The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-07-21
WHEN M'GOvERN WAS
THE TERRIBLE TERRY
Once the Idol Of the Fistic Ring, Is
Now Arrested for Drunkenness
and Sent to an Insane
Asylum.

Terry McGovern, the once '"Terribl,
Terry" and idol of the fistic world, i.
down and out Arrested for drunken.
ness, examined by a board of insanity
commissioners and sent to a private
sanitarium, a mental and physica
wreck-this is the fate of the great
little fighter of decade ago.
The passing of Terry recalls the
memorable fight eight years ago when
Young Corbett, then almost unknown
came out of the west and ended Nc
| Governs brilliant fighting career in a
| two-round battle.
Robert Edgren, the pugilistic critic
who saw that encounter, writes of it at
this day as follows:
From the beginning of his career
Terry was a wonder. He fought as no
man had ever fought before, and as no
imitator has succeeded in gfihting since,
although hundreds have tried. Look at
the list of famous ones that fell for the
count of ten under Terry's fists. One
of the first well known fighters he
knocked out was George Munroe Then,
in quick succession with less famous
Callahan, Casper Leon, Patsy Haley,
Sammy Kelly, Pedlar Palmer, Billy
Rotchford, Harry Forbes, George Dix
on, Eddie Santry, Oscar Gardner,
Tommy White, Frank Erne, Joe Bern
stein, Joe Cans and Aurelia Herrera.
Some of these he knocked out two or
three times for good measure. Famous
men, every one of them a decade ago.
And after whipping all these men,
the best in the land, Terry found him.
self without an opponent. It's fact
that he had every fighter of his weight
or near it buffaloed. No one would
meet him.
No, that's a mistake. Out in Denver
there was a lad known as Young Cor
bett, who had fought several good
| fights in his own corner Of the land
| Sam Harris, Terry's manager, hap
pening to cast about for a new oppo-
nent for the terror when stage bust
ness was slack, thought Of Corbett
| Sam, being business man, sent fol
4 Corbett, offering him expenses and g
| guarantee of $500 or SO to come east
and fifht Terry near New York. Sam
never thought of such a thing as ar
upset. He never dreamed that the
chubby Denverite was to bring Terry's
| great career to q sudden ending just
when it was at it's height-just wher
Terry was the greatest money maker
in the game.
Corbett as Confident.
On came Young Corbett, expenses
paid, and settled down to hard training
at Hartford. Conn. where the fight was
to take place 1 visited him there, and
he told me that he'd surely win. We
were sitting in chop house devourine
a steak. 'Pn give you tip" said Cor
bett Put down every cent you car
raise. on me- I'll win sure. 1 know
just how to beat McGovern. and l car
do it every day in the week. The fight
is on now"
| I'll confess now that in spite of this
| excellent advice Tin light of later
events) l didn't wager a hard thin
! dime, l just looked Corbett over and
thought sympathetically what pity
| it was. I'd seen McGovern slaughter
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS looked like
the rest of the victims. Perhaps he
| was a little more confident than the
| others-that was the only difference
| The afternoon of the fight came. 1t
was Thanksgiving day. November %,
1901 Terry hadn't trained too hard.
He too, thought Goblet only another
victim. But at that Terry was always
fit in those days. If he had trained a
| month II WOulQn nave Llduc any uii
| ference in the result.
Corbett was first to leave his dress
| ing rooms for the ring. Usually the
first man out sits down and grows
nervous while the other fellow keeps
him waiting Not so with Young Cor
bett. AS he passed Terry's door the
Denver lad pounded on it with his fist
and called: Come on out. you Nc
Govern, and get your licking" Terry
came, too-in hurry, hot as hornet
He wasn't used to being called so I'M
tremendously.
McGovern Given Ovation.
In the ring Terry received roof
| raising ovation that kept him pirouet-
! ting and bowling to all parts of the
house o, we were all crazy over Nc
| Govern, the undefeated and invincible
hot c