The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-07
PRIZE RING ACCIDENTS
Which Have Often Decided the Fate
of Many Ring Battles.
Times.

washington Times.
A chapter on "Odd Accidents of the Prize
Ring" may seem odd even TO old-time pa
irons of the gl9vemen's sport-reople who
figure that the 'only possible accident in
a battle is a f1lke, or wholly unintentionai
punch, and that outside of these crazy
wallopS the fisttc game is as much q ques-
ton of skill as \ game of chess, or as much
a probablem of lrelative strength as a haul
ing match between two truck horses.
Curious accidents, however, have played
quite a part III making prizering history,
and singular n~aischances of the kind will
probably always cut a figure in deciding
battles.
These remarks are prompted in the main
by the strange finish of Clarence Forbes in
a fight at Omaha recently. Clarence
swings, swerves and ducks like lightning,
branch of the game. While fighting Tom
Sullivan, Clarence swung his body and
swerved his head like a flash, Just TO be-
wilder Sullivan. His head came in contact
with a post, with a crash that could be
heard throughout the building.
Clarence was utterly dazed. and before
he could regain, his senses Sullivan finished
Henry Yanger, speaking of his recent
fight with Haflon, says that IL was not
nearly so much the force of Hanlon's
blow that dazee him in the fifteenth round.
as the fact that when ne fell his chin hit
the canvas with a shock severer than the
hardest uppercnt could nave given.
Something like ten years ago Dick Moore
dlu 1tiI bdhtT were DdllllE III a SIOch-
yard hall. Moore had all the best of IL,
but slipped, and his head struck a sharp
ccrnered stake which some one had left un-
padded. His face was cut Open, he was
completely bewidered, and Baker instantly
knocked him out.
When Joe Bertrand fought Jimmy Barry.
about nine years ago, he aimed a furious
swing at Jimmy's head. The flying arm
caught under h rope and was sprained,
while Joe, wide open and defenseless, re-
ceived some savage blows.
In Minneapolis years back Charlie Glea-
son, a good fighter of the past, met a youth
named Webb. AS they came across the
stage a calcium light fared up and its
blaze caught Webb full in the face. AS
he blinked. owF-like. in the glare, Gleason
shot home a straight right and won the
shortest battle on r~ecord-about three sec
onds.
Harking back forty years and more il will
be remembered that job c. Heenan when
fighting John Norrissey had all the better
OF the fray until, aiming a hard punch at
the other fellow. he hit a post full tilt and
crushed his knuckles,t thus spelling his right
| hand and ultimately losing the verdict.
These are only a few instances which
show how large a part pure accident and
the interference OF inanimate objects have
often played in; combats of the ring. They
go to prove that mere strength or splendid
skill, or even che two combined. may not
always win, and that even bullhead luck is
not always proof against a sudden influence
exerted by the adjoining scenery.
Speaking OF accidents, the funniest ever
seen In any ring came of at the Chicago
Athletic Association SOM seven or eight
years ago. A large young man named
Fitzgerald-whc never fought again-and
another earnest whale named S~heedy-who
likewise laid aside the gloves the same
evening-were doing battle. Both were very
weary, and Fitzgerald was groggy i'm the
extreme. Lurching across the ring ne
started an uppercut-started IL from way
low. hoping to lift Sheedys head right of
its foundations Sheedy fell back out of the
way. and the uppercut, travelling on with
awful speed. caught its sender right under
his own chin, knocking the daylights out
of him and putting him in the archives o.
fame as the ohly man who ever knocked
himself down and insensible.