Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-24
INDIAN SIGN IN PUCILISM
Regarded as an Important Thing n tn
Ersl BinE.
EXPERIENCE THAT MAKES TINE RULE
boxers once Knocked Out seldom
Turn About with n victory-uIus-
trations by JcEries, Fitzsim-
mons and Others na Proof.


There are many followers Of pugilism
nowadays who have a strong belief IN what
is known as the Indian sign" This term
implies that when a pugilist Is once beaten
by an opponent with a knockout he is never
able to regain his lost laurels in another
battle with The same man. There are a few
instances which go to dsprove this state
ment. but they are overbalanced by other
contests which would seem to indicate that
there is something IN the mystic sign after
all. II is but natural TO suppose that a
pugilist who is sent into dreamiaud by
crack on the point Of the jaw must always
regard his conqueror with not only a feel
Ing Of wholesome respect but also deep
apprehension that the same thing may
happen again Having suffered clean
knockout a pugilist Is supposed TO enter
the ring with an opponent for another en-
counter looking cautiously for the same
kind OF a wallop that ala the trick on the
previous occasion. II is believed that fear
on the part OF the receiver Of such crush
ing defeat il part OF the foundation for
another downfall. coupled with increased
confidence displayed by his conqueror. At
any rate, the Indian sign has played an Inn
portant part in many notable ring battles,
lions
When Honey Melody, the alleged welter-
weight champion, recently tackled Willie
Lewis ring experts predicted a short and
decisive battle pointing out that Melody
because he had stopped Lewis in previous
encounter, had the Indian sign on the New
Yorker and could not help repeating. When
Lewis was knocked out again in Jig time,
therefore, believers in the sign merely
nodded their heads and said, I'VE told you
So" II was the same thing over again
when Melody met Joe Thomas in Phuadel-
pha the other night. Thomas had knocked
Melody out In eleven rounds last fall. and
the prophets said that he could not lose
the second mill because Of this fact. and
while no knockout was scored, the fact re-
manned that in a six-round bout Thomas
made Melody look like a novice.
Perhaps James ]. Jeffries Is the best eX-
ponent Of Indian sign principles. When the
big boiler maker jumped into the front rank
OF pugiiism and won the championship by
knocking ont Robert Fitzsimmons In eleven
rounds at Coney Island on June ., 1893,
Fitz said that It was all q huke- But when
the Cprnishman tackled Jen again on July
a, 1902. at Frisco, It was the same old story,
JeffTtes put him away In eight rounds all
though It was a fact that F1tz put up one
of the most determined fights Of his career.
Jeffries after this mill said that there was
never any doubt as to the result, that he
knew he could outpunch FItz and that It
was only a question OF time before he
reached the vital spot. Jeffries. II will be
remembered, INDUCED in a sensational
fight with James j. Corbett az Coney Island
on May II, 1900. Corbett was in superb
physical condition and proceeded to outlook
Jeffres for twenty-five rounds. Then, be-
cause of the boots of the gallery gods who
wanted 10 see some smuggling, Corbett stood
up and mixed It In the twenty-third round,
with the result that Jeffries caught him
bounding off the ropes and sending in
= solid hook to the chin, knocked Corbett out
cold. This was the Indian sign, which Jeff
treasured up until he met Corbett again
In Frisco on August IA, three years later.
Corbett knew in his heart how hard JeffTies
could punch, he played the cautious,
foxy game for a while with some success.
but in the tenth round Jeffries caught him
with a body punch and a swing on the
Jaw for another clean knockout
Fitssimmons had the sign on at least two
pugI1sts Peter Maher and Tom Sharkey.
The first time Robert met Maher was at
New Orleans on March q 1892 Maher re-
ceived a terrific lacing and was practically
knocked out in twelve rounds Another
match was made and this time Peter was
put TO sleep with couple Of punches in the
first round. the mill taking place at Lang
try Tex, on February p, 1896. When FitS
stacked up against Sharkey for the first
time in Frisco on December 2, 1896 he ham
uaered the sailor all over the ring, knock
ing him down and having him on the verge
OF a knockout when the referee. Wyatt
carp, suddenly decided that Sharkey had
won on a foul, FitssimmOns howled rob-
berry and declared that he could stop
sharkey in another mill in less time than
It takes to tell II. But It was not until
August "a. 1900, that another match was
made, the min taking place in this city.
sharkey was a punching bag and was
knocked down and out in two rounds.
Again the mysteries OF the Indian sign
were shown in the two battles INDUCED in
by Young Corbett and Terry McGovern II
was op Thanksgiving day, 1901 that they
met COR the first time at Hartford. Corbett
. was regarded as a second rater offered III
as a sacrifice. while McGovern was her.
aided as world beater, But after a
fierce smuggling match Terry was stopped
in the second round in the most impressiv,
manner, McGovern was heartbroken anC
30 were his friends, They said that Terry
was overconhdent and that he had no
trained properly. As a result McGoverI
fairly camped on Young Corbett's trai
until he consented TO give him anothe
fight. This AFFAIR took place at Frisco OF
May 81, 1903. McGovern trained long am
faithfully. but when he got into the ring h
was clearly nervous while Corbett wen
about his task in a workmanlke name
and In the eleventh round he nailed poo
Terry on the point Of the jaw for the fata
count OF ten.
But not long after this triumph Youn
Corbett found that the Indian sign ha