The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-15

An almost forgotten page of Amer ican history WAS recalled last month by the death in Brooklyn of James Dunne, one time heavy ght cham pion of America. It was just half a. century ago today, on May 15s 1885, that the fight fans off. New Yotk, PennsyI yIvania, New Jersey and Mary land began to assemble in Pike eoun- ty. Pa, to witness the bout scheduled for the following day, in which Dunne and Bin Davis were to do battle for the American heavyw ght title. It was a cosmopolitan crowd which as-s sembled at the ringside on Ine day set, and among the roughs and toughs business and the professions. The last gun of the civil war had been fired, and the prize fight was of the nature of a celebration.
 The last previous battle for the title was between Mike McCooIe and Joe Coburn at Charleston, Md, in
 1863. After winning the hour, Co., burn retired from the ring for the. time, and Bill Davis claimed the cham pi ionship. Davis was known as Ehis earlier battles in the Golden State. James Dunne was native of Ire land, but came to America as a boy, and settled in Brooklyn; where he soon made a reputation as an thIete# and a politi clan. Up to the time he
  merican chan mpionshfp, Dunne was
 looked upon as an amateur in the ! boxing game. He had fought several good men, Including a few profess sionals but he had not posed as g. professional bruiser.
 Davis was favorite with the ma
 jority of the sporting men who were at the Hngside on the sixteenth of May half a century ago. There were
 not a few who favored the Brooklyn Irish man, however, and considerable sums were wagered on the result. It l was a terrific combat with the bare l fists, and it was not until forty three
 rounds, lasting one hour and six min utes, had been fought, that Dunne proved his mastery.
 | Although by his victory Dunne be- came the recognized champion of
 American fighters, he had no annbi- ton to make pugilism a, profession, I finding politics a more congenia1 field and soon announced his retirement ffrom the ring; He continued to be
 interested in the game, however, and during the latter part of his life was 1 a manager of boxers He was twen- l Ity-three when he became champion, I and was even then prominent in the Dem ocratic political Organization of l Brooklyn. In 1870 he was chosen l leader of the Sixth ward Democracy. During the Co1er administration Tn I Brooklyn he was superintendent of | the sewer system. For tiHnekhe de- l serted the Demo mocratic party to align l himself with Hearst's Indep League, but returned to the Demo-
 cratic fold when Gaynor ran for
 mayor. At the time of his death I Dunne was seventy three years old, and he was hale and hearty almost to the last
 1 Although boxing was his fakorfte I sport, he was also a great devotee of 1 handball, and was at one time the ] worlds amateur. champion at that I game. He was the founder Of the I Brooklyn IIandbalI club. and when he was past seventy he could beat many | young men at handbaI1
 l Bill Davis again claimed the Amer ican championship when Dunne rt
 tired, but in 1866 he was defeated by the giant Irishman, Mike McCoole, in I a thirty-fours round battle fought near | St. Louis. When McCoole relinquish I ed the title, Davis claimed it a third time, but in 1869 he was whipped in a battle at St. Louis by Tom Allen an EnglisEn1an, who then became I the champion of Am erica. Allen was
 defeated by Jem Mace and Joe Coss. both of English birth, and the latter l lost the American title to Paddy l Ryan, a native of TIpperary It was not until Sullivan whipped Ryan in 1 1882 that America again had a na- l tive-born champion of the heavy I weights.