The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-20
GOSSIP OF THE WEEK IN THE WORLD OF SPORTS
and then let the winner step UP and

- - -
and then let the winner step UP and
key can fight it out and then let the
winner step UP and take his medicine.
BY defeating Sharkey. in six rounds,
Munroel would show that he was en-
Titled to consideration. sharkeygis
tough proposition, and it would take
a pretty good man to beat him. If
Munroe proves his superiority over the
sailor, the public will be convinced
that he is entitled to a return match
with me. would prefer to see Mum
roe and Sharkey come together in a
bout. Then there would
surely be a knockout. I don't think
Munroe is the hitter he is cracked up
to be, Sharkey, know. can hit a hard
blow. He is strong and dangerous at
any point, and If he doesn't finish
Munroe in six rounds, the, latter's
chances of winning will be much
brighter From what 1 understand,
Munroe has improved considerably
over his form year ago, and there
are many persons who believe he has
a. good chance to defeat Sharkey.
That, however, remains to be seen. On
form Il favor Sharkey. He is more
experienced, and as 1 said before he
has the blow that will do the trick if
it gets to the mark"
The possibility Of another meeting
between FitzsimmOns and Corbett: Is
causing some discussion. Many be-
ilieve that the we'll known antagonism
between the two. men will result in a.
second bout. The match would draw
an immense house, and neither pug
would be inclined to overlook a chance
to pick up a good piece Of coin. The
two have been exchanging encomiums
thru the press for some months, and
each processes to feel the utmost con-
tempt for the others proves. AS a
matter of fact, each has the liveliest
respect for his old rival; but if a good
purse can be secured, there is no doubt
that both would be willing to go on.
EAttleast, Corbett prof. badly would make
a match, and Fitzsimmons would also
if his hands were in shape. The
freckled fighters naitts have been bad
since his second fight with Jeffries.
and it Is a question whether he could
get them into shape to justify him in
meeting as clever a man as COrbett.
Talking about his hands recently, Fitz
said:
"a fighter with bad hands is like
carpenter without tools. No mat
ter how clever a workman he may
be, all his art, skill and knowledge
goes for nix unless he has the tools
| with which to accomplish his task.
| So it is with a fighter. He may have
the punch, he may know how to land
| it, he may land it and have his man
at his mercy, and then be unable to
| finish him. His tools are out Of KEEL
ter and he, can't complete the job.
NO matter how good pair OF
hands fighter has, if he remains long
| enough in the game they will spoil.
When I came to this country had the
best pair of hands mortal man was
ever blessed with. My many years
in the smithy hardened them, and just
| for fun in Australia I often struck a
board and splintered it. I would not
do that now, tho. I have hit fighters
on the, bones Of the head and never
broke the skin on my knuckles. !
never had any trouble with my tools.
/ Then came my battle with Shar.
key in San Francisco. The one thai
the gunfghter robbed me of. I struck
Tom on top Of the head in my ankle
ty to finish him, and away went the
main knuckle Of my right hand. q
sWe1ed UP to twice the size 1T ough
to be, and it took a doctor a month t.
get it back into shape.
AFTER that toured the country ane
; my-left NIT went bad. Both hand
were wrong when fought Rubin anf
Sharkey the second time. I pulled
thru by working for the body and no
taking a chance for a knockout unit
!. felt that I had them weak enough
!. to be sure. Then I knew that slngl
punch would put them away, and
:. the WaIlop broke my hand the fgh
: would be over and the break woult
!, not make any difference for that battle
'In my second go with Jeffries
D. simply punched at his head and fac
! until both hands were gone. The!
) suffered such ill-usage that for week
T could not hold a knife and fork.
! ct had them patched up, and afte
: years rest they looked all right.
, took no chances with them until
met Gardner. AS soon as cut loos
i, | in the fourth round my hands becam,
+ useless and the wonder is that I wa
, able to stay on and save myself from
5 defeat.
8 hurt a baby. Whether Gardner knew
' my hands were gone I do not know
/ But he seemed unwilling to mix j
: with me, and that enabled me to hol,
: him safe for decision
e The gold and diamond-studded bel
: which was presented to John L. Sui
/ Ivan as commemorative of his cham
: pionship fight with Paddy Ryan, an,
: which disappeared about ten year
D ago, now turns up in the possession
: of Jere Donohue of Philadelphia, VIII
t exhibits the trophy among his art col
n lection. Donohue secured the belt TO
r $1O,5O0, which is slightly more thai
: the value Of the metal and preciou
: stones.
Y Sullivan was said to have pawne
Q the belt soon after he lost his cham
: pionship to Corbett in 1891, and fe'
s have seen it since. The inscrlptlo
: on the belt is as follows:
e presented to John L. Sullivan b
e the citizens of the United States, Jul
IS 4, 1887"
y Pictures of Sullivan and Ryal
!. seventeen large and many small die
e monds adorn the trophy.
i Sullivan won the bare-knuck1
championship in defeating Paid
Ryan at Mississippi City, Miss, in
- fight lasting nine rounds. To CON
:, memorate the event Sullivans admin
- ers raised several thousand dollar
-, - and purchased the belt which wa
- presented at public function. Sull
% van kept the belt a short time aft
% . he lost the glove championship to Co
- bett The bare-knuckle title he ST
as holds.