The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-07-08
ECH00f FAMOUS FIGHT
Belt Presented to Heenan is
Sold For $3.50 in
London.

The duplicate championship belt pre-
with Tom Savers was sold in London re-
Gently Tor $50 and Il is interesting that
the first bid was made b. Mr.. PlummeT
or the Sporting Life. who represented the
oilEin21 donor OF the celebrated trophy
The belt itself is made OF frosted silver,
somewhat roughly worked. in exact copy
Of the original from which both belts
for Heenan and Savers each received
one-were- exactly copied.
The prints which changed hands brought
| back wildly some of the details of the
great fight OF 1850. One was a portrait
Of Tom Savers. described as Born at
Pimilico, near Brighton, Sussex. in May,
1896. height feet 81 inches, fighting
weight 70 stone 10 pounds
Heenan IS shown as the big fellow he
was: born at West Troy, y y. IN 1884.
he was feet IL inches high, and fought
at over 1s2 pounds. Tom drew first
blood from his opponent in he first
round but Keenan, scored first knock
down in the third. and Tom vas on
his back again in the fourth, min ana
sixth In this last encounter Tom got the
blow which had 50 much effect upon the
/ fight. for the full weight of Heenan 5
/ pOhderOus fist struck his risRt arm anu
drove it against his face. That arm was
useless afterward. and Tom IouSnt %. OF
+ for thirty-One rounds moro TIL the
crowd broke through the ring
1 The sensation in London on the ID!
| preserved BIZ Thackery in one OF the pest
| of the Roundabout Papers. IN NhiS'
/ he describes the newsboy reading the
| description of the fight to a chimney
| doorstep of No. 81" The novelist own
| feelings may be described sS mixed. II
| I were absolute king. he writes,
would send Tom Savers 40 the MIL ioL
I a month, and make MIN Sir IbomaS OF
/ coming out of ClerkenWell mat
! one-han ded fight of Savers is one of the
! most spirit-stirring stories ever told
/ The fight of April i. 1850, mas Deeh
] 20 nv ny
| don at the time Of its occurrence was
| immense. From London bridge station
/ at dawn started out motley party. most
| of wnOm had paid 10 a head Tor the
| privilege OF travelling TO Il place myS-
/ teriously described on the tickets as
| There and Back" Long reports OF the
struggle appeared in the newspapers.
] Letters Of denunciatiOn appeared in the
public prints Parliament waxsd angry
| a correspondent wrote TO London news
paper, asking. ~ reference TO the .,artisto-
cratic and lordly patronage awarded TO
/ the recent fight whether 1t IS true az
| confidently asserted. that the Duke OF
/ Beaufort and the Earl of EglintOn were
/ among the spectators of this most as
/ graceful exhibition. And further, ]
/ would beg to inquire whether the rumor
| is correct which affirms that the fight
received the episcopal countenance OF
/ the Bishop of oxford as a lookcr-on dur
MeanwhiIe, the fight for the champion
! ship having ended IN a draw, the as
J UOSlIlO0 OF EnE ttlA gave lASC - a W
/ tracted squabbIe and heated argument,
while the fame Of pugilists was growing
| every day
! The AIhambra, where Rarey, the horse
tanner. had been subduing wild and vicious
! animals was ultimately chosen, dad there
] on May 81, 1850 the two belts we're pre-
/ sented.
Frank Bowling. the referee of the fight
7 and editor of Bells Life in LondOn, then
I bestowed the Heenan belt. remarking
| that that was an exact fac-simile of the
1 champions belt Of England, and Of pre-
/ ciseIy similar value. having been puT-
/ chased by 4 subscription among the
! nobiemen and gentlemen of the country,
! headed by S125 from your brave opponent
1 Tom Savers" An address. written on
vellum. was also handed to HeenaR, who
1 took off his coat and buckled the belt
round his body amid warm expressions OF
I approval
! Mr. Wilkes. the editor of the New York
! Spirit Of the Times, afterNard made the
Savers presentation Along with the trO-
their outside in gold letters the verbs,
! champion OF England, though, as there
I we're two belts and two nominal cham
piOns. this inscription was a trffle mis-
leading. Checks for the fight money were
! paid over at the same time, and Savers
and Heenan then walked round the circus
arm in arm to receive the congratulations
of the multitude
/ The recoliections of Tom Savers later
( years would hardly make cheerful read
I ing il was truly. though pitifully, said
that ''England's champion died OF Eng
I land 8 curse
/ To this day thousands or people can re-
member the strange procession which
I wended its way to Highgate cemetery OF
/ that November day in 1855. when Tom
, Savers was laid 10 rest. with his faithful
mastiff riding in q carriage With a black
| pail for his chief mourner.