Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-07-08
DC RATTLE ANNIvERsARY.
Pilgrimage 70 spot Where sullivan
Whipped KIIrain.

} no other excuse for occupying a place
on the map Of Mississippi, its exist
ence Is justified by the sporting men
who annually make pilgrimages to
the historic spot where John l.. Sui
ivan proved his supremacy over Jake
kilrain in the most memorable battle
ever fought under London ring rules
on American soil. 1t was jusl nine
teen years ago today, on July 3, 1889,
that those two gladiators OF the ring
met near Richburg and proceeded,
with bare fists, attempt to knock
the eternal dayllghts out OF each
other. In the end Sullivan was vic
torious, but II was not until the sew
enty-hfth round OF one OF the most
fcrocious battles ever witnessed any
where that KiIrain bit the dust, to the
great disgust of Charlie Mitchell
Richard X Fox and Pony" Moore
The sports OF New Orleans never tire
OF discussing this historic battle and
It Is today the principal subject of
discussion in all places where fight
fans congregate. Many are the
weird tales that the grizzled old tim
ers tell OF their experiences on that
great day nineteen years ago.
In those days it was hard thing
to pull off championship fistic af-
fair. There was mo such thing as
licensing fist fight There we're no
permits. Fighters and followers
were forced to find some quiet place
where no officious sheriff might inter-
fere. They took the chance Of arrest
every time there was scrap. Some
times they were arrested and heavily
fined afterward
And there wasn't much money in
the lighting game. The gate amount
ed to little or nothing. Voluntary
contributions made 1t up. The men
had their hackers, who were forced
TO put up big side bets as an incen-
tive for the battle. The winner was
given split" by his hacker. The
loser usually got nothing but a beat
ing. Sometimes when Sullivan won
fight he handed his beaten rival
Atty or a hundred dollars as a plaster
for his hurts.
When the Sullivan-KiIrain special
pulled out of New Orleans an attempt
was made by the authorities to stop
II. In fact, the militia of Louisiana
and Mississippi were out in force, or
dered by the governors of the states
to stop the fight, no matter where 1t
came off. But somehow or other the
train arrived at the secluded spot
without interference. The ring was
pitched and the fierce fight began
with little delay.
AS perfect specimen of brute
manhood as was ever seen was John
L. Sullivan when he stepped into the
improylsed ring that day. That he
was able to stand seventy-fve rounds
before Kilrain and knock him out in
the end was high tribute to his
trainer, that prince of conditioners,
Billy Muldoon.
II was In the forty-fifth round that
Sullivan committed an act so foul
that the excuse put forward for him
does not mitigate the offense, After
knocking down Kilrain he deliberate
ly jumped upon the fallen man.
Again Sullivan demonstrated
spartan-like courage. When the
fight was concluded it was dis
covered by the crowd that he carried
"a broken finger on each hand. His
seconds had known this for thirty
rounds, but his opponent did not.
Throughout the long battle these
broken fingers gave exeruciating
agony to Sullivan, but he smashed
away at Kilrain regardless.
II must be said of Kilrain that he
showed gameness and dislike for
the runaway tactics In which he In
dulged at Mitchell's orders. But he
was in the hands of men who were
willing to resort to every trick to
down Sullivan and had promised to
obey them. in the belief that they
could plan better than he.
After the fight, despite the fact that
Kilrain landed time and again, Sulli-
van, aside from a split ear, black
eyes, and scratched neck. bore no
marks OF punishment, save in the
broken fingers.
Kilrain. on the contrary, was a pitt
iful spectacle. His lips were cut, left
ear smashed and his body, especially
about the short ribs. was raw from
the murderous blows.
Kilrain was knocked out in the
seventy-fifth round, going down from
a succession of punches that would |