Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-03
STAR AUSTRALIAN PUCILISTS
Peter Jackson and Robert Fitzsim-
mons Head the List.
SOME WHO HAVE SHOWN IN RING
Joe Goddard, Young Grino, BiIIy Mur-
ply, Jim Hall, Dan CreedOn,
Frank T.. sIavin, George
Dawson and Otbers.

While England and Canada can boast
OF few great p~ugilists who have won fame
and championships in years gone by, the
British empire Is not to be despised as a
whole in this respect. for Australia has
turned out many remarkable prize fighters
Tommy Burns is a Canadian by birth, and
England has been we'll represented In the
ring by Jem Mace, Charley Mitchell, Jem
Carney. All Greenfield, Ben Jordan. Billy
Piummer, Pedlar Palmer, Jem Driscoll,
Owen Moran and others. Hut Australia
can boast OF at least two champion heavy
weights. Peter jackson and Robert Fitz-
simmons, who were real champions in their
prime. Something like twenty years ago
Australian Billy Murphy brought the
fe~atherweight championship to Sydney, N.
s. w, when he defeated the famous Ike
Weir, the Belfast Spider. by a knockout az
Frisco In 1890. Joe Goddard. the Barrier
champion, earned the distinction of maxi
ing John L.. Sullivan decline his challenge
when the latter visited Melbourne, and
later. when Goddard came to this country,
he won real fame by knocking out Peter
Maher in three rounds.
Frank p. Slavln, who beat Jake Kilrain
at Hoboken in 1891, was another star from
the Antipodes, while George Dawson, after
winning the lightweight championship Of
Australasia. came to America and mounted
the boxing ladder so rapidly that Tommy
Ryan finally ~sidestepped him for weller
weight honors. other Australian fighters
who won battles in this country were
Young CRITIC, Paddy German. Tom Mea-
dows. Jim Hall. Billy Mccarthy, Abe VIII
lis, Jim Barron, Steve O'Donnell. Dan Cree
don, Tom Tracey, Billy Smith, Jim Ryan,
Jack Hall, Jack Slavin. George Mckenzie,
Hughey Napier and George Mulholland.
Peter jackson the Great.
In Australia the ring experts still claim
that Peter Jackson was really champion
OF the world on three separate occasions
first, when John L.. Sullivan, after signing
articles to meet the great black man, sud
denly backed out and drew the color line;
second, when Jim Corbett refused to fight
the famous sixty-one-round draw with
Jackson, and, third, when Fftzsimmons,
before he became an American citizen,
gave Peter a wide berth. But the Aus
tralians are disputed by many veteran ring
followers in this country. Jackson, how
ever, was a wonderful pugilist, as well as
a clean, we'll balanced man, who made
friends wherever he went. He was not a
native Australian, for he was born at
Christiansted, ST. Croix, West indies, on
July q 1861. He stood six feet and a half
inch In his stockings and weighed when in
fighting trim close to 900 pounds.
jackson began his ring career In sydney
In 1882, when he quickly demonstrated
that he was a terrific hitter Dy knocking
out several husky opponents, including Joe
Goddard, in four rounds. In 1884 he was
knocked out by Bill Farnam in three
L.
bout thu police interfered after six rounds
had been fought. 1t was in 1888 that Jack
son arrived in San Francisco for the first
time. He began his American career as
champion of Australia, for he had stopped
Tom Lees in thirty rounds at Sydney two
years before. Before 1888 ended the big
colored man had beaten George Godfrey
and Joe McAuliffe at the old California
Athletic club, the former in nineteen rounds
and the latter in twenty-four In 1889 Jack
son was very busy. He defeated Patsy
Cardiff. Shorty Kincaid. Sailor Brown.
Mike Lynch. Paddy Brennan, Ginger Nc
Cormick and Jack Fallon. Then he sailed
for England. where in the short space of
eight days he beat seven men, each in
three rounds. On November IL. 1883,
jackson defeated Jem Smith in two rounds
at the Pelican club In London, his chief
second being Sam Fitzpatrick. Jack John
sons manager.
jackson returned to America with a big
reputation in 1890. but nobody would fight
him except second raters. and after stop
ping Denver Ed Smith in five rounds Peter
sailed for Australia. where he fought a
draw with Joe Goddard. the battle lasting
eight rounds. Jackson returned to Amer.
lea in 1891 and on May q of that year he
met Jim Corbett, then a comparative
novice, at the California Athletic club.
Hiram Cook, the referee, declared the bout
TO contest after sixty-one rounds OF mill.
ing. After knocking out a couple Of
''dubs" in January. 1892. Jackson sailed for
England. where he knocked out Frank p.