The Washington herald., 1909-06-06


ent big champion. and the challenger:
Who are after his heavyweight title are
Tar below the old standards" said III,
veteran New York sporting man the other
night as he recalled the days when Johr
l. Sullivan was the king OF pugilists.
sullivan had a very easy task when he
won the championship from Paddy Ryan
u 1852. The betting was 10 to In favor
Of Ryan, and a majority OF the pugilistic
writers said that Sullivan was a green,
awkward boy who had never fought with
out gloves and had little or no experience
under London rules.
Ryan on the other hand. was hailed
as q Hercules, who could endure any
amount Of punishment, possessing great
boxing and wrestling skill Even learned
physicians explained, Oh purely scientific
grounds. the conspicuous inferiority OF
the Boston strong boy. They waxed en-
thusiastic over Ryan's elastic muscular
development and pronounced him a mar
vel
I had seen Ryan take sixty-five rounds
70 Hex old Joe Goss a couple Of years be
fore. however. so made up my mind that
Ryan would meet defeat from the first
really good man be stacked Up against.
And I was correct IN my judgment. for
Sullivan bored IN and had Ryan whipped
IN the hrst round. when he landed a ter
rife right-hand smash that put Paddy fat
upon his back
This was only thirty seconds after the
beginning Of the fight. and Johns sec
onds. Billy Madden and Bob Farrell. had
70 beg him 10 let up on poor Ryan. who
was even then on the verge OF being
beaten TO death. SO Sullivan let Paddy
stay until the ninth round. when the lat
ter was knocked down and out.
Sullivan then Jumped over the ropes.
as fresh as when he started, and ran
Ike = deer 20 his room in a hotel, about
100 yards away from the battle-ground.
merely cite this battle 10 show what an
easy time Sullivan had in winning the
heavyweight title.
mo big fighter ever won the cham
pionship with so little exertiOn, not even
Johnson, when he trimmed the overrated
Burns. Look over Sullivan's entire ring
career carefully. and see If you can find
where he had a really gruellng tight
SuIIivnn's Hardest Bout.
when asked which was his hardest
mill. Sullivan always declared that his
seventy -fve-rOund combat with Jake XII
rain was the one. AS I've said so often
before this. the Sullivan -Kilrain affair
was bum fight from start TO finish
between two back numbers. who had
licked themselves by years Of dissipation.
1T was the most uninteresting mill for
a championship I ever saw. Why. I've
known a couple OF 'longsnoremen 20 put
up a better argument in every way.
Sullivan received more grueling pun
ishnent and was IN greater danger when
he faced Charley Mitchell IN France in
1SSS It will be recalled that John agreed
TO a draw after the thirty-ninth round
because he had injured his arm on the
game Englishman's elbow.
AT least this was one reason. The
other may be told some day by several
persons who were on the inside at that
time
let US go over Sullivan's other battles
briefly; He had a cinch with Big John
Flood, whom he walloped in eight rounds.
His fight with Jimmy Elliott was a three
round picnic. Herbert Slade, the Maori.
was another easy mark in three rounds
in Madison Square Garden.
If John NJ Latin had possessed some
heart and sand when he tackled John l.
in the same place, there might have been
another story 20 tell. but Sullivan just
walked in again IN three rounds. Those
two affairs with All Greenfield were like
finding money.
In a bout with Patsy Cardin. Sullivan
broke his arm and the decision was
draw. When John was defeated by Cor
bett IN 1892 Tommy Ryan, Dan CreedOn.
Mysterious Billy Smith. and other middle
weights could have done the job probably
in half the time. for John was a physical
wreck and couldn't hold up his hands TO
defend himself
"Suliivans most wonderful work in the
ring was his famous knocking-out tour
under the management OF Al Smith IN
1883 and 1854. when he defied any man 20
stay four rounds. with him. Sullivan
gained fame IN this way from the At
lantic 70 the Pacific, and became the idol
Of the sporting world.
The greatest battle IN Corbett's career
was the siXty-One-round draw with Peter
Jackson in 1891 before he became the
champion. Jackson at that time was a |
fighter. and was IN his prime !
yet he could not stop the young Cali /
fornla bank clerk
When Mitchell was knocked out in |
three rounds by COrbett the Englishman |
X.
He was al IN. while Corbett was at his /
best. Sharkey gave Corbett a hard four |
round go IN Frisco in 1884. and really l
defeated Jim in nine rounds two years |
later in this city. 1t viii be remembered I
that Honest John Kelly. the referee, gave !
the night 70 Sharkey on a foul as Cor |
belts second. Con McYey. entered the |
ring Just in time 10 save Jim from a sure |
znock-out
COrbett I'm Good Fight.
"Corbett certainly made a good show
ng with Fitzsimmons at Carson City. up
10 the fourteenth round, when he received |
ne famous solar plexus punch that put |
him out and won the fight for the Cor
Another great fight to Corbett's credit
was his wenty-three-round battle with |
Jeffries at Coney Island in 1900. But In /
another mill with Jeff on the Coast in |
1903 Corhetts career was ended by a /
knockout in the tenth round.
Where would Johnson. Kaufman. /
Aetchell Langford, and the rest figure II i
Bco fitzsimmons was In his prime TO-
lay? Fitz put Sharkey away in a couple 4
of rounds when the sailor was good vet
stayed twenty-five rounds with
len the year before. and in my opinion.
should have had a draw at the worst.
But JEFF was the champion then. and
he late George Siler, the referee. evident
y favored him. I never knew a pugilis+
who had so many narrow escapes from
iefeat as Fitzsimmons. When he f-st
net Peter Maher at New Orleans in 1Se2
he Irishman landed a terrific WALTON on
he jaw in the first round and sent Rob
helpless to the ropes.
Instead of rushing in and finishing
Titz, Peter waited in the middle of the
ing until somebody rang the gong in
rider 70 save the JCornishman, who was
.arried 20 his corner By Joe Chn,-nsl-i