El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-22
Donovan

~ van uullke Ponce ue Leon mas
discovered the fountain Of
youth. A fistic celebrity for half a
! century, he is still as active. as brinn-
ful of energy and vim as when in his
athletic prime he fought and won the
many ring battles that gained him the
title Of middleweight champion Of the
world. And this title he held until he
! retired indicated in 1884 to become
a teacher of boxing.
Mike is still the proud pOssessOr Of
/ the middleWeight championship belt,
! the one mementO of his long ring ca
reer that he cherishes most.
Donovan was a gladiator OF the
bare fist. All of his battles were
fought with the row 'uns'' and when
fights to a finish were the rule. Those
were the days when the heroes Of the
prize ring were obliged to show game
neSS-they had to be game to win
and there were none gamer than Mike.
He was always ready and willing to
fight. He loved fighting and had the
fighting instinct, which was born in
him. But he always Fought fair He
stood up. man to man, toe to toe, and
the victory went to the better fighting
man. He well earned the reputation
he enjoys of being one of the fairest
fighting men who ever put up his
fists.
Friends Honor Old Timer.
of his retirement as boxing instructor
of the New York Athletic Club. sur
rounded by friends gathered to do him
honor, the writer was reminded of the
time in 1880 when Mike was training
in Buffalo to fight George Rookie for
the middleweight championship.
7 went out to the rOadhouse where
Mike was training with Patsy Shep-
pard. of Boston, the famous fighter
who was to be in Mixes corner during
the battle.
Mike had just come in from long
hike over the roads with his trainers
and seeing Patsy, he with a shout of
delight jumped over five foot fence
as lightly as a fawn. grasped Patsy
by the hand and said gleefully. ct am
sure to win. L never felt better in
my life. There is not man of my
weight in the world who can lick
me as 1 am now
Hand Was Hard.
And. indeed, ne was a picture OF
athletic condition and superb health.
His rugged hands were stained with
some preparation he was using to
harden his knuckles and as he shook
my hand in welcome. I made a grim
ace of pain. His hand was like iron
and his grip like a vice. He seemed
overjoyed, too. at the prospect Of
fighting
The battle was set to take place
somewhere on the Canadian shore Of
both the Donovan and Rookie parties
had set out from Erie in tugbOats No
definite spot had been named, so that
the dominion police would not set
the right tip.
I went along with Donovan. Shop
pard and his trainers, camp followers,
Buttalo sports and others composing
the party and it was rare collection
of humanity, the real bare fist sort of
delegation that would fight for the
mere fun OF it. and with the nearest
weapons at hand. But Mike was not
responsible for his followers, and kept
by himself all during the ride from
Buffalo to Erie. 1t was my first eXper-
fence of the kind, and, while 1 antici-
pated seeing the ring battle, ! had
squeamish feeling at times that
would rather have been far away. and
on the tugboat things were worse.
4 Tough collection.
Donovaus marty had been swellod in
Erie to large proportions by New York
sports, roughs and toughs. gamblers
and a few men Of evident quality"
but with sporting proclivitics.
I remember that Donovan was the
favorite in the betting at odds of to I.
before daylight that the tugs with
the rival parties put off for. the Can
ada shore in separate boats And it
was very fortunate circumstance
that the followers OF the fighters were
separated.
Party Turned Back.
We had arrived within about a mile
Of the Canadian side when three tug
boats we're seen putting their way out
to meet our boats. When within {
mailing distance voice shouted: (
Turn back. turn back 10 Eric-yOu /
viii not be allowed to land, II YOU Try /,
10 We VIII use force and shoot il ,