The Washington herald., 1908-08-09
FAMOUS PUGHIST WHO
WAS SENT TO CONGRESS
John MOrrissey, of Early Fistic Fame, Was the
Man Who Built Saratoga Race Track

IF Tommy Burns. the present recognized
heavyweight champion pugilist Of the
world Jim Co-bett. or even the great old
warrior. John l. Sullivan. was 10 be
elected as q United States Congressman.
those in this country with strait-Iaced
ideas would throw Up their hands in holy
horror The country would surely be de-
generating. according 20 their viewpoint
But such a condition existed in the last
century, and at a time too. when 70 be
elected q ConEressman was considered
one OF the highest hOUors a state c-uId
confer upon one Of its political sons.
In the annals Of the prize ring in Amer
lea no name. with the exception Of John
L Sullivan. IS better known than John
MOrTissey. the only member Of the dstic
brotherhood who rose 10 the distinction
Of representing his district in the great
Empire State. or any other State. in the
halls OF Congress. in which respect he
stood on a footing with the celebrated
John Gully, the English pugiIist- GuiIy's
ambition and personal qualities enabled
him 20 rise TO the honorable position OF
member OF Parliament for Po1tefract-
Nor viii the memory of the fight for the
ELleLLLl llILlSlalD DL America between N or
rissey and John g Heenau, which took
place on Canadian soil as far back as
iS5s. ever fade away
The interest which is awakened in all
portions Of the country was second only
10 that created by the Hyer-SulIivan
dght while its desperate character. the
tremendous hard hitting for which il was
remarkable. and the dOgged determination
and splendid courage displayed by both
principals were. perhaps. never surpassed
in any pUgiIistiC encounter and equaIed
In few
Strangely enough. Heenan and Morris
sey not only both hailed from Troy. y y.
but their fathers were acquainted in the
land Of the shamrock. where John Nor
rissey was born. while Heenan was a ma
tive Of Troy, there being a difference Of
about three years in their ages. with the
latter the younger. During their boyhOOd
days there had been great rivalry between
them. which did not grow less as they
grew older. and as both had a penchant
for Estic sports and each became quite
clever in the use Of their fists before at
tanning their majority. il was no wonder
that they should in the course Of time ex-
perience a mutual desire 10 prove by
actual physical combat the superiority Of
one over the other.
1t was not until their return from Cali
fornia. where both had gone during the
prevalence Of the gold fever. in the hope
Of bettering their fortune. without start
ling success, that overtures for a match
between them were made In the mean
time MOrrissey bad. during his sojourn
in California. made his debut IN the ring.
his adversary being George Thompson.
who had trained Tom HyeT for his fght
with Yankee Sullivan. the fight taking
place in August. 1S52- MOrrissey proved
the victor. and his success naturally add
ec TO his stock Of confidence, while the
bulldog courage he had shown in the af-
fair gave him a place in the fistic world.
He had resided in New York some time
previously 10 visiting the Golden Gate.
and his friends in the Empire State dis
puted the right Of Yankee Sullivan to
lead the Celtic element there. especially
as Morrissey was the younger and bigger
man The upshOt Of numerous disputes
and off-hand scraps over the matter was
the making Of a match between Morrissey
and Sullivan for S.e00 a side. the cham
P'onship not being included in the issue
The fight took place at Boston -Four Cor
ners. and II resulted in the defeat Of Sui
Ivan, who proved himself the cIeverer
fighter by far, but he was led into q trap
by those who knew how Quick-tempered
be was, and at a time when il looked dol
lars TO pennies on his winning IN a canter
he became involved IN a fight with bis
sdversary's seconds, during which time
was called without Sullivan responding