The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-26

four feet from the ground. on the four
sides Of the ring were the press seats ana
Immediately back Of them the boxes, which
were simply spaces partuoned on, ana
tWenty-fOur chairs in each compartment.
These rested on the ground without the
least elevation. Back of the boxes came
long rows Of board seats or benches, all
on the same level, these with conveniently
arranged aisles. To the rear and back or
the board fence were placed the gallery
benches
The ring was a substantially constructed
affair. Built upon d good foundation, the
floor was made OF a double thickness OF
inch boards. over those there was heavy
padding of felt one inch in thickness. A
heaNy brown canvas, drawn ugnuy ana
fastened at the edges, completed saie
ring. The lights We're suspended from
four upright posts, one at each corner OF
the ring. These uprights slOped gradually
towards the center and a succession OF
cross beams al the top held fourteen arc
lights, and over the whole canvas tent
covered the seats as far out as the gal
lery'' seats. The ropes of the ring were
OF the latest thing in that line, consisting
OF heavy, smooth, one-inch cotton rope.
Two of these, the first three feet from the
floor and the second eighteen inches above
IT, were guyed from the uprights which
held the lights and tent. There were no
sharp corners Across the canvas there
was placed short padded ropes that cut
out the sharp angles, but still LETT the ring
a full-sized affair. The wind came sweep
ing through a big fifteen-fOOt rent in the
canvas that covered the ring, and stirred
up the dust about the ringside. Clark Ball,
who looks after FitzsimmOns's interests,
came in, looked at the big rent and the
resulting draft, and Immediately kicked
to Alec Greggians.
At S:25 p. m. the crowd became dense.
The aiSles were congested and much con-
fusion enSued. These things were soon
Strengthened out, however, and when the
principals of the preliminary fight came
on there was hardly a vacant place in all
the $500 provided seats.
At $50 p. m. Fitz arrived in carriage
at the entrance on Valencia street. He
was cheered by the crowd that stood at the
entrance. Fitzsimmons went at once to his
dressing tent TO the right Of the main en-
trance and proceeded to dress. He was ac-
cOmpanied by his manager Clark Ball. At
$40 p. m. Jenries arrived on the grounds
ana went TO his dressing room. Jeffries
was accompanied by Billy Delaney, Jack
Jcfords and Joe Kennedy.
In addition to his manager, Clark Bell,
Griffin, the colored pugilist, and one or two
friends. The once champion declared that
he never felt better and declared he would
win. He was in a cheerful frame of mind
and inquired about the crowd in attendance
and other matters incident TO the fight. At
the appearance of the JeffrieS party the
crowd set up a terrific roar, to which JEFF
tries responded by a wave of the hand.
Proceeding direct TO his dressing tent, JEFF
! fries Immediately got ready TO don his ring
costume He was not in a laxative mood,
but appeared calm and confident. He in
CURED about the attendance and expressed
satisfaction when told that the place was
TANNED.
There was so little ringside betting that
IL was hardly appreciable. The odds was
about the same that have prevailed the
past few days-10 TO L.
At S:47 the only preliminary fight was put
on. 1t was a twenty-round affair between
two local middle weights-Dave Barry and
Harry Foley.
There were few heavily-veiled women
I no an +oI In,
| Their presence was passed over by the
crowd without any demonstration of dis
! approval, as is usual in such cases. The
/ good order and absence of confusion was
| remarkable.
By o'clock all the ticket holders were in
| their allotted spaces and not a vacant seat
/ was visible from the ring. The big audience
/ presented an unusual spectacle. Banked
| up against the walls on all sides there was
/ "A solid dark mass sloping down TO a level
| to those in the boxes and other high-priced
| seats. Scattered about the many aisles
| stood many policemen but they had moth
| ing 10 do. as the ushers had mastered the
| details of the seating arrangements and
| conducted the ticket holders to their places
| without confusion.
Outside the big Enclosure the wind blew a
| gale, but the temperature within was quite
| comfortable.
The fourteen arc lights suspended above
| the ring gave sufficient light for the fight
ers as we'll as the audience. These were
| the only lights within the Enclosure.
| When asked in the dressing room as to
his weight, Fitzsimmons replied: ''Oh.
| l5S or 100" He added that when he fought
| Jeffries at Coney Island he weighed 156
! pounds. AS Fitzsimmons has not weighed
! in the presence of any outsider recently,
| his exact weight is prCblematcal.
| JeffrieS, according TO Delaney, weighed
| this afternoon 2l5 pounds These figures
might be stated at about 2l7 pounds at ring
side.
! The preliminary was ended by 9:35 D. m.
by Foley knocking Barry out in the elev-
| enth round. Immediately the crowd be-
came impatient, and there was a good deal
| of stirring about and visiting among the
well-known characters at the ringside. The
| appearance of about a dozen women in a
party caused a momentary furry. They
! took seats in a box directly back of the
| press row.
The makeup of the crowd was unusual.
| There was absolutely perfect order. The
| bench ana bar of San Francisco, as well
as other professional life, was well repre-
sented Large delegations from interior
| California cities, including Los Angeles,
| Jefries's home, Bakersfield, Stockton and
Fresno, occupied large blocks of seats.
| The Los Angeles party was especially
| large, among them being many well-known
men from the southern part of the State
After the preliminary there occurred a
| wait, during which the crowd called to
| each other across the ring and shouted for
the big men TO come on. 1t was reported
| that Eddie Graney, who had been selected
as referee, wished TO be paid $500 for his
services, while the managers thought 500
sufficient remuneration.
| Kid McFadden, the little fighter who
just returned from England, took advan-
tage of the walt to get himself introduced
as the champion feather weight. The kids
reception, however was very chilly, and he
made his exit quickly. The crowd wanted
nothing but the big men.
4 four-cOrnered hippodrome bout between
four negroes was put on during the wait
and caused much merrimeut among the
! crowd.
During the wait Jim Corbett sent chal.
lenge to fight the winner This was re-
ceived with applause. but a moment late,
the announcer stated that Sharkey SEM
a challenge and there were jeers.
Hurst Not Wanted as Referee,
| NEW YORK. July 25-Young Corbe,t