The sun., 1909-05-02

the Hartford on March 20, 1879, before a
big crowd of sailors from the other ships
In port. Welsh put up game battle, but
he was compelled to surrender in the
nineteenth round.
Two weeks later a fine boxing exhibi-
ton was given on the Hartford and the
belt was presented to Ross, A large num-
Der of Englshmen were present and two
days afterward Tom Evans Of the British
warship Garnet. who claimed TO be the
champion Of the Queens navy, chal-
J lenged any man in the Yankee feet, but
ford stepped to the front. Jimmy Ross,
though a niddleweight, sent word. how
ever, that he would meet John Bull q
champion. When they faced each other
at Mount David on May 9 Evans looked
like a giant alongside of Rcss. II was
swift; hard fight Of seven rounds when
the, Englishman went down with, two
broken ribs and other injuries, where
upon Ross was hailed as the champion
OF the American and English naviee and
held the belt for three years against all
comers, when it became his personal
''"fhs'ii sfhe &. s. S. Trenton had a new crew
Mike Carroll and Jim Mcclellan. a brother
of Prof, Billy Mcclellan. who was twice
defeated by Prof. Mike Donovan, Carroll
and Mcclellan agreed to fight on shore
in France, and the former won in elev en-
rounds. as Mcclellan sprained his leg
and .IS could not do chin himself SELF justice. tic - .,a
the U. s. s. Minnesota on Washington g
Birthday, 1881, between George Miller
and Jimmy Ross, tho champion. 1t
was an exciting affair, for after lasting
seven rounds in thirty -four minutes
the officers Of the ship were obliged to
stop the mill to prevent a free for all
mn ~
come from other vessels to see the 60.
Shortly after this match Miller met Walter
Welsey OF the U. s, 8. New Hampshire
and knocked him out In six rounds. The
winner received q challenge from Henry
Leonard OF the U. s. s; Constitution.
he handed the fight over to Pat Began
whom Leonard defeated.
Along about 1888 there loomed up
In the navy freak fighter called Sailor
Brown. He was a gamefellow and could
fight too. but was very erratic. One
night he went aboard an English man j.
o'-war at Sydney, Australia. and offered
throw Brown overheard for his daring
challenge, but finally one Of the crew
offered to box him ten rounds for $50,
thinking the Yankee was either half
dafy or didn't have the coin.
IAN right, said Brown. producing his
half century; but who'll hold the money
and referee the bout'' A number Of
Britishers offered to be both referee and
stakeholder, but Brown wouldn't have
them. t-
Haven't you got an Irishman aboard7
III trust a good Mick any timel' roared
Brown: Then half a dozen sons Of Erin
came forward and Brown selected one
named Rafferty, as stakeholder and another
named Murphy as the referee. They were
both stokers. big, husky fellows
Now know III get fair play said the
Yankee, putting up his coin and stripping
for action. All i want is a square deal.
boys. m an Ame..ican! A New York
Bowery boy. at that!'
THE officers and crew looked upon the
whole affair as joke. but when Brown
shot out his left and brought the claret
from the English tar nose it looked difer-
ent: They say it was redhot mill, with
both men soon covered with blood. The
Yankee went down several times, but he
was up in a jiffy and at it again like a
Brown got home wallop on the jaw and
the Britisher went down and out
/ 81 win! Give me the dough. Rafferty,
cried the freak. jumping from the ring
like an Indian. He got the money and left
the, English warship amid much confusion
some long hard battles In the navy. some
Of which he won. but he was always dead
game and he had to be knocked out cold
! before he'd Quit .-. 4"
-Tom Sharlev when sailor put Brown
away IN a couple OF ronnds. but Sharkey
was a heavy weight while Brown at that
time was only welter. Sharkey was
one of the best big men the American
navy ever produced He knocked out
4 Rough Thompson twice. Nick Blu riley In
eight rounds, George Washington in two
and Billy Tate in four. Upto 1925 Sharkey
, claimed the championship OF the navy
and then obtained his discharge that
voar to become q professional pu gilist.
His first battle after leaving the navy
was with Joe Choynski. whom he defeated
in eight rounds Then he mixed il IN
roughly with jim Corbett in four round
bout with no decision at Frisco and
shortly aftsrward hc won on foul from
FitZsimmons in eight rounds under a
questionable decision.
"Sharxev gave Jefries two great bat
ties one Of twenty rounds and the other
Of twentv-five Although the decisions
went against Sharkev in both contests
he made a wonderful showing.
Another noted pugilist produced bv
the navy ia Sailor Burke. formerlv of the
monitor Florida. who was recently mem
toned as 2 possible opponent Of Stanlev
Ketchel. Burke spent four and half
vears in Uncle Sans service, enlisting
when he IVES 18 wears old. During that
time he Pained much fame by defeating
every tar he went up against. just before
Burke's discharge ebout two vears ago
b, was selected to meet three Of the best
men in the navy IT the Grand Opera
uouse. Rockland. Ne. They were Sailor
Rvrres. welterweieht champion OF the
AtlaNta: 4. y Pauline. rniddleweight
champion OF the Te~as. and I'd Cnpning-
ham he5vvweight champion of the Texas
Burke SAYS he Weighted only 1as po,,nds
pt the time vet he defeated these three
fightino sailors all In one night with
rest Of fifteen MINI &c he+wnan the bouts
II wos n great night for Sailor Burke. you
can bet
"The present champion OF the nsvv is
clever mddleweiaht named Sailor
Tighe, who some day may be seen in the
professional arenn. The American navy
is 4 fine place for vopng fellow who
thinks he can fiPht. Tho Government
furnishes the bows with boxing gloves,
punchino bags and gymnasium apparatus
to hclp them 10 rat into condition. When
anv serious dispute arisos between sailor
lads thew ara intitnd into the forecastle,
whore they fight il ont.
Among the most ardent advocatas
of boyin9 in the servine Is Chaplain Father
Rairsv over in the BROOKLYN navy ward
He believes thu art of self-defence ia
manlv exercise If not carried too far,
for il not onlv keeps the tars in Upton
condition hut also te,chas them to pro-
tect Themselves without the use OF gun
or knife when visiting foreign ports.
american sailors nrn famous the
world over for their fighting and they
are the champions Of the deep sea Some
Of the vounp tars spin interesting yarns
about trimming all comers in far awav
WHtA 90 Al, - 4.