The Washington herald., 1906-11-05


ring masters have recently given TO
kid" Sullivan, the Washington Hght-
weight boxer Sullivan is under contract,
at a small salary. 10 fight at the call OF
his employers When the Herford finger
beckons. Sullivan must obey. But Sulh-
vans friends want to know why he was
brought into the fsht with INK Rus
sell last Friday without condition or
notice
Sullivan was knocked out a fortnight
ago by Andy McGarry. Few persons be
iieved that Sullivan would lose this fight,
for they knew that he would be In shape
to do his best, and the Kids best is
usually very good. Few, however reck-
oned McGarry as a rough slugger. per
haps with little science, but a most use
ful person with strong arms. After this
defeat the first knockout Sullivan ever
got, ne gave up training and sought the
rest that was coming to defeated gladi-
ator. He took on weight and was un-
prepared to enter the ring, especially
against such rugged person as INK
Russell without a minutes preparation,
Even at his best Sullivan would have
the battle of his life with Russell.
For some reason McGarry petered out
Of his match with Russell. Reasons given
by prize fighters are always taken with a
grain Of salt, but McGarry said he hurt
his hand in a fight Tuesday night and
was unfit 10 go on Rather odd that Nc
Garry should get into stiff battle Tues
day night. after making a match 10 be
pulled of a. Baltimore three days later.
But whatever the cause. McGarry would
not go on with Russell The Herfords
sent word 10 Sullivan on Friday morning
TO come 10 Baltimore. II is stated they
did not say what they wanted with him,
bur Sullivan obeyed the command. II is
further said that Sullivan did not know
that he was 10 take McGarry's place IN
the ring against Russell until near bell
time
The public was kept In almost utter
ignorance Of the change in the pro-
-Tamme. II fact, only "a few in this city
knew that Sullivan would be substituted
for Russell. There was plenty OF time
60 announce 70 the public that McGaTry
could not appear and that Sullivan would
assume the tsSk Of licking the Philadel-
phian. But such an announcement would
have killed the house for the night. for
6out with one even his equal so soon
after ne had been vanquished and sent 90
the land of nod.
When 10 was time to call the princi-
pals into TIE ring in the main bout last
Friday night, President Herford called
out, Come on. kidr' There was a
great cry Of Fake" but Hegford has
heard that cry so often that # fell like
water on a ducks back. The usual Her
ford spiel Of "Go and get your money
back" was offered.
The bout went OF, and for a time Sui
livan was able 20 hold his own. but half
way in the journey his lack Of condition
began TO assert itself most decidedly. He
was finally beaten almost helplessly. and
only the humane referee saved him fur
ther punishment Sullivan is as game
fighter as one could wish 10 see He
knows lots of the game. but still has
something TO learn. he realized he was
going up against an uneven proposition. /
but he tried TO do his best and lost
While this miserable fasco should not
figure against Suluvan's record. it is only
necessary 10 pull of a few more like il
and then the Kid" viii be down and out
for keeps. The Herfords sacrificed Sui
Ivan for the big house.
Joe Cans would be a beggaT were he
still tied up with the Baltimore fight pro-
motors but since he squared himself with
the public. he was able 10 get a
battle with Nelson anG once more com
mand the respect of the prize-fight world.
kid Sullivan might better retire than
10 follow the career cut out for him by
his employers. He has a host Of stanch
friends and they want him TO be fairly
g..
are killing tie goose that lays the golden
egg.
While the fight between Al Kaufman
and sam Berger failed TO develop a prom
lsing heavyweight candidate. it settled
decisively the wild yarns from the Pa
ciic Coast that in this pair OF young
gl0ve-slingers a worthy successor for
Jim Jeffries honors would be discovered. 1
Neither Kaufman nor Berger gave the
slightest evidence Of being able to fill
the bOilermaker's shoes, and II is no ex-
aggeration to say that Jeffries could have
defeated both in the time 1t took KaUff
man to stop Berger. Both failed to dis
play any great skill as boxers, such as
marked the ring work of Jim CoTbett, !
Kid Mccoy, Tommy Ryan, and Jack
.O'Brien. On the other hand, neither had
a punch that could be compared 10 that
of Jeffries. Sharkey, or FitzsimmOns. /
Ability to withstand punishment, another
necessary requisite of a fight was not
.ever-apparent in the contest, although
Kaufman showed up better in this re-
spect than his opponent
If Jeffries persists in remaining in re-
tirement and apparently there is no
pugilist in sight capable of giving him
an interesting encounter. except Jack
Johnson. the negro, appears TO be next
in line for the heavyweight hOnOrs. He
has the necessary qualification 10 defend
such q title for he has skill punch. and
endurance. The very fact that none of
the alleged heavyweight aspirants for
premier hOnoTs cares to tackle the negro /
is the best evidence that he is a real
heavyweight Of Caiiber. Johnson has Of !
fered to fight Kaufman, Berger, O'Brien, |
Burns, and others, but TO date there has
been no rush to sign an agreement for
such n contest Jeffries was such ex-
ceptional champion that all other fighters !
Of the present date suffer by comparison. |
but Johnson comes nearer to filling his
shoes at this time than any of the false
alarms and jumping jacks that proclaim |
themselves it.
Although the result Of the Kaufman |
Berger fight will have no tendency TO
draw James J. Jeffries away from his
farm and into the ring again, the big man
was more than pleased with Kauffman's
victory. especially as he had predicted it
when Kaufman took on Billy Delaney, /
Jeffries' old manager, as his matchmaker. /
Moreover, Champion Jim had a mad
at Berger because Of Sans torrid atmos-
phere talk. After the fight at Phiia
delphla with Jack O'Brien, Berger styled
himself the boy champion, announced
that he would meet any ore in the world,
and then dared Jeffries to meet him. /