The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08
TAUNTs AND BLOWS

some gentle badnage on the chance that ne might
incite the big fellow display of temper He wiped
Johns face with singing left swing and hoped
out laughing
Now who's champion?" he tainted But If Nor
rssey was expected read in this that he could
overcome such skillful and active opponent the at
tempt was failure.
That's to be seen" he answered calmly and jammed
in right drive that Yankee" to the ground IN
hurry. For the next sessions Sullivan hit and
went down without ceremony.
In the thirtleth round John led off, brushing the
others guard aside and planting a rafting swing to
the left check Sullivan whirled back with three
rapid rocking smashes to the face and dropped He
peppered Morrissey in the next two rounds and es-
capped unscathed In the thirty-third they stood up
for moment and exchanged hits to head and
body, but Yankee" was exhausted and could make
nothing count. He had done everything possible,
tried every trick in his repertoire apparently beaten
his man to a pulp. And still John with him,
steady rock, wholly unconscious of the fact that
by all precedents he ought to consider himself de-
feated.
1t was only matter of time from this point on.
Sullvans strength declined though he continued to
exert himself to the utmost and he had lost heart.
He got the face in the thrtyfourth round and fell
In the thirty-ffth John reached him again with a
wide, stunning swing TO the cheek that sent him to
the turf. The next wild session, MOrrissey
meeting Sulivan's desperate charge with battering
swings to face and body and sending his down.
In the thirty-seventh round Sullvans friends
could see that the tide had turned strongly against
him and they grew restless, swaring close about the
ropes, yelling at Morrissey and threatening disturb
ance John paid no attention and when Sullivan led
weakly the face he rushed, bearing Yankee" back
irresistibly Hugging his man about the neck he
lifted him clear of the ground preparing for heavy
fall that hardly could have failed to end the battle
The Sullivan supporters however, took this instant
to swarm over and through the ropes in a bowling.
clawing mob and the two fighters disappeared under
the invading wave. Great confusion followed the
men separated and swept out of the ring and in
the midst of the uproar the referee gave the decision
to Morrissey. His specific was that Sullivan
had left the ring first and without awaiting instruc-
tons. Whatever the exact facts which were long
disputed, there doubt that Morrissey was far
in the lead and deserved the victory The fight had
lasted IS minutes.
Morrsseys only subsequent appearance in the prize
ring was with John C. Heenan, the "Benicia Boy.
who later drew with Tom Sayers the great little
worlds champion. He whipped Heenan out of hand
in II rounds in 1858 and announced that he would
thereafter step within the ropes He kept that
resolve, though he did not that he would never
fight again John Morrissey without some kind of a
fight in prospect would have been like diamond
without the sparkle. He fought occasion arose. and
carried the propensity with him through life
houses n
New York and Saratoga and at one time was said to
be worth million dollars He lost half of IT in the
crash of Black Friday and much of the rest through
unfortunate speculation. Commodore Vanderbilt
stood his friend and aided him out of several difficult
ties.
Morrissey always had taken active part in politics.
and in 1866 he elected to congress by the demo-
Gratis from the fifth district. BOSS" Tweed was then
in full power and Morrissey owed the nomination to
huf he o-,d
would not permit him to be time server for any one
and before the end of his first he began to de-
velop another fight, this with Tammany Hail. Tweed
did not want to renominate him, but Morrissey was
popular with his constituents and he went back
in 1868
From this time on he became the bitter and avowed
enemy of Tweeds ring" and he threw himself into
the struggle with the logged tenacity and de-
termination that had characterized him a prize
fighter He of the leaders of the young de-
mocracy revolt of 1871 and lent every assistance to
Greeley, Tden and others who were bent upon free
ing the city from its tyrants.
When Tammany Hall passed under the control of
John Kelly, Morrissey still ready for trouble
Before long he again at outs with the powers and
Kelly attempted discipline by expelling him from
Tammany. Just such a necessary to put
Morrssey in fighting frame of mind and in 1875 he
came forward as an independent candidate for the
state His popularity and good public record
won him support from the of all parties and
he won. He repeated the victory in 1876 and 1877
The campaign of 1877 hot and in close race the
man who had never known fatigue or spared his mar
velous physique overtred himself He died in Nav.
1873
Morrisseys political career like that of his pup;
listic days. was free from STAIN While conscious of
his limitations and refraining from pushing himself
forward, he always careful to act honestly and
to the best of his Judgment For the rest he was FIRST
and last. fighter and