The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-12-02

'IIls is more the tale or an almost
Knockout than real Knockout for as
a matter of fact the referee gave the
But people who sat all around the
ring knew that there might have been
a knockout If events had been left to
run their natural course. The actual
winner of the fight gained almost as
much wealth and reputation as he
would If he had been allowed to go
right along and tear the lining out Of
great worlds champion.
Tom Sharkey was looked upon as a
freak when he first came ashore from
the cruiser Philadelphia and began
battling on land. Physically he was a
freak. He wasn't very tall, but he had
monstrously broad shoulders huge
arms, immense legs and a chest that
stuck out in front like the ram of a
battleship. His neck was like a pillaE,
and on top of 1t his heavily modelled
jaw and head resembled the iron
ribbed lighting turret, And ne was a
rough fellow. Toms early amuse-
ments in San Francisco consisted in
going out with crowd of sailors and
rioting among the waterfront saloons
Tom didn't drink, but he could riot
free fight and many a head he crack
ed before anyone thought of paying
him money for mis- work.
He had quite a bit of experience in
Honolulu, where he knocked out fifteen
or twenty men in succession, and most
of them in a single round. But this
was only sailor fighting, the experts
said. wait until the tough tar gets
up against man who knows some-
thing"
So tney waited, meanwhile putting
Sharkey against few real lighters
ust to gather in the money that the
sailors of the fleet were always anxious
to bet.
First Big Victory.
About this time the sailor upset all
dope by knocking out Australian Billy
Smith and two or three others, and
finally handing the soporihc punch to
Joe Choynski in eight rounds. This
last performance gave the fight fol-
lowers an awful jar. Choynskt was
popular and everyone had expected to
see him knock Sharkey out with ease.
He tried his best, twice knocking the
sailor clean out of the ring SO that he
fell on his shoulders on the floor. Both
times Sharkey climbed back with a
wooden expression on his face, not at
all disturbed, and went right at Choyn-
ski as fast as he could tear 1t was
an awful Jar to the fight followers, for
the sailors carried Tom back to the
landing on their shoulders, while
strong detachment escorted several
thousand dollars in gold coin that
Choynski's admirers had unwillingly
contributed in wagers.
That night there was an awful rue
ton along the waterfront, and Snarkey
as usual was in the thick of it. He
seemed irrepressibIe. A lot of people
wanted to see Tom Sharkey beaten
now. When he went to photograph
gallery next day and had about fifty
pictures taken to show his muscles.
eyerv one laughed, but they wanted to
see him beaten anyway. If something
didn't happen about that time the
United States feet would be carrying
away all the spare change.
1t happened that Jim Corbett, cham
pion of the world and in the height Of
his glory. arrived in San Francisco
about that time. His fellow townsmen
wanted to see him in action. He had
been away a long time.
Here was a rough-necked, thick
skulled sailor, who didn't even know
enough to side step, posing as a real
fighter and making quite muss of the
second string Of men. Wouldn't the
great champion design to whip Mr..
Sharkey and obliterate him before he
became too conceited- altogether? San
Francisco would pay Corbett hand
somely for the privilege Of seeing him.
1t would be merely a jog trot for him.
Corbett on Scene.
Corbett smiled He would. Hand
some Jim chuckled as he thought over
the sport laid out for him. But being
a canny sort of fellow for all that he
went into training and worked hours
daily at the Olympic club. There he
certainly did muss UP his sparring
mariners. There was one Bob McCord.
for instance, a former coast champion.
who came out obligingly and was
slaughtered at daily intervals.
ssWhy,n Corbett said, "tnis is the
biggest pipe in the world. Here's q
strong, rough sailor who doesn't know
enough to put his hands up. I'll beat
his head off On the level I'm almost
ashamed to take the money"
Meanwhile Tom Sharkey was train
ing ashore, out near the Cliff house.
He surely did look clean cut and pow
erful and full Of life and speed and
bulldog tenacity. He was confident at
any rate, but no body could dray q
word out of him. He just worked like
horse, mauled his sparrfng partners
about, smashed the punching bags ran
a score of miles or so on the roads
daily, and wound up by stripping to
his trunks and tearing into the Ice cold
surf for long swim. He used to go
out through the breakers, where scores
OF ordinary men have disappeared in
the undertow, swim back Justify and
come out delicate pink from mead to
heel, snorting with pleasure. Oh, he
was a savage in those days
The night Of the fight came along