The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-11
= ANIEL MENDOZA, one Of the
most elegant and skillful box

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D ers of the early ring, was born
in Whitechapel, London, of Hebrew
parents in 1853. H.
He made his first appearance as
boxer in 1854 at Mile-End road against
q big bruiser known as Henry the Coal
HEAVIER, writes John Sheridan in the st.
Louis Post Dispatch. Pierce Egan
\ tells us that Mendoza beat the fellow in
40 minutes. He did not, however,
adopt the ring as a profession until
1887. About this time he shot across
the pugilistic horizon with the speed
and brilliancy Of a. comet.
It was on April II, 1887, that Men
doza really made his first regular ring
debut. He met butcher named Mar
tin, of Bath. on Barnet racecourse.
Martin had given Gentleman Humph-
ries hard fight and was man Of wide
reputation. They fought for 1926 a
side. Mendoza won after 20 minutes
of very fast and hard fighting. Hum
,phries, good man, took five times as
long to beat Martin the previous year.
At this period HUMPHREYS, the gentle
man boxer, was the star of the ring.
Like Mendoza, he was not large man,
and relied upon speed and skill rather
than strength and power Of attack.
He stood with the right foot first and
led off with his right hand, a faulty,
but as a rule puzzling attitude.N He
was, however. regarded as a model of
skill and grace.
- Mendoza and HUMPHREYS had a casual
burn up at the Cock, a hotel at Epping
Rumor held that HUMPHREYS had much
The best of the rencontre. This led to
a meeting on January 9, 1888, at Old
ham, Hampshire, on a wooden stage.
The early rounds of the battle were
stnbbornly contested, but in favor OF
Mendoza, who attacked with great
fury.
-. When They Wrestled.
Humphries found the wet stage-it
was raining-hampered him 50 he tool
off his shoes. AS he was wearing sill
stockings he did not find the chang
much of an improvement. In this pre-
dicament he put on wooden stocking
and did much better work. He stood
up to Mendoza and proved greatly su
perior to him in wrestling. He gav'
the Hebrew couple Of nasty falls
They were making a grand fight whe1
Mendoza slipped and sprained his ankle
so very badly that he was obliged tt
discontinue. The fight went to Hum
phries after 30 minutes of wonderful,
= skillful boxing. .. Ill.
Those who saw the first match be
tween Mendoza and HUMPHREYS wer
bound to have a second one. So, o.
May 6, 1889, the men were brought to
gether at Stilton, Huntingtonshire.
-. Mike Ryan, the Irish champion VIII
had all but beaten Tom Johnson, sec
onded Mendoza. Johnson himself wa
back Of HUMPHREYS. Five thousan
persons saw the fight. Sir Thoma
Aprece was the Hebrews umpire.
After 40 minutes fighting, in whic
Mendoza showed, great superiority il
stopping and hitting and wrestling
HUMPHREYS went down without bein
hit Mendoza claimed foul, which ST
Thomas Aprece, his umpire, allowed
Alderman Coombe, who was umplrin
for HUMPHREYS, would not allow or di
allow the claim. There was q wild di'
pute. Ryan called johnson a liar j
the heat Of the discussion, and tn
Irishman and the former !. champio
came together. They were parted, an
after a long argument, Mendoza col
sented to re-engage in fight. Afte
fighting for half an hour Mendoza mac
a good feint and HUMPHREYS droppe
in expectation Of blow. Caught b
Mendoza 3 ruse-there> was no bio
started-Humphries was declared tt
Hunphries Cut UP.
saHumphries was very much cut abo,
the, face. His eyes were closed, h
nose mashed and his lips slashed
pieces, and he spat mouthfuls of bloc
from the effects Of body blows.
HUMPHREYS, however, was not by al
means satisfied that he was the inferi
man. He held that he was Hwra
gled' out Of the fight by the Irishma
Ryan, and demanded another bait
with the Hebrew.
So on September 30, 1890 the M
met for the third and last time in
inn yard at Doncaster. An immen
crowd saw the fight, as it was,
Ledger and Cup week. Colonel Ham
Ion umpired for Mendoza and Johnsc