Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1902-07-24
HIS ONE EXPERIENCE.
rhs Amateur Boxer who Once Took
Charley Mitchell's Place.


Charley Mitchelps Place.
"One experience as a substitute
In prize fight Is quite enough for
me, sand a man who is now following
the more peaceful calling of a theatri-
cal manager. to a New Orleans Times
Democrat writer, "and while there
may be storms and upheavals in the
business | am now following. it is in
tinltely less dangerous, and not quite
80 trying on ones nerves. Back some
years ago, when Charley Mitchell
was popular idol, it fell to my lot
to fill an engagement which he was
unable to fill for some reason. 1t was
in one of the small but progressive
towns of Ohio. The people of the
place were wild about glove contests,
and the announcement that Mitchell
and Slavin were to do a stunt in the
ring simply caused the town to blaze
with fervor and enthusiasm. Think
it was about the time of the Sullivan
hilrain affair, and the pulse of the
whole country was high with pugil-
istic fervor. The Mitehell-Slavin
bout was TO be pulled off in the op-
era house Of the Ohio town. | was
very active in the matter, had adver-
tised the thing extensively, and the
whole responsibility in way rested
on nv shoulders. Late in the after
noon the announcement came that
Mitchell, on account of a railroad ac
cident of some sort, could not get
there We were in a stew Slavin
was wild. He wanted to give the
money back. We had sold about
Sl,500 worth of seats. l told
him it would never do. Finally, we
decided to get a substitute We
found strapping, brawny fellow
named Whipple, and told him we
would give him $200to stand up with
SIavin for four rounds. He hesitated
for awhile, but finally accepted the
offer. But Just before the time rolled
around for the match to begin, he
backed down, and said that he
wouldn't enter the ring at all for
less than $780, He knew we were in
hole, and he simply made up his
mind to squeeze US. We rolled the
money off and gave it to him. He
walked into the ring. Slavin was IN
a bad mood. The fellow was scared
to death He had pale, frightened
look, and when Slavin reached out,
grabbed his hand, and ierked him to-
ward him the fellow looked like he
was ready to collapse He asked to be
excused for a minute, and there was
nothing TO do but excuse him We
never thought about keeping an eye
on him. and az a result he slipped
out the back way, and we never heard
of him again. Slayin had simply
scared the fellow out of the fight.
Things were looking awfully blue.
The crowd was getting inpatient.
Slavin was gritting his teeth and
pacing up and down behind the wings
like a Gagged lion. He finally said to
me: You must either give that
money back, or strip and go into the
ring with me- | knew he meant
what he said, and really realized
that he was about right. But the
idea of going into the ring with Slavin
simply frightened me to death. My
knees ratified at the thought Of such
thing. But | told him | would
do it. | stripped, and in little
while was ready for the fray. BY the
way, when | got into the regulation
prize-fght clothes, or lack of
clothes, | looked like Mitchell, and
the fact seemed to buoy me up some
what. But when | rushed out into
the middle Of the ring to shake hands
with my adversary, l felt like l was
grabbing the clammy hand of death
l had boxed a little, and could 90 a
rather swift pace with the nonex-
pert class, but when it came to sub
bing for Charley Mitchell in a bout
with Slavin-well, that was differ
ent proposition Finally, we went
at it. Slavin was still mad Isprint-
ed, and could scarcely keep from GO
ing over the ropes, and dashing be-
hind the scenes and out of the build
ing. Directly, by a chance blow, l
swat Slavin on the nose, and the blow
had all the force of frightened en-
ergy. The blood spattered all over
his face, ran down over his body, and
this fact. coupled with the cheering
of the crowd, made my adversary