The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1914-12-21
sPoRToGRAPHY.
BY Gravy"

In these days the fight fans are only
mildly excited by the reports that
Jack Johnson will risk his title in
combat with Jess Willard, Sam Nc.
Vey, Sam Langford or some other
gladiator Of the padded mitts. Things
were different in the old redblooded
days, when a match for the big title
set millions of tongues to wagging
disputatiously all over the sporting
world. Perhaps the greatest sensa.
ton in ring history was created 2s
years age December, 1888, when John
John l.. Sullivan zane out with 4
challenge to Jake kilrain to do bat.
tie for the worlds title. On that
historic date the mighty John L. drop.
ped into the office of the New York
Clipper, with $4,000 in his pants peck,
cts, and the editor nearly died Of
heart disease when Sully declared
that he was there to post the coin
for a battle with Jake. Sullivan's
challenge specified a bout under Lon
don prize ring rules for $4,000 q side.
Jawn added that il Jake didn't come
across within two weeks, he, Jawn.
would proceed to claim the worlds
title and the ornate Fox belt.
At first the sporting fraternity fear
ed that this was only a game of bluff,
but It quickly became evident that
Kilrain was ready and willing, and
Just a month later the match was
finally clinched at a meeting Of sport.
ing men held in Toronto.
The fight, which was the last bare
knuckle championship battle in Amer.
lea, was set for July s, 1888, at some
point near New Orleans. In the mean
time the excitement had reached few.
erish intensity, and every sport who
could beg, borrow or steal the money
liked out for the Crescent City early
in July. They were we'll repaid for
the journey, for Kilrain put up a game
and gallant battle, and was only de.
feated after rs rounds of the hardest
kind OF milling.
Sullivan's victory brings up the old
question, never settled of Johns
claim to the heavyweight champion.
ship of the world. Kilrain, who was
q resident of Baltimore, but a nativoi
of Long Island, and whose real name
was John ]. Kilrion, claimed the
worlds title, and held the Fox belt,
embIamatic OF that high honor. Sui
Ivan became the recognized cham
pion by whipping Paddy Ryan mi
1882. Ryan won the title from Joe
Goss, who had defeated Tom Allen,
who had whipped Mike McCoole and
Bill Davis. Kilrain repeatedly chal
lenged Sullivan, but John refused To-
meet the Baltimore man, and in 1857
Jake was declared tho champion and
the Fox belt was formally presented
to him. The belt wat q scrumptuous
affair, constructed OF solid silver and
gold, and weighing 200 ounces. In
December, 1887, Ktlrain defended his
new honors and his belt against Jem
Smith, the champion Of England, in
a battle for the championship of tho
world. They fought on an island In
the Seine, near Rouen, France, They
fought LOG rounds, until darkness end:
ed the combat. Kilrain vas the bet.
ter man throughout, and, although he
got only a draw, he got the first fall,
the first knockdown, the first blood,
and finished much stronger than
Smith. The British critics practically
agreed that the American was the
better man, and that he was fairly
entitled to call himself the worlds
champion. AS John L. whipped XII
rain, it would seem that he thus dem.
onstrated his right to the worlds
championship honors. There was GER
tainly no man better entitled to the
championship, with the possible ex-
ception OF Charlie Mitchell, who in
1888 fought Sullivan 80 rounds to q
draw.