Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-08
WHEN HEROES FALL
PATHETIC ENDS OF MANY FAM.
GUS FIsTIc CHAMPIONS.
RISE OF JAS. J. CORBETT

RISE OF JAS. ]. CORBETT
Tears Frequently Follow the PASSING
OF An ErstwhIle Invlnclble FIGHTER
The Public Is Tickle and Soon
Forgets-knoek Out Feared.
Millions of men and few women
have attended boxing contests. and
poets have written lines of verse con.
corning the historic prize ring strus.
giles, but few ever hear or can tell OF
the scenes that follow the downfall Of
hero OF the roped arena.
When the shouting throngs sIowlv
wend their way from the ringside and
beaten star is led tenderly from the
ring to the dingy partitioned space cali.
ed a dressing room scenes follow that
would bring tears to the ewes of the
stcut-hearted. They are truly scenes
Of heart interest that occur In the
fighters room after hard-foueht hat.
tie is lost
Since the late lamented Nonpareil,
Jack Dempsey, went down to defeat be-
fore the superior skill of Bob Fitzsim-
mons and the trumpeters of the prize
ring leralded the coming of a new
wonder in the freakish Antipodean,
worlds championships have changed
almost with the seasons.
1t was in 1891 that Fitzsimmons. a
virtual unknown, battered down the
seemingly invincihle Dempsey, and
really broke his heart To this day
the pathetic scenes that took place in
the losers dressing room at New Or
leans are tenderly, If not tearfully, dis.
cussed by the fight lover Of those gone.
by days.
Poor Dempsey was the pride of all
American sportsren. He had thrown
aside the cooper's tools to take UP
pugilism.
A gentleman and a scholar, Jack
Dempsey mingled with all classes and
endeared himself to the lover of mill.
His victories were clean cut, and 1t
seemed that the man could never be
born who could wrest from him his
championship honbrs.
But he was mere plaything in the
hands of the lanlly one, who frequent.
]ly begged him to give up a hopeless
battle, and only Knocked him out when
to punish him further would be brut.
al. That victory was the making of
Fitzsimmons, one Of the most remark.
able figures in the world of athletics
today.
i Rise of corbett.
Following the defeat of Dempsey
came the second of the thunderbolts
to American prize ring men--the sen
mighty Sullivan, which Wrought about
!, the downfall OF the t'.sond Of the
Three American Jacks" and opened
up new era in the fighting business
!, There was great contrast in the
actions of Dempey and Sullivan aftel
the referee has counted the fatal ter
seconds. The former cried as if hi!
!, heart would break, and his closest
; friends could not console him. Demp
! sey's defeat was his ruination. He
went into rapid decline and died d
: what the physicians pronounced broker
heart. He worried SO that he became
physical wreck and at his death wa
$ an object of charity.
} With Sullivan 1t was different
, Hard lines, boys" he said to the few
y old friends who gained admission 4
his quarters. "but I am glad the cham
pionship was won by an American.
Calling for bottle Of wine, Sullivan
partook freely of the Sizing bubble
and soon forgot his troubles.
8 1t was just like Sullivan. He after
!, ward remarked: Whats the use q
: crying over spilled milk. did tn
: same thing to many good fellow, bu
r it's all in the game.
L Sullivan had held the championshi
y for twelve years. A dozen years hav
J. passed since Corbett beat down tn
bulky Bostonian and in that time Their
n have been three heavy weight cham
d pions. namely, Corbett, Fitzslmmon
g and Jeffries.
No man ever took defeat SO hard q
}. did Corbett when Lanl1y Bob lande
e him that solar plexus blow at Carso
City. After gaining his feet he rave
t. like a mailman and tried to assault
n FFitzsimmons and every one With
It reach. After going to his dressin
e room he was like Gagged tiger and II
o and down the little room long afte
). Fitzsimmons and his party and mos
= of the spectators had left the arena
O He Gained down and began to or,
l. Between sobs he could be heard t
say: "Well, lost, but am the be
t. ter man. Fitz must fight me again
/. He is not the champion
After long season of triumph
a Fitzsimmons himself tasted of the bi
= ter pill of defeat At Coney Island th
= Australian had his laurels wreste
n from him by the giant Jeffries. H
i took his defeat manfully, even thong
= he did shed few tears and appeare
> to be in stupor. Still, many who sa
- the veteran at Coney Island after h
q left the ring fallen champion wer
q compelled to turn away.
o. Fitzsimmons' Wife.
The late Rose Julian, the fighter
wife, who cheered him on to victory
b. Carson City was present and locke
v, after his wants before and after til