Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-01-15
MYSTIC ISLAND SCENE
or BATTLE IN 1870.
coiIyer Lost American Lightweisht
Title to Billy Edwards.

Title to Billy Edwards.
recently calls attention to the AZ round
fight between Billy Edwards and Sam
Collyer found on little island off
Mystic on March 2. 1870.
The old timers remember how Sam
Collyer and Patsey Sheppard hurled
ters, but there were all let go unheed-
ed by Billy, who preferred to devote
his time to the boiler shops where he
was employed Collyer eventually
and his claim was, allowed by the
press. Finally Edwards came out of
his shell and announced that he would
meet either Collyer or Sheppard for
Immediately decided that he did not
want to fight and dropped out. Not so
with Collyer, however, and agreements
were signed whereby the two should
! meet at a point within 400 miles east
of New York on March 2, 1870. The
toss falling to Edwards, he named
Mystic Island as the place to stage the
! battle.
Police Tried to Stop Training.
The formalities all duly completed,
the men went into training, Edwards
at quarters in Ninety-second street,
Dooney Harr%, and Collyer in Balti-
more, where he was assisted by John
Oddly and Herr Holton, the latter a
stage cannonball tosser. Edwards was
bothered by the police, who threatened
to arrest him if he did not stop train
ing. Billy Immediately changed his
quarters.
The morning of March found the
combatants and the host of seconds,
camp followers and admirers at the
principals went on the scales, Edwards
lifting the bar to 120 1-2 pounds, while
Collyer topped 1913. AS a matter of
fact, this was killing poundage for
him, a point that was foreseen by Ed
wards, and would have been given
more consideration by Collyer but for
his intense desire to get the English
man between ropes.
Twas Roushhouse.
The fight that followed was a fierce
one, a habit with the old-timers. AS
was his wont, Collyer went in to slug
his way to victory, and in the initial
round drew first blood and copied Ed |
wards a right to the chin that dropped |
him. Sam showed in front in the Sec
ond, the round ending with Edwards |
being thrown and fallen on somewhat |
after the manner of the present day |
jiu-jitsu. In the third Edwards began |
to warm up and land, but was thrown |
by Samuel and given the knees.
Despite the rough treatment and |
sore ribs, Billy came out confident in
the fourth.
The Posts story of the battle is as |
follows: Edwards opened with left to |
Sans nose, crossed right to jaw.
There was a clinch; they broke and |
then stood toe to toe and snapped |
Collyer's right eye retired for the day |
and Edwards crashed him two on the |
neck that rocked him. Blinded by |
blood and wild with rage, Sam at |
tempted to close. Edwards straight !
lefts and rights held him off. 1t was
the turning point of the fight, a battle |
that was to end Collyer's career in |
In this round Collyer's lower jaw was |
broken, but aside from himself and |
his seconds, none about the ring were |
aware of it, although it was evident |
something was wrong with him.
The agony because of this injury |
that Collyer underwent must have |
been something frightful, but he was |
sheer grit and a fighter all the way |
through, and the battle went on for AZ |
rounds. There are many in the present |
day ring who are ready to shrek and |
quit If an opponent steps on their toe; |
think of Collyer sticking to it for 40 |
minutes.
Edwards Stops coIIyer.
In the. AID round the end came. Ed |
wards whipped right to the jaw and |
left to temple, and Sam Collyer, third |
of the American lightweight cham |
pions, went down and out, losing his
title for keeps along with his stake. |
He was carried from the ring wreck
and it was 80 minutes before he was
able to talk.
In the meantime the fans, and among
them his late admirers, cleared out,
leaving the injured man and fallen idol
alone on the island, with the excep-
ton of his faithful trainer, John Oddly.
So sudden is the shift from fame to
misfortune; so tickle the throng that
cringes smirks and smiles about the
throne of popularity
Collyer on his return to Baltimore
issued a letter in which he praised
Billy Edwards and admitted that the
New Yorker had won fairly and
squarely. Attached to the letter was a
challenge, but Edwards refused to give
1t serious attention, and was sustained
by the public. About this time Barney
Aaron, the ex-champion, also chal-
lenged, and arrangements were made
for him to meet Edwards for the title,
but the match hZzled out.