The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-04-13
EARLY DAY BATTLES
FOUGHT IN COLORADO
Con Orem, An Ohio Boy Shows
Superior Skill in Manly
Art.
Victorious in Three Hard
Fought Battles But Sue
cumbed to Raw Deal.

Denver, Co.. then a territory, was
the scene of many hard-fought bat
tie. In those days Con Orem, a ma
tive of Ohio, was considered one Of
the best fighters west Of the MISSISSIPPI
pi and east Of the Pacific Coast. He
was not much on science, but wick
ed punisher and hard hitter. Con
took part In three fights at Denver
during the year, losing the first on
foul and winning the others. The bat
tie he lost took place on January 20,
his opponent being "Glasgow Joe.'
The amount at stake was $500, and
small gloves we're the weapons. Con
seemed the better man, but unfortun-
ately he struck Joe when he was down
and lost the fight. Cons next Den
yer fight took place on April 9Th, and
the man opposed to him was Charley
Delano. This was for 500 a side.
What Delano did not know about
prizering fighting would have filled
big book, which was proven by the
miserable showing he made. He was
outgeneraled and outfought and
punched to a standstill in three rounds.
His Third Mill.
Orern's third battle was hummer
and was arranged in regular present
day style as to getting the money. The
mill was for $500 side, and the man
who secured that amount Of backing
to go against him was Enoch Trough
Enoch) Davis. The battle took place
on August Gath within a corral about
two miles from town. Seats, In amph1-
theater style, were erected in the In
closure, and fully 1900 people gathered
to see the scrap. In this contest Oren
demonstrated he could hold his own
against the best men in the country
of his weight, about 145. Davis had /,
on him in science and ring general
ship, but Con had the advantage Of
youth, strength, and hitting powers,
hard combination to beat. It did moi
take Enoch long to find out he was ur
against a tough, hard-hitting and
game customer. and early in the fight
began using slippery tactics, going tt
the ground to avoid punishment anc
permitting himself to be thrown with
out a struggle.
Particulars Of Rounds.
In many Of the rounds, however, he
was not given a chance to slip down
as Con saved him the trouble by
knocking him. Enoch, despite his
tricky method of milling, was game
and took an awful amount Of punish
ment. And at the end of the fiftietf
round the result was a foregone con-
clusion, as he was not conceded E
"look-in." His friends and quite E
number of the spectators, not wishing
to see a game man hammered into in.
sensibility, requested him to give W
the fight, but Davis was not on those
lines. Con at this time was almost az
fresh as when he started, and peppereC
him man at will. The fight about the
eightieth round, had resolved itself in.
to a brutal affair. Davis, face resem.
bled finely chopped hamburger steak
and his hacker begged Enoch's SECOND
to toss up the sponge, but the badly
punished and game fighter insisted or
continuing and answered the call o.
| time for the Tooth round, when he col.
! lapsed. The poor fellow was sigh
when led out of the ring. His eye:
were completely closed and his face
neck and body were cut, bleeding, ant
! all colors of the rainbow. Con wa!
! badly punished about the head bu
was strong on his pins. The fight uc'
| cupied one hour and forty minutes ane
| was considered the gamest battle OF
| record at that time.
His Final Defeat.
Orem went east a few years late
and fought Owney Geohegan and wa
| the victim of one Of the rawest deal:
! in the history Of bare knuckle fighting
| I mention that because Owney an de-
| Toughey had 1t out In a room in New
York City for SIS a side a few day
after Con defeated Delano. Ed wa
the better scienced, but Geohegan wa
the more muscular and the bette
wrestler, and wore Ed out by THROWN,
him on the hard floor, finally knocking
him out in forty-flve rounds.
JOHN L. SULI.IVAN'S