The Washington herald., 1915-05-21
ANDREWS SHOWS
sullivan CHAMP
Milwaukee Ring Expert Has
Statistics Which Make John
L. Worlds Titleholder.
By FRANK G. MENkE.

New York, May 3.-The moot question
OF pugilism-"Was John L. Sullivan ever
champion of the world ?'-is answered in
the affirmative by Tom Andrews. of Mil
waukee. in his book, Ring Battles OF
Centuries
lie history and unearthed the following
facts to uphold him in his contention:
In 1863 Tom Allen, heavyweight
champion OF England, and Mike Nc
Cooie. an American, fought for the
worlds championship near st. Louis, and
McCoole won on foul in the ninth
round.
=. In 1873 Allen and McCoole staged
another battle, and on that occasion Allen
was the victor. That victory restored
the championship to him.
3. Late in 1875 Joe Goss. of England.
came to America and fought Allen near
Covington, Ky. GoSs won on foul i'll
the twenty-seventh round
4. In 1850 Paddy Ryan fought Goss at
Collier. W. Va. and won the decision in
the eighty-scventh round.
6. On February Z. 1852. John L. Sullivan
met Ryan at Mississippi City for S., COO
a side and knocked out Ryan in the ninth
round.
''Goss beat Allen. Ryan beat Goss. and
Sullivan beat Ryan. so why shouldn't
Sullivan be looked upon as the worlds
champion MS Victory over Ryan.
asks Andrews.
Sullivan's victory over Ryan and the
victories of the other champions be-
fore Ryan and Sullivan were under
the old London prize ring rules, but
those were the rules that really gov
erned in those days. and it was under
those rules that champions were made
and unmade.
In further argument that Sullivan
oh y.,~ IL
cites these facts:
Cd In 1885 Jem Smith claimed the
heavyweight title of England. Jack
Davis rose up to dispute il and the
men were matched for $500 side bet.
Smith won and was acclaimed tine
heavyweight champion of England.
On December 10, 1887. Smith and
Jake Kilrain. an American. fought
one hundred and six rounds to a draw
in Isle de Souverains. France
On July s, 1859. Sullivan and Kill
rain met in Richburg. Miss. and fought
with bare knuckles. as had Smith and
kilrain. Sullivan defeated Kilrain in
seventy-five rounds. the battle lasting
two hours and sixteen minutes.
Smith was only the champion of
England" asserts Andrews. THE best
he could do against kilrain was
draw. Sullivan. however. beat
been entitled to the worlds championship
without a question of doubt"
Some folks-mostly English-were of the
opinion that Charlie Mitchell shared the
championship honors with Sullivan be-
cause he held Sullivan to a thirty-nine
round draw in Chantilly, France; but
Mitchell didn't share the honor. The
championship was Sullivan's until he was
beaten: n draw scored by an opponent
against the champion does not halve
the championship. The rule on this
question is plain.
Sullivans fight with kilrain was the
last bare-knuckle battle. Boxing gloves
were introduced shortly afterward and
sullivan popularized them by using them
in all his theatrical work thereafter. He
Travelled all over the world. met all COM
eIs and beat them all until Jim Corbett
crossed his path.
Corbett certainly was entitled to the
worlds championship, because he fought
Peter jackson. the negro. VINO was the
champion of Australia. to 4 siXty-one
round draw in 1891. beat sullivan in TWEEN
ty-onc rounds on September I. lS92. and
OF January -. 1894. scored a knockout i'll
three rounds over Charlie Mitchell. who
WAS then the undisputed champion OF
England.