met such bitters as Fftzsimmons. Nc
Coy. Maher. Jeffries. Rubin and the
crowd and took what they had with
out grunt. Some OF them he beat
one way or another and some he did
not. and those were the ones that killed
him pugilistically.
Sharkey is 80 years old and on No
vember 29 will be 81, practically the
prime of an ordinary mans life His
passing marks the beginning of the pa
rade of a generation of fighters that
includes Maher, Choynski, Mccoy, Bob
Fftzsimmons, and that younger man.
Jeffries. There is hardly a fight left in
the bunch. barring Fitz and the cham
pion. of course.
Sharkey's position in the fight world
has been peculiar one. Because of his
known sturdiness and gameness he was
popular to a certain extent, but, at
that he leaves few friends in the
sporting world compared to those who
mourn for Jack Dempsey or who still
trail John L. His real entrance into
the game, though he had met Choynskf,
Corbett and Sailor Brown previously,
was the go with Bob Fitzsimmons in
San Francisco. December 2, 1896, which
went to the sailor on a foul. Wyatt
Erp, refereeing- His reputation and the
referees drew harder punch than
ever the Australian handed the sailor
that dav. Then came his fights with
Mafler, Goddard, Choynski, Corbett and
others. and his first meeting with Jim
Jeffries in Frisco. when the go lasted
twenty rounds on decision to the
present champion, Jim Jeffries
His greatest fight, of course, will be
remembered as the second contest with
Jim Jeffries under the scorching lights
IN New York. with George Silerr ref
ereeing 1t went the limit. twenty five
rounds. and Siler gave the decision to
Jeffries. There was howl, of course.
from the O'Rourke crowd and Sharkey,
but the decision went because it was
IlEnt. Sharkey was never the same
after this fight and the go really
stopped him in more ways than one.
At New York. November %, 1897, Con
McVey jumped into the ring in the
Snarkey-Corbett fight and the go went
to the sailor on a foul. Later he
slaughtered the frail Kid Mccoy in
1899. Rubin afterward beat him at
Coney island and Bob Fitzsimmons put
MIN away in two rounds. Sharkey put
Joe Choynski out at TattersaIPs Nav
8, 1900.
Sharkey is considered one of the veal
thiest puRilists in the business He is
rateq at being worth more than SIC, 900,
which he made in the last eight wears
try. $50 ~0A