The Alaska citizen., 1913-08-18

equally divided.
\ little over twenty years ago
reports kept coming from the Paci-
'fc Coas, of various victories over
well-known b xers. Won by a young.
Ster calling mself Billy Smith OF
Boston
About this time the most promin-
ent promoters of sp TT in the East
used to make rendezvous of Can
'ain A. w. c oke's office. he being
editor of the Police News. in Bos
ton. We We're all well informed
about boxers and pugilists. but this
b lily Smith was new one on us.
50 We referred To him as "Myster-
ious" Billy Smith, under which name
he so II became known the world
over.
After he had beaten Spider"
Kelly. of San Francisco. Frank Kel-
ly Billy Armstrong and Charlie
Johnson. and had also knocked out
TWO such fistic celebrities as "Sha-
dow Maber and Danny Needham.
The myster Gus one was hailed as
he best fighter e his weight in
America.
Judge Newton, manager and
matchmaker of the Coney Island
Athletic club, then the big fight in
stitution of this country. depended
on the Police News contingent for
men for the big matches. 1t was
suggested that he accept "Myster-
Gus" Billy Smith to fight Tom Will,
Jams. the 1i0-pound champion OF
Australia. who had just arrived in
The United States. Judge Newton
Immediately acquieseed and a wire
soon brought Smith to Boston fir m
he Pac fic coast. Then the match
vas made and purse of $4,000
vas given. and the match was also
% involve the 140-Round champ on
ship f the world
Some sporting writer's give the
weight as li2 pounds. but il is in
accurate. and there is no basis for
the claim beyond a concession made
% Tommy Ryan, who always held
Out for 142 t 145 pounds as
7ubterfuge for not meeting Smith
ut the proper class We ght They
Id meet few times, and
when Smith was in proper condi-
ion, and had an even break. his
superiority TO Ryan was manifest.
Well. mysterious" Billy had no
IT uble in effeetually dispos ng of
the Austral an in two rounds, and
his reputation was further enhanced
rs genuine champion.
Some of Smiths great battles will
make interesting reading when given
in detail. particularly his tremen-
dous encounters with the black de-
mon, Joe Walcott. but at this time
| am only recording me eventful
and interesting experiences that |
had when | was directing the "Mys-
FERROUS" ones affairs in England
and Scotland
In the interest of Col John D.
Hopkins | coupled the management
Of Champ on Dan Creedon with my
" rk in England in 1896 had pre-
v'ously managed Creedon, and his
foster brother, Smiling" Tom Ira
Fey in this country Creedon had
Just beaten the Coffee Cooler" and
he English heavyweight champion
lem Smith in England.
Burge had been seeking new news
paper notoriety by Gfferng to fight
any man of his weight in the
world. | sent for Mysterious" Billy
Smith to come to England, and he
arrived there on the morning OF the
Creedon-Smith fight January %.
1896. He came II the Mirror of
Life office, that paper being owned
by the famous Amer can sporting
men. the Messrs. Ordway, and who
We're responsible for the National
Sporting Club having so many inter
national matches for more than a
sore of years.
My first effort was to secure
Smith proper press attention. To
fix him up and make him look a big
fellow, the right thing" and a rep
resentat've of American sport of
those days. fitted him out with
light colored trousers. Prince Albert
coat and vest, high collar. flashy
white cravat, and to top it off |
bought him a tall silk hat 1t was
great makeup, and Billy looked
a fair rival to the popular pugilist'c
Adonis John c. Heenan, according
t. the latter's photos.
Thus logged cut l got Smith ready
for visit to the newspaper office
in Fleet street. T he racing edi-
tons had short notices in their
stop press issues of the arrival
+ the famous American champion
the news agencies having afforded
t the channel for this, and before
starting out to the Sporting Life,
Sportsman, and other offices. l sent
runners ahead to tip the crowd that
| the famous American man deStroyer