The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-03

long before men stop talking about John
l. Sullivan, Jack Dempsey. Kid Lavigne,
and others of the old-umers.
John l. Sullivan's popularity never
wanes. No one can explain exactly why
1t grows with age. Some think it IS be-
cause Sullivan always fought to win, and
TO win as quickly as possible Others say
1t is because Of Johns prodigality in
money matters Sullivan's great deep
voice and his personality may have some
thing 20 do with it, But whatever the
cause, john L. Is stin the most popular
Of all living fighters.
Jeffries. the greatest heavy weight that
ever lived, has been less Of a favorite,
says Bob Edgren, IN the New York
World. Perhaps IL was because the spec
tatOrs' sympathies naturally went out TO
the smaller men he met in the ring
What chance has any man against such
a mountain" they asked. and then they
rooted for the victim. Since his retire
men. from the ring Jeff has become far
more popular than in the best Of his
fighting days. Ten years from now, when
some new heavyweight wears the crown,
JeffTies will be as popular as Sullivan Is
to-day Men will talk over his old bat
ties and tell the newer generations what
a marvel Jeffries was In his day.
jim Corbett was very weil-liked cham
pion when the feeling aroused by his de-
feat OF the favorite (SulIivan) had worn
away. Jim was a great spender during
his championship days. he was nearly as
prodigal as John himself.
Fitzsimmons became unpopular when he
gave such a terrific beating TO Jack Demp-
sey, the idol Of al followers Of the fight
ing game. But Fitz lad TO beat the game
''Nonpareii'' Just the way he did beat him.
In the middle Of the fight Fitz. finding
that he had Dempsey outclassed, begged
Jack TO quit and save himself Dempsey
wouldn't do Il, and Fitz had 20 knock
him out Fitzsimmons' long career, how
ever. has won him a place among the
fayorite heroes Of the ring. To-day, al
though he has suffered defeats, he has
greater following than when In his
prime.
Jimmy Britt used to say that more
people came TO see him whipped than 10
see him win. ! remember leaving the
pavilion after Britt beat Martin Candle
and hearing a man behind me say: I've
been following Britt around TO see him
licked. I hate the sight Of him, but I'll
have 10 hand il 10 him-he's a fighter"
Popularity came 70 Britt only with his
defeat BY Battling Nelson.
Tommy Ryan, although he was the
greatest middle-weight OF his time, was
always unpopular. Ryan faxed too often.
One thing the sporting public cannot abide
is fakir.
Joe Cans return 70 popularity is
wonderful thing. Joe faxed often and
openly. But when ne broke away from
hts manager and declared that he would
fight Tor himself and strictly on the level
henceforth. people took him at his word.
So far he has made good.
Tom Sharkeys only drawback was his
reputed closeness. But the game fight
the squatty heavyweight made against
the giant Jeffries helped. Then every one
tells stories AT Sharkey's expense You
can't dislike q man who gives YOU a
chance to get off a good one now and
then.
Young COTbett's vogue lasted for a long
time. He was a fighteT-game, modest
and a second John L. as a spendthrift.
Kid Mccoy was one of the greatest
lighters of his time. But his cruelty in
the ring made him feared more than ad-
mired
Frank Erne has always been a favor
tie. He is a gentlemanly little fellow.
with none Of the earmarls Of his trade.
D.
friends-and when he lost he never made
excuses.
Battling Nelson would be immensely
popular but for his manager
While Nelson has a foul manner Of
using his head in lighting it Is not pre-
meditated, but is only part Of his
natural bulldog style. Nelson's gameness
and his aggressivenesS alone would make
him a favorite with followers of the
game. But Nolan has turned so many
sharp tricks in various matches and has
handled Nelson so cannily that he has
put Bat in bad with the public. It
was Nolan. out at GOldGclG, who stood
in Nelson's corner when the Dane was
firing fast, and shrieked. Butt his black
head OF advice which the Battling
Dane tried 10 follow. 1t was Nolan
who told Nelson to foul And Nelson only
followed instructions.
no old timer viii ever forget Kid
Lavigne. I saw Lavigne go down to de-
feat for the first time in his life.
Lavigne was the peerless lightweight
champion then, and never squabbled over
weights like the modern fighters. In
san Francisco he fought Mysterious Billy
Smith for the welter-weignt champion
ship. The weight was too much for him.
For eleven rounds Lavigne carried the
fight TO Smith fUriously Then the mys-
FERROUS scrapper right-crCssed Lavigue on
the tip Of the chin. staggering him. I'M
mediately Smith mixed like q fury. La
vigne fought back gamely. In the four
teenth round he was beaten all over the
ring, until at last he stood with his arms
dangling at his sides. still smiling as he
waited for the knockout Lavigne's
brother threw in the sponge and stopped
the fight. and the Saginaw Kid was so
enraged at even this showing of the
white flag that he wouldn't speak TO
his brother for year afterward. He GER
tainly was game. He outstayed Walcott
and made the Demon quit.
Joe Walcott, although a wonder, was
never popular. He faxed too often SO
with Jack O'Brien, who became really
very clever fighter Jack never hesilated
when it came to framing up n bout.
Whenever he met dangerous man in his
own town. Baltimore or Boston. he either
tied the other fellows hands with an
agreement or had a string on the
referee.
George Dixon was immensely popular.
Little Chocolate" never Dragged outside
Of the ring or faxed in It. He always
fought to win, and when be finally struck
q losing streak had no excuses 20 offer
Peter Jackson. the great heavyweight
was popular here, and in England was as
great a favGrite as John L. Sullivan in
the states