The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-05

Gunner Moir. while It is not likely TO
help matters pugilistieally for Great Brit
ain. has revived an interest in interna-
tional ring sport.
When a man Of Burns CALDER can go
to England and beat d boxer who has
moved down his previous opponents like
a scythe the sport must be indeed at ebb.
Englishmen on this side Of the Atlantic.
who blush for the mother country, regret
that the British Isles cannot dig up a
Charley Mitchell, Jem Mace, or a Tom
Sayers. says Billy Recap in the Phila-
delphia Public Ledger
Most Famous Fight.
The memory of the great international
battle in which the respective champions
of America and England. John c. Hee-
nan and Tom Sayers, contended for the
mastery on April II, 1850, will remain
green when all other pugilisuc encoun-
tiers have faded into oblivion Compared
with that memorable encounter between
the fistic premiers OF the two hemi-
spheres. all others are dwarfed into com
parative insgnificance, for the result OF
no other engagement in the orthodox cir
Gle has ever been awaited with anything
approaching the same degree Of anxiety;
no other ever awakened an approximate
| degree Of widespread interest, nor did any
other encounter give rise 20 so much dis
cussion on both sides OF the Atlantic re-
garding the relative pugilistic abilities of
the principals. Heenan won. The fight
lasted two hours and twenty minutes, in
which forty-two rounds were fought, and
the following graphic resume viii doubt
less prove interesting reading at this
time:
The Heenan-Sayers match was the
result OF a challenge issued by the
American after John Morrissey had for
feited TO him the championship OF
America by declining to accept the
challenge issued By him after their
fight for the title in October. 1855. The
challenge TO Savers was promulgated
on April "a. 1858. and was for the
championship OF England. the belt
(which had been held by Savers for
TWO years and a halD, and the regula-
ton stake OF $1,000 a side. The der
was speedily accepted, e0rresp ondence
between the representatives Of the prin-
cipals were carried on for some time,
end on December 16. 1859, the articles
Of agreement were duly signed and de-
livered at the hOstelry kept by owen
Swift. one Of the former heroes of the
ring and a stanch friend Of Heenan, at
London, England.
Frederick Falkland, Of the Dexter
House. New York City. then Heenan's
headquarters, represented the Ameri-
can champion during the ceremony.
while Savers hacker and lifelong
friend. John Gideon, looked after
the details for the English wonder
After taking a benefit at Hoyen's
Theater which in those days stood on
the BoweTy. Heenan. accompanied by
his ever faithful friend and counselor.
James Cusick. sailed for Liverpool on
the steamship Asia. January 8. 1860.
Down 20 Business.
The services Of Jack Macdonald. OF
Dublin, were also obtained, and as soon
as possible after arriving in England.
Heenan repaired 10 training quarters,
be giving token OF his earnestness by
carefully avoiding public houses and
newspaper Offices, and beginning at
once the serious business OF preparing
for a hstic contest-a style of doing
business which is in striking contrast
with the matchmakers and principals
Of the present day.
An unexpected unpleasant specimen
Of British fair play toward strangers
to their soil was experienced by Hee-
nan after he got fairly settled down in
training. he being so often Obliged by
the police to change his locale that he
may be said to have been con the go"
ali the time. However. so assidususIy
did he train, when the chance was af-
forded him. that when the day fixed for
the combat arrived he was physically
as well as could be- A very sanguine
temperament. and a firm determinaa-
tion to overcome every obstacle that
might be thrown in the way of his
success, doubtless saved in large meas
IRE to prevent the i'll effects, mental
and physical. which was the evident
object of the systematic course OF ha-
RAISING pursued by the authorities.
Although the training quarters of the
English champion were located at so pub
lie q place as Newmarket, he was never
molested-a fact that proved conciusively
that the minions Of the law were actuated
by unworthy motives In acting as they
did toward the American. SO deep was
the general interest taken in the match
by the people Of this country, in the alb
sence Of telegraphing facilities (the At
lantic cable not being availabie) a num-
Der Of American newspapers and pictorial
weeklies sent special cOrresf ondents to
the scene of the battle. A newspaper man
was chosen as referee. Frank Bowling,
Of Bells Life, London, then English au-
thority on ring matters, was given the
place Of honor, and his paper containing
an account OF the fight sold readily in this
country at 80 cents per copy.
Wide Interest In Fight.
In England the excitement created by
the fight was without precedent, and the
scenes in and about the sporting resorts !
in the British metropolis the night pre-
ceding April II, 1860, baffied description.
The regular fare to the fighting ground
at Farnsborough was SIS, and the thirty
six cars which conveyed the excursionists
to the spot were crowded. More came
from other directions, and it was esti-
mated that fully 10000 persons, among
them many noblemen and untitled per-
sons Of distinction 0ncluding. it was
stated, the Prime Minister. Lord PaIme-
ston, In disguised, eIbowed one another
around the ring. which was pitched on
the green sward at Farnsborough, in |
Hampshire
There it was that Heenan and Sayers |
first laid eyes on each other, and it goes
without saying that each serutinized the |
other most earnestly. They greeted each !
other pleasantly, and Sayers offer to |