The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-07-24
"reminiscences OF
JOHN |. SULLIVAN

Some interesting facts about John L.
Sullivan and his successors are told by
the Poet in the August American
Magazine. The story is in defense of
pugilism. 1t follows:
There We're giants in the olden days,
but I think our time has produced the
most eminent fighters. Who that has
seen Sullivan at his best can forget
that representation of irresistible force,
or envy him the dignified peace he now
enjoys, boxing in exhibitions with his
old enemy Kilrain, and occasionally
contributing manly and temperate
articles on current affairs to the press?
Those who say him esteemed him the
chief of fighters. l have heard it said
that only one man of his time gave
promise of beating him. This was Mike
Cleary. But the temptations that beset
an artistic career overcame poor Mike,
and less han the shadow of his name
remains.
with Mitchell in France. Before that,
II you gave every male human being IN
A@fFleq haS a Y Seeni S SeaiiHad oar Ieadins
citizen. His private affairs were consid-
cred so noteworthy that they were de-
scribed in detail in the newspapers; he
ii'o -ONNi 80 49,
by the mayor of Boston in the presence
of almost the entire undergraduate body
and many members Of the faculty Of Har-
yard College: he ; had boxed privately be
fore the Prince of Wales. 1t was Quixotic
for him to fight in France, but highly
credltable to his ambition to lick anyone
anywhere The atmosphere of a country
Where fighters kick each other must have
been obnoxious to a high-minded man.
And the rain and sleet fell, and the Lon
impetucus style. sullivan afterward as
cribed his failure to. put Mitchell out TO
Pony Moore. Mitchell's father-in-law. who
cried while Mitchell was on the grass:
Get up, Charlie; remember your poor
wife and five starving children at home
" Now said the. accurate Sullivan,
Charlie Mitchell had no children and his
wife was rich. But such was the effect
OF domestic love that he got up and spiked
France has become civilized since then.
La boxe is one OF its favorlte amuse-
ments. Today Sullivan, after sending all
the Jeanettes. McVeys and Mccoys sour
Ulysses With his celebrated window tdfa-
mond shirt stud cleaning at his bosom
and be the most admired foreign visitor
different In those days. And between
cfagrin and nostalgia the warrior failed.
He was not beaten, but failure to. CONQUER
was defeat. / have Vt on the faith Of two
men of letters who were present at the
ringside that Sullivan's hair actually
turned white during the fght.
bul MiUCHeII WAS no lHtdt Zoe. L uStd
to think I would rather see him spar than
any other MAN. He was the perfection OF
agile grace. and he could hit and he would
hit. His conqueror. Corbett. always
seemed, unless his man Was wholly at his
mercy. to stop his punch In the very act
of delivering 1t. 1t was as II Prudence
tapped him on the shoulder at the very
moment of striking. He was getting away
while he hit. l am told by a colleague
that this is the fault Of the negro John
son. He is a swift boxer. as clumsily
! uimh1n az an Yapp -oiIfanr md fp has
| plenty of power but lacks the ability or
the courage to finish his punch. when he
is ready to deliver 1t. regardless of con-
sequence. But I could go on for another
hour talking about this great art; and i
haven't mentioned Fitzsimmons. in some
respects that Is. considering his size. the
greatest of fighters. a trne artist and "A
most distinguished professor of the prin-
ciple of scientific government. to hit quick
ly. hit hard and hit with the least possible
expenditure OF energy. AS for Jeffries,
he was, and I hope still liz, invulnerable
I count Ii among the finest rewards that
my small reputatio IN as a writer has
brought me that I was once considered
worthy of an Introduction to this famnrs
nan. His larger affairs had rot permitted
him to read my book of verses. In this
I ranked with Dante. But he showed q
Great affabilitv. His manner was gracious.
1t was unnecessary for him tn prove his
srperiority by slanlming ME in the stomach
It was apparent without proof"