The Irish standard., 1905-05-06
IN PALMY DAYS
Anecdotes of John L. Sullivan
Are Interesting.
"reminiscences of the Veteran
Prize Ring Champin.

a table recently in a Broadway, New
York, cafe, talking about fighters who
are now classed as hasbeens and of
those who now loom high on the pu-
gllistic horizon. One of the group was
Frank Moran, who was at one time
John l.. Sullivan's manager.
Some one remarked that John L.
was still up and doing, although he is
old and fat, he is said to have knocked
out heavyweight in Western city
few weeks ago. The mention of the
ex-champion's name brought forth
many "reminiscences of the fighter, and
it was Moran who told the best ones.
Soon after Sullivan whipped Paddy
Ryan," said Moran, "Al Smith con-
ceived the idea of having him make a
tour of this country That was in
1888, when the big fellow was in tip
top shape.
Smith got troupe together. There
were nine persons in the party-Sulli-
van, Pete Mccoy, Steve Taylor, Mike
Gillespie, Herbert Slade, Mike Dono-
van, all boxers; AL Smith. Jake Num-
Finger, the treasurer of the troupe,
and myself.
Smith went ahead with the show
smoothing the way, while | stayed be-
hind and stuck to the big fellow and
kept things going smoothly. 1t was an
eight months trip, and we made
$4,000 outside of our expenses,
which were $4,000
ut was purely boxing troupe, and
Steve Taylor was Sullivan's sparring
partner. Sullivan was so good then
that we went all over this country
Offering 1000 in cash to any man who
would stay before him for four rounds.
MANY men tried to cop that money,
but none succeeded. During that tour
Sullivan knocked out thirty-nine men.
Some of them were husky citizens,
too, for Richard X. Fox was sore on
Sullivan and left no stone untllrned to
find man who could whip him. That
he didn't succeed only proves that
Sullivan was the greatest fighter this
country or any other ever produced.
Although we made Il lot of money
on that tour, we certainly had some
worrying to keep us from getting it
too easy. Sullivan caused the worry.
ing.
He was then engaged in a catch
aS-cat ch-can fight with that celebrated
champion, John BarleycOrn Mix the
last named John with the first named,
and you have Il combination that
would keep Il dozen angels busy trying
to avoid trouble.
when we struck Butte. Mont, the
miners turned out in force to welcome
Sullivan. The first night we played
they were hanging to the rafters
I'VE struck town early in the day
and as usual Sullivan spent his leisure
time in examining the interior wood
work of the city's barrooms When it
soused.
Nevertheless we had advertised
that there was 81 900 in cash for any
man who could stay four rounds with
Sullivan. We had to make good, even
If Sullivan was little shaty on his
feet.
We'll, a big strapping miner thought
he would like that money. and he let
II he known to his friends They
egged him on. and when we got to the
hall where the show was to be held
| found that the aspirant for the thou
sand was a pretty ferocious looking
citizen
81 was a little worried, for | knew
the shape Sullivan was in. didn't
care about losing the money, but
knew if the big fellow was knocked
out by some unknown his reputation
would he dinged.
u told Sullivan that | thought he
was up against it, but he only growled
at me. had IL couple of the boys
work on him to get him in as good
shape as possible Then | went to the
unknown's dressing room and handed
him his gloves.
'"They were two and half ounce
gloves. and you know what a wallop
with one Of them means Tho ,ojuar
wore heavy cowhide boots, and told
me he would box in them. He looked
SO big that | went back to Sullivan's
room to try and throw scare into the
big fellow.
Hes a big duck with Il red shirt
and red beard, and he looks as hard as
nails said to him.
Go, IL red beard. has he?' said
Sullivan. That II stop the blood when
] get at Linn,
"'He's as big as you are. john
said |.
So mach the better roared the
champion. The bigger he is the
harder the fall
tWell, they went on. Both men got
a great reception. Sullivan wabbled
a bit, and the miner hit him a clip ON
the side of the jaw. That woke the
champion up. He went at the un-
known and in minute that red
ShirtaI rod d.wbiS I, arod minor uyac