The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1904-03-12
KILLED THE HOODOOS
TOM SHARkEY HERO OF ANUS
i. ING STORY.
Beautiful Birds Presented to Him by
Bob Fitzsimmons Meet Untimely
Fate-Superstition of Two Prize
fighters.

There is an amusing story going
around the sporting circles of New
York which is very funny and particu
quainted with the peculiarities and
shortcomings of Tom Sharkey, the
sailor pugilist. The story goes back
to the time Sharkey was training &C.
fight Bob Fitzsimmons. Fitz had been
presented with pair Of peacocks by
Homer Davenport, the well-knowE
cartoonist, and Red Robert was very
proud of his feathered beauties.
George Dawson, the boxing instruc
tor of the Chicago Athletic club anC
an old-time Australian chum of Fits
was at the beach, and had charge Oh
the training camp.
Dawson is a bit of joker in his
way, and put up a job on Sharkcy
There was the best of good feeling
existing between the two fighters-as
frequently happens when two men arg
matched to batter each other for nc
more acrimonious purpose than
division of the gate receipts.
Ore bright Saturday, when the pea
cocks were making an extra gorgeous.
display of their tail feathers, Dawson
took Fitz one side and said:
pretty birds, Bob, but don't you
know"
''Know what?' asked Bob
"Why, peacoclIs are bad luck. They
are hoodoos."
"Well I don't want any hcodoos
about me- said Fitz, looking puzzled
''Not just on the eve of fight"
Il tell you what let's do" said Daw-
son. LETS make Tom Sharkey Il
present of the birds. Let's unload
the hoodoos on him.
Fitz didn't do any work on Sunday
SO the next day we got out the four
seated wagon, and with Butcher, the
big sorrel, between the shafts, drove
over to Sheepshead, where Sharkey
was training.
There was a little presentation
speech made by Fitz.
He had brought the birds over to his
rival as a little gift to show that there
were no hard feelings between them,
enemies in the ring. It was an empha-
sis of the time-honored custom pugil-
lists have of shaking hands just be-
fore they get together ~-.'-''''~-
Sharkey fell into the spirit of the
thing and accepted the birds in the
good-fellowship in which they we're
given. He invited Fitz, Dawson and
myself into the house to enjoy its
hospitality, and we had glass of
pump water all around-at Sharkey's
expense.
The next day I rode over to the
sailors camp again.
After Sharkey had said that he
never felt better in his life, and deliv-
cred his bullying chest of few other
.aphorisms, it reverted to the presen-
tation OF the peacocks.
Fine birds, Tom, but don't yoW
know"
"Know what?" asked Sharkey, just
as Fitz had before.
well, I'll give you a tip. Those
birds are hoodoos. They are guaran-
teed to queer any fighter who OWNS
them. If you have them in your pos
session when you enter the ring YOU
will surely lose to Fitz."
Toms corrugated face was an i'll
terrogation mark.
Don't you see? Fitz has given
them to you so that you will have the
bad luck they bring"
"Well, I'll fool him." cried Sharkey-
"Ill kill those turkeys"
And he did. He wrung the necks OF
a pair of as handsome prize peacocks
try show.
And his thrifty soul went further
He had them cooked, and it's even
money that he ate them.