The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-12
JAKE K|LRA|N GAVE
SULLIVAN HARDEST
FIGHT OF HIS LIFE
Long Battle, Fought at Richburg,
Miss, Was Toughest of
John LIS Career.
WITH BARE KNUCKLES
MEN FOUGHT rs ROUNDS
Mitchell Threw Up Sponge When
KiIrain Was Beaten AL
most to a Pulp.
BY JOHN L. SULLIVAN.

- VERY place I go L am asked
L. which was my greatest fight. :
1t is a hard thing for me to de-
eide. l have knocked out 143 men in
my time. Mitchell fought me a draw,
Paddy Ryan put up a great fight while
it lasted, and Jim Corbett beat me
and wore me down, but 1 really think
that the greatest battle of my career
was with Jake Kilrain, whom l de-
feated ih seventy-five rounds at Rich
burg. Miss, on July 3, 1889.
Now. in those days, fighters had
troubles of their own trying to dodge
the authorities On the day OF the
fight we We're chased from Louisiana
by the State militia. We finally got
started about moor in the woods just
outside of the city limits Of Richburg.
Before the sheriff of the county would
let us fight. though, we had to give
him $3.50. He made more noise at the
fight than any of the others.
Right in the centre of the sloping
sides. like the bull's-eye of a target on
the black background, was the green
ring. II was pitched on the turf. OF
course, there was the inner ring Where
the timers n seconds and a few
favored few were permitted to stand.
BOT of us stripped to the waist at
the start, with long tights on our legs
and the heavy spiked boots hal We're
worn in fights on the turf fastened to
our feet. I went back TO my corner
and sat down. Then it was noticed
that John Fitzpatrick, who vas after
wards Mayor of New orleans. would
be referee. Bat Masterson held the
watch for Kilrain and Tom Costello
was my timekeeper. Charlie Mitchell
and Mike Donovan were in Kilrain's
corner and Billy Muldoon and Mike
Cleary in mine.
A heavy silence fell over the crowd.
1t was, a perfect summer n%oon-day
when the seconds and timers climbed
out Of the ring. the word was given
and the great fight was on.
KiIrain Was Game.
He was a game man, was Jake Kill
rain. He did not fight the stand-up
battle that | expected, but he gave me
a terrible fight. When we moved to
each other he came at me with a quick
left. / Knocked up his arm with my
left and countered lightly under his
heart with my right as he danced back.
! rushed in after him, hitting with my
left, and before ! knew how il hap
pened he backsheeled me cleanly- The
back-heel is delivered by catching a
man as he comes in. putting your left
arm around his body, your right fore
arm across his throat and your right
heel behind his left. Then with a sud
den heave you can throw him over on
his back. This was the trick that Kill
ruin worked on me for the first fall
OF the battle, and the crowd roared.
As | was going in my corner | said
to him:
80 you want to wrestIc, do you?
Wei, I'll give you enough Of that"
In the next round | got to his body
With a couple Of hard rights and o
n nasty left under the eye rs the
round opened. Then, seeing a chance. |
grabbed him around the body. IT nearly
shook the wind out of him, and it was
me that got the cheers rs we went 10
our corners
[ nearly ended the fight in the third
round, and it would have been better
for him if I had. 1t happened this way
We SPARED around for a little while.
me anxious for another chance to get
my hands on him. He knew he had no
show when IL came TO Wrestling, and
careful not to close. He was maxi
ing pretty good play with his left FOR
my face. After he had landed a Few
times slipped one Of those leads and
he drew back, thinking that ] was go
ing to close. Instead. I brought my
right over his arm as hard as ! could
and il landed fun on his jaw. He Went
like a ten-pin and rolled "
His seconds grabbed him and carried
him 10 his corner, While the crowd WIG
for "Sulliyani Sullivan"
Wei. my memory is hardly good
enough to tell the whole fight round by
but an old scrapbook in which
I had every account l could find ef