The Washington times., 1908-01-23
BAL TIaORE BACKS
SOLDIER FIGHTER
TO WIN TONIGHT
Has Long Sought Man
to Trim Kid Sui
Ivan.
By THOMAS S. RICE.

By THOMAS S RICE.
There is every indication that very
pleasant evening viii be spent-by the
spectators-at The dfteen-round battle
in Baltimore tonight between Kid SuI-
Ivan. of Washington, and Soldier Burns,
Of Baltimore.
BaltimOreans, like most other people,
are clannish TO a certain extent, and
they have long been looking for a
lightweight pugllist, aside from Joe
Cans, who could trim sullivan The
work Of uphclding BaItimore's prom
inence in the fighting game has fallen
entirely on the shoulders OF the Wash
ingtonian, and, while the Baltimore
crowds have Loyalty supported Sullivan
when he has met men from other cities,
they have always rooted lake "a bat
boy at q ball game for every Baltimore
man who has faced him.
Sullivan Humbles Local Prides.
one of the first scrappers Baltimore
picked TO beat Sullivan was Tommy
DAILY. who was really a Brooklyn, y.
Y, product, but had located IN the
Monumental City. Sullivan had to whip
DAILY twice to convince the latter
friends that ne would not do.
A strictly homegrown pug in whom
the Oysterbur gers placed their faith
was Joe Tipnan. the pride of Rock
street" who achieved fame by knocking
Terry McGovern dog in an exhibition
bout in the HOLIDAY Street Theater, and
then broke a orld's record for rapid
disappearance out Of q back door when
Terry sought revenge after the sup
posedlv friendly bout Sullivan knocked
out Tipmau twice and got the decision
over him on points once. which triple
punctUre caused the Tipmau bubble
10 collapse
Merely as a wild hope, Baltimore next
dug up Harry ScTogES. q clever boz
nSJs, but sullivan put Harry to sleep in
six rounds, and could have turned the
trick in two
Why Burns Is Backed.
The scroggs fight was on January 90
1906, and since then thee has not been
man in Baltimore with the slightest
right to challenge Sullivan, until Soldier
Burns came along. The soldier has
been enthusiastically adopted by the
sports OF the neiEhbOring city, and, ac-
coTding TO reports from there today,
they are backing him al to > to win
tonight on form these odds are not
at all justified except on the principle
that Burns Is coming and Sullivan may
be sCiug. and if the Baltimore people
keep on backing SulilVan's opponents
they must inevitably win some day.
BurnS mas been working his way I'D
slowly, and has never had q really classy
tight but his friends among the Bait
more fight FANS describe him as IN I'M
usually husky, willing scrdpper, with a
good punch and able to s~Similatc "a
vast amount Ct punishment. These tough
cilZens have been comparatively easy
Tor Sullivan i'm the past, and the Kid
SAYS he still has a soporifc slap cap
able Of putting away newcomer Of the
Burns style.
The Soldiers Record.
The best fights credited to Burns are
knocking out Jack Bennett. Billy KoIb.
and Con -1auterbacS. He was originally O
soldier in Fort Howard near Baltimore,
and after winning the army champion
ship of this section, took UP the pro
fcsSioual same when his enlistment ex-
pired two years ago. He is the nan
who was TO do most Of the star work
IN the unlimited rounds battles project
"a III tils HiaIlatoWl' near Baltimore,
Two years ago, and which came near
closing the Maryland arenas. The gam
blers back Of that wildcat scheme did
more fighting han their boxers. and
II Lrtl through 10 the great reHeE or
all lovers OF the legitimate sport in
the rms.
There was some talk of Eddie Crow
ley stepping into the breach and fight
ing Bobby Baker in the semi-WinduD
10 the big contention in Baltimore to
night, but Crowley has done no regU-
lar training for some time and had
only two days notice of the proposed
match, SO IL was decided this morning
10 call II on Ninety per cent of the
cases of fatal or serious injuries i'm the
prize ring are due 10 lack of condition,
and neither the Baltimore nor Wash
ington men interested in the game are
taking chances by matching boxers who
have not had ample time TO harden
themselves
Now that he mas been blocked out of
a fight by Talberts failure to meet him
and CrOWleys lack Of preparation
Baker has turned once more 10 wres-
Ting, and said this morning ne would
accept Fry Kings challenge 10 wrestle
him for q. side bet In the semi-Windup
10 the Rob Roy Afackey-Joe Turner bout
Tor the WelteTWeight wrestling cham