Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-24
JOHN L. SULLIVAN'S FATHER
NEVER WEIGHED OVER 1870
(By John L. sullivan.)

After Donohue. the sculptor. had
produced his statue Of THE Boxer"
for which / posed to him during
whole summer, sharps on such mat
tiers said the shape of the statue was
one of the most perfect that had
ever come down any pike either in
this country or Greece. Although
this statue which shows yours truly
when i was at my best has been eX-
hibited in this country and Paris and
praised as the most perfect of human
shape. ] mention 1t only to show
what q remarkable thing il is that !
should be the son of father who
never weighed over 130 pounds
My mother was of fair size weigh
ing $50 pounds, and It was said that /
got my strength from her. My uncles
and other relatives on my fathers
side were large men and in Ireland
were called by Celtic word meaning
THE Big Sullivans." According to
the yardstick measurements / didn't
have much of start in life. yet here
are some of the names ! have had put
upon me during my career in the
ring:
Boston Hercules; Knight of the
Elves, the Hard-Hitting sullivan, the
Boston Miracle. King OF the Ring, the
Magnificent Sullivan, Boston's Philan-
thronist Prize Fighter Boston Giant,
Trip Hammer Jack. Spartacus Sulli-
van, Monarch of tho Prize ring. scien-
t.fic American, Boston's Pride and
JOY, Sullivan the Great, Sullivan the
Wonder Prize Fighting Caesar,
Champion Founder Goliath of the
Pretty strong for the son of a faith
er who never damaged any scales.
HOW HE TIED UP THE STREET
CARS,
Several times in my crowded hours
l put the street car system OF Boston
out OF business. When l opened my
cofe, "The Champions Rest" In that
town that night the horse cars could
not run through Washington street
because all evening there was n Jam
of people packed solid from wall to
wall for a couple of hundred yards
on both sides Of the cafe. Neither
Blaine nor Cleveland ever drew a big
ger crowd IN that town, and even the
Ben Butler crowds looked small COM
pared with that push. Sports came
from all parts to attend that opening
and those who got into the middle
of the crowd didn't get out again for
hours. That opening was one OF
the big things In the history OF I5os-
ton.
An official OF the street railway
company came 10 me ana tod me j
was worse than house aflre for
playing horse with their business and
II I'd move away and never come back
10 Boston. he'd pay my fare as far
as I'd go. But ! wasn't 10 blame be-
cause the streets were too narrow.
Soon after this when horse ear got
Oft the track on Washington street
and six or eight men had tried 10 lift
Il back on the iron. lifted II on alone,
/ sent word TO the street railway Of
fetal that what he Leeded at tho head
OF hts outiit tn keep his arks going
all the time was Sullivan or two.
They've got sullivan AT the head
OF the system now.
REFUSED A FORTUNE 10 FIGHT
a NEGRO.
A white man has nothing To gain
by swapping punches with negro,
! have twice been almost goaded into
meeting the colored brother, but
took second think In time A club
In San Francisco hung up a fortune
for mo 20 meet Peter Jaokson---there
was $4,000 IN II. and nobody ever
questioned my ability to win lt-but
/ ducked. l was inEulted from ono
end OF the country 10 the other IN
the attempt 10 stampede mo into that
night, and ! was angry enough az one
time TO throw principle TO the winds