The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-01
: P OR'I !!
spoRToeRAPHY.
BY Gravy"
CENTENARY OF JOHN
LEEcHMAN, ONCE
FAMOUS AS A PUGILIsT,


The year 1915 will mark the ccnten
aries of many distinguished men
among whom may be mentioned Mr.
John Leechman and Mr.. Benjamin
Caunt. The first named, who contest
ed with Caunt the title OF pugllistic
champion Of Great Britain, made his
debut in this vale of hard knocks or
the list day OF January, 1915, and his
centenary thus falls on the first day
Of the New Year.
1t was not by his real name OF John
iLeechman, however, that this glad
iator of bare knuckle days was known
to fame. In the ring lie was known
as "Brassey," a nickname which lie
gained in his pugnacious youth be
cause of his employment in a brass
foundry. and which stuck to him
through life. Brassey was born n
Bradford, England, and worked as a
blacksmith's apprentice before he en-
trede the brass foundry. AS shop
boy Leechman carried chips on both
shoulders. and was ready to fight at
the drop of a hat-or without that
provocation. He was only sixteen
when he made his first appearance
in the ring against a lad named Hart,
ley. Leechman was victorious and
got $40 for his efforts. That looked
like easy money to him, and he soon
sought another match, whipping Neil
Patterson and getting away with SIG
This second battle OF Leechman's Gu
reer lasted 70 rounds. Fancy the
poorest dub in the ring today scrap
ping 70 rounds for SIG!
Leechman got s25 for whipping Geo
Ireson in his next engagement. His
defeat Of Jem Bailey in 1876 won for
him the big sum of $50, and the next
year he got 500 for beating TON
scrutton.
1t was in 1886 that Brassey On
gagged in his first really important bat
tie, which was with the clever Ben
digo. afterward champion OF England
This bout was staged at Sheffield
and the young blades Of that city rs
sembled by hundreds at the ringside
Leechman was still working In the
foundry between fights, and his toll
kept his muscles as hard as iron. Both
men were ideal athletes In appear
ance. Bendigo was the older and
more experienced fighter, however
and celebrated for his cleyerness, and
he had little trouble in avoiding the
PUSHES and piledriver blows Of Bras
sey. After fifty-two rounds, during
which Brassey had assimilated moro
punishment than Bat Nelson in all his
battles, he became infatuated and bu:,
ted Bendigo with his head. This de
'liberate foul gave Bendigo the vic
tory.
In 1879 Brassey redeemed himself by
defeating Young Langan, the famous
Irish fighter from Dublin in rs round
battle. This was a notable perform
ance, and it gave Brasscy the right
to challenge Ben Caunt to do battle
for the championship. The great bat
tie for the title was staged at New
market; during the races. and attract
cd the fancy" from all over England
Dukes, earls and lords by the dozen:
held good places at the ringside
Caunt had much the advantage II
height nal weight, and was favor
ito from the first, but Brassey gave
such a good account of himself II
the early rounds that the tide turned
in his favor. At the end Of the hun
dredth round Brassey was unable tc
get up, and Caunt, although he was
even more battered, was awarded thi
victory. That was Brassey's last tr,
at the championship, which he lost
by as narrow a margin as was eveI
recorded in a pugilistic contest. After
this heroic effort Brassey quit thu
ring and relapsed into the obscurity
from which he had issued.