The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1906-04-27
From
| Inside. the
| Pr il! I; Ii II g
/ ] INTERESTING LETTERS OF AN
| Is Ex-WORLD'S CHAMPION
HEAVYWEIGHT
! BY BOB FITZslMMoNs
II = 80 f,7SH%1, "S'- - y :: 4
CHAMPIONS OF THE
: --'s PAST AND FUTURE.
Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowlss.)

that stepped into the squared circle in
those days and the lads that put the
gloves on now.
: When a fellow looks back that way
he sees few changes that set him
thinking. don't know how long it is
since men got together in a personal
encounter to fight with their fists, but
I should guess it was about the time
that the old swords and dirks went
out of fashion. I've been told that the
tournament was about the closest thing
to modern prize fighting and there
hasn't been tournament in long
time. but the idea looks reasonable.
OF course, men have fought ever
since they've been on the earth, but
the fights I am talking about are the
ones where there was purse held up,
and where the chaps that fought were
not settling some old grudges. AS far
as know the first OF the regular box
ers was Tom Figg, and he did some
tall work from -1719 on to 1880, when a
boy named Greeting took his measure.
Those were the days when a man stood
up against his adversary and did what
things he could to him before the other
fellow knocked him into a cooked hat.
There was mighty little footwork in
those days, and the science of the bust
ness was a whole lot in the future.
From all I've been able to find out
about, they just used to pound away
at each other and a mans ability was
gagged by his staying qualities-in
other words, on his capacity to take
punishment. 1t was a great game and
a fellow didn't go into it unless he
could stand the gait. AS the years
went on l believe some attention was
paid to guards and blows of a differ
ent order, but it wasn't until well
along into the fifties of last century
that the modern fighter began to sit
up and take notice.
About this time the rules began : to
look up and it got to be considered
rude to whale man over the head
with club because you had your
money on the other lad. This used to
be favorite pastime when the fights
were held on the turf, and I'm told it
used to breed some very neat and ef-
fective little discussions on the side.
However, it was Jem Mace who was
the first man to invent real punches,
sidesteps and the like, and he is to be
credited with the modern pugilism
one might say.
The old-time champion was fellow
who would stand up with funny
guard and beat his man uown by main
strength and awkwardness. It used to
be favorite idea to catch fellow in
a wrestling grip and then. grind him
down into the mud, but that dropped
out after awhile. The rules began to
provide that skill was the thing that
was needed more than strength and
the bite and chew, kiclx-in-the-stomach
idea was asked to take a back seat.
When certain alleged noblemen used
to keep stable of fighters, just like
they would horses, things were a lot
more brutal than was necessary, be-
cause these folks seemed to want blood
and lots OF it.
Coming down to cases, however, in
the last Is years Or so the game has
gone through lot OF changes, and per-
haps the difference is more to be NO.
ticed during that time than during any
other. To go back to 1882 when John
L. Sullivan beat Paddy Ryan down in
Mississippi. you might say that John
was about the last of the old guard of
fighters. He was the boy who would
stand up and fight to the last gasp and
his greatest trouble was in getting the
men to stay where he could hit them.
London prize ring rules were never
meant for John, and q lot of people
made the mistake OF thinking Sullivan
was champion of the world. He never
was. for he failed to whip Charley
Mitchell when they fought at Chantilly
in France for the championship. That
was the last time think that the l.. p
4. rules were used, and it was good
thing for Mitchell that he fought i'm.
der them then, for Sullivan had him
goiAg whole lot at different times
and if 1t hadn't been for the rules and
the crowd, that made it hot for John
different story might have been told
and Sullivan might have been the
worlds champions ;s%4.
Well, as was saying, Sullivan was
the last of his style. He used to stand
up and pound away at his man until
/ he had him down and out, and he was
shifty fighter at that, was John
but there was a change coming along
Jim Corbett went after Sullivan down
in New Orleans, and tried a new sys.
tenn on him, a system that had been
growing fast. It was the hit and gel
away idea, that is said to be the acme
OF science, and Corbett, then q likely
lad, was about as shifty On HIS feet az
g cat. He soaked Sullivan any TIM.
Ehe swanted to but be was never on the
spot when Sullivan wanted to hit him
and poor old John punched himself
tired nothing. That was the nrsl