New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-06-05
Sp0rt0graphy
BY GRAVY
OF THE FIRST
MODERN BATTLE WITH FISTS.
BIZ "GRAFY.'

1t will be. 1ss years tomorrow since |
the first modern prize fight for the
cham pionship was fought his his
toric fistic contest was staged at
James Figg's amphitheater in OK
ford road, London, and Figg, the
first champion of England, had as his
opponent Ned Sutton, a Gravesend
pipemaker, who made great repu-
tation as a fighter with broad sword
quarterstaff and fists. James Figg's
! professional card, designed by the
great artist Hogarth, announced that
he was Master of Ye Noble Science
| of Defence" For many years he
had been teaching boxing and fenc-
ing to the young bloods of the nobil-
| ity. The Earl of Peterborough. famed
as soldier, was his patron and built
| for him an amphitheater capable OF
holding some 1900 people. 1t was
here that Figg's celebrated battle
with Sutton was staged. A..
/ 1t was not alone a pugilistic battle,
| for fistic contests were just coming
into vogue and were not yet popular.
| To begin with the combatants were
to engage in back sword bouts until
| one or the other had demonstrated
mis- speriority. The fistic contest was
to follow, and after that, If both were
able, they were to engage In bout
with the cudgels.
representative crowd filled the
amphithater on June 6, 1927. Among
those present were Dean Swift and
Pope, the great authors; Colly Glib
Der, Kitty Give, and other celebrities
of the stage, and Horace Walpole the
prime minister, with other eminent
statesmen. There were almost as
many ladies as men, and before the
bout they amused themselves by tel
ling stories of character that would
now be considered quite beyond the
pale at a stag party.
The broadsword exercises between
Fisg and Sutton lasted nearly an
hour before Figg slashed his oppon-
ent on the shoulder, and thus won
the honors in the first event on the
program. After resting half an hour
the men reappeared, and the boxing
bout commenced There we're nc
rules to govern games in those days
and from tn first it was trial OF
brute strength, although Ffgg used
some science in evading the wilo
PUSHES of Sutton. After eight min
utes of sparring sutton rushed IN
lodging blow, and grasped Figs
about the waist, carrying him T.
where the umpires sat. This rouset
the champions ire, and in a few min
utes he had retaliated by stretchin,
Sutton on his back, using wrestlin,
, tactics. After a few minutes of fu
, tile hitting. Figg again closed an
threw Sutton. The latter soon turne'
the tables, driving blow after bloN
to the champions face. Figg wa
e knocked down, and, after resting fiji
e teen minutes, was permitted to re
sumo. In the interval the men swille
, much port wine, After a few min
utes more Ffgg threw Sutton. and
= when he got up, knocked him dow
> with q blow to the chest. The cham
: pion then sprang upon the prostrat
: | BODY of his foe, shouting, rs
= enough?" Sutton admitted that h
, | had had a sufficiency, and the frs
fistic championship battles was at al
: end. Ned sutton was badly bruised
|. and covered with blood, both me-
, annonced their willingness to procee'
q with the cudgelling match. Fo
: | some little time they lambasted eacl
i | other, when Figg landed blow witt
, his cudgel which broke one of SUIT
J.. tons legs at the knee.
= while this first prize fight was
| brutal affair, compared with moderi
:, ! ring battles, it was considered a mile
8 | sort of entertainment compared witt
> the cudgeling and broadsword' bout
a which were then in vogue. Befor
condemning early pugilism, 1T shouI'
| be kept in mind that the art OF tn
bruiser supplanted so-called sport