The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-10
OLD TIME FIGHTERS OF MINNEAPOLIS
Picturesque Figures of the Days When the Putic Game Fourshed
Administrative Worlds Championships Decided Here John
Donadson Boxing Sullivan Broke His Arm - Ca
and characteristics of the Local Celebrities

garded however. as possessing a streak
of yellow. It was the common saying
that killen couldn't be defeated in ST.
Paul, Just as the Black Pearl couldn't
be defeated in minneapolis, both men gen
orally getting a shade the best Of it from
the management. Killen once fought Joe
Lennon Of Boston, the contest being held
on a barge on the Mississippi river below
St. Paul Uiver barges were popular places
for bouts when the authorities were I'M
usually strict). and the local man Won
in; nine rounds. Lennon always claimed
that he was doped before the fight, and
men who saw the battle agree that Len
non was not himself, but the charge was
never proved. .'2~
Killen fought twice with Cardiff. The
first contest was a fourround draw, but
Killen won in three rounds. in the bout,
held at Washington rink inlSS9. Killen
also put out in one round Duncan Mac.
Donald. who achieved certain degree of
notoriety recently as referee Of the bout
between Jeffries and Jack Munroe at
Butte
" Got Draws with Two Champions. =,
Patsy Cardiff enjoys the distinction of
having fought draws with both John l..
Sullivan and Charley Mitchell, and also
has the fame of being the first man who
ever knocked Mitchell off his feet. The
Mitchell Cardiff bout was held in the old
IL
avenue S. on ground now occupied by a
part of the New England company's
store. Mitchell, it is asserted by reliable
men, had deposited SIS, 500 before the
fight, as Il guarantee that he would let
Cardiff stay the eight rounds. Possibly
this guarantee made Cardiff bolder than
usual. for in his fight with Sullivan he
showed 40 disposition to mix thinks up.
at any rate he toppled Mitchell off his
pins. probably by chance blow, and
some men still believe that Cardiff might
have put ou- the English,nan had he been
quick enough to follow up his advan=
tage. -
SuiIivan's Arm Broken.
The bout between. Sullivan and Cardiff
took place in 1887, in the old Washing
ton rink, and again Cardiff stayed the
limit, Sullivan breaking the radius Of his
right arr, in the early part Of the fight:
Cardiff was q. wonderfully, clever QUICKER,
and Sullivan tried repeatedly, to land, on
hin, without success. 90. At length Patsy
got within easy range, and the mighty
Sullivan's right swung for the Cardiff
jaw, but quick as was the blow, Cardiff s
eye and head were quicker, and the Sui
Ivan forearm crashed against the Car
Gift head with damaging results to the
arm.
Sullivan fought through the contest
save one second, and Cardiff, ignorant OF
| the handicap under which his adversary
labored, failed to take advantage of the
opportunity Even had he known of Sui
livan's nlishap, it is doubtful whether he
! would have attempted to finish the Bos-
ton man. for if the left was disabled the
mighty right was still ready for action.
One of Cardifs fights was against
CRourke at the Leland rink. It was q
| five round contest, remarkable only: fol
the fact of O'Rourke's age. The latter
had nineteen children living at the time
but he managed to stay the five rounds
ren,arking with a grin at the finish tina
he reedcc.; the money. :-r.
Su]livan,s sparring partner Tom Hinch
quit the show at Minneapolis, being I'M
able to stand the beating Sullivan gave
h;na. =, Letter. he became almost zfetall,
deaf from the effects of collisions be
Tween his ears and the Sullivan fists
EsFor a few months Hinch was a pron1inen
character in pugilistic. circles iii Mime
ap5lis Later he removed to !. Chicago
4 where he die. in 1885 - ! - =
Haffey's >chest :Punctured. ~- =
During Sullivan's second tour of tn
country, when he offered $500 to an
! man who would stay in the ring wit
him four rounds. John S., Barnes and Eli
Allen picked up Morris Haffey, an engi
:neer OF st. Paul, as a likely opponent fo
the champion. Men who cared to so i
the ring with John l.. We're not plentif1
i about the twin cities in those days; an
Barnes and Allen hit on Haffey as q las
resort.
BY. .judicious fiattery they enlarged tn
}, Uranium of Haffey, who by the way wa
"a giant in size, to such an extent that til
, poor engineer not only believed he coul
stay the: four rounds, but actually ha
fan idea. that he could put Sullivan Oh
: Had he kept this theory to himself, we
and good, but he was foolish enough :
brag about what he would do to John L
and John L.. heard of, it.: .,...,...... =,
! The contest, took place in Market ha
st. Paul, and just before entering tt
ring Sullivan briefly addressed the crow
somewhat to this effect dialect not qua
= anteed):> S"Gents, ] don't want any
. youse to think I'm a mean man. but d
guy has been Dragging dat he'll kno,
S John l.. out. Now I'm going to put hi
Z right out. just to show youse how quie
y ! 1 can do it. - ss-.s .. - ~ VI .
I TIaffey was Whipped right then and
! came out Of his corner with his kne,
i knocking together Sullivan Tented Wi
= his left. crossed his. right to the ia,
y and Haffeys bubble was punctured. Ha
;, fey later entered the. Duluth fire depar
;, ment and was at one time chief.
e Shortest Fight on Record.
e What is claimed to be the shortest fig
- on record took place as a preliminary
: the Sullivan-C Cardiff bout in 81. Gig
9 Dan Baker and Charley Gleason we
d the principals. The referee called tim
d Gleason walked from his corner, swu
a 1once and walked back. Time, just sew
IS. seconds, not including the ten secon
a counted by the referee
n One interesting bout was tWent
b. round contest between Jim Burge othe
l. Iswfse known as the Iron -jawed Man
IS and Frank Craig. the Harlem Golf
IS Cooler. at the Twin City club. Burs
y who was by no means sober, took t
ut place OF another man who failed to COZ
a to the scratch. In fighting Burge, w
Le was rightly nfcknamed, made no atten
8, to guard his face, merely trying to p1
lie tect his body. The Coffee Cooler sw1
y and swung at the metallic maxillary
l. his opponent, but without the slightt
r, effect. and after the bout, had been {
is clared a draw, Burge addressed the au,
10 ence thus:
!. Gents I wasn't i'll shape to fight i
X night, I'm pretty drunk. I know, but
IS knew that fellow couldn't hurt me- a
ie think right now I can lick the smok
ls Billy Wilson, who claimed the colo,
le heavyweight championship some fife
er |years ago was another figure about M
2e aeapolis in the palmy days of pugilism
y this city Wilson gained. a large sh,
40 OF his reputation by knocking out Mery
60 Thompson, the Cleveland Thunderbol
N in the first round of a bout at Market h
at st. Paul: Later Wilson fought with c.
diff on a river barge. Cardiff winning
eight rounds. "A second contest result
If in a draw. 35g - 81 S. -
81 NeedIan,s First Defeat
ne The fight :. bet N1en Evan. 4 MI ia /