The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-12
OZARK HoRsHSr ~ noxMG.
Flstic Records show That Backing Them
u Gonh HctIInE Prnnn.IIInm


Is Good HcttInE Propositions
Backing dark horses in the ring in
championship fights may not look like a
safe betting proposition, but il j. when
one goes to look back over the records of
important ring BATTLES IL certainly sounds
logical enough. A pugli-i cannot he
-doped' like racehorse, If this were
possible. Joe Walcott would com, n near
being the heavyweight champion a, Jim
Jenres. the recognized leader ia this Glass
Walcott whipped Joe Choyn.k, who fought
he boilermaker draw. and 80 on
Naturally most Of the dark horses" in
championship encounters were the under
dogs a. far ~ the odds were concerned.
When the champion Of certain division
l. matched against an aspirant he j. sure
TO be made strong favorite. no matter
what the reports OF his condition may be-
The public knows what he can do and
expects him to live up to his reputation
Invariably the odds on his chances are
to | aud better.
When Jack Dempsey was matched
against Bob l'itz-immon4, everybody who
thought that he knew anything about the
game concluded that Dempsey had an
ironclad cnch on the result and figured
that the Cornishman was In for q severe
thrashing Dempsey money wa, every
where and hi- friends mort gagged every
thing they had To get their greenbacks
down on him But dempsey was whipped
Just the same. and by man who It was
thought had not the slightest chance of
victory
SO great a hold had John l.. sullivan upon
Ia n. r. L.. 4. 4.
was matched against jim Corlett for the
heavy weight title in 1892 the large ma
jority OF the sports refused 80 look upon
the young bank clerk from California in
any other light than aH loser In fact, the
bout was all along regarded ~ the easiest
thing in the world for Sullivan. and when
he entered the ring the Dig fellow was an
overwhelming iavuritc. They were laying
as much 80 3 TO that he would win. And
when COrbett knocked the ex-champlou
out more than one follower OF the ring
went clean broke
The same thing was illustrate d in the cas-
OF Jim Corbett against Bob Ftzsimmons
at Carson City in lSg7. II was admitted
that titz was great fighter and all that.
but to beat Il man OF Corhett's known clever
ne 81 and reputation was thought TO lie i'm
possible, especially 10y a man like tltH. who
had the worst OF the bargain in point Of
wei ght But again the dark horee tri-
umphed Corbett was outfought from the
start and eventually put away with blow
IN the solar plexus
After that mill the Cornishman was re-
gardcd as invincble by every one who
thought he knew how TO size up a real
mi ghty pugist. But his turn came when
he tackled Jim Jefres at Coney Island in
1890. Previous to that mill Jefries had not
done anything 10 warrant any enthusiasm
over his chauoes. He was big and strong,
Il ia true. but bad not displayed anything
near championship form. fitH. 10 hir
friends said, treated JefTries a. Joke.
Why. he told them, he is So big can't /
miss him. Just one swat il all want and 1
ne will SO down The betting was all on 1
flt2's side and the money went down on +
iim in lunches Again the favorite players
we're wrong for the big, brawny fighter (
rom the West took all the blows tEst FitI
,ould send over and finally Knocked lAnky
Bob out
Dark horses have upset calculations
among ne little men. TOO After ferry
dcCioVern's winning streak and especially
20 after he had conquered the mighty
ieorge Dixon in II manner TO convince The
rites OF his greatness il was whispered
III along the line that he could not lose
80 when Terry was matched To meet Young
'urbett at Hartford McGovernS friends ,
we're laughing in their sleeves and were B
igurng upon just how they would spend
heir money Ring followers remember
he outcome Of that mill pretty well Terry
Sas put 10 sleep in just two rounds and by
nan of whom little was really known in the
act McGoven's friends thought that
heir man had been whipped by a chance
low. 80 another match was arranged
his time the affair took place a san Fran
isco and the result was the same
Young Curbetts recent defeats bv
Jimmy Britt and Battling Nelson were
Instances OF the talent going wrong again.
oe Bowker proved TO be a good dark horse
hen he defeated frankie Neil recently in
.ngland SO did -Pedlar- Palmer when
p fought Billy Plimmer the first time and
epeated the dose later on Terry McGov-
m surprised the fight sharps when he
onquered Palmer Al Tuckahoe y y. as
id Kid Lavigne when be went abroad
nd dethroned England's pride among the
ghtweights. Dick Burge. This list will be
lcreased as time goes on, and dark horses
re certain to figure in ring history. In
inc cases out OF ten the man who bets
Rainst the favorte in a fight will come
vt a winner in the end