The Alaska citizen., 1916-03-06
JOHN L SULLIVAN
 MARVEL WHEN RIGHT

The other day I read in news paper cha. between Alex Greg gains and another old timer" says a veteran ring man named Muldoon
 "Fcth aSreci that John l. Sullivan could have in his day whipped any pugilist that ever lived
 But both agreed. too, that their opinion was based wholly on hear say. They admitted they had never seen Sullivan in his real fights. but expressed a wish that they would like to meet man who had seen hiw in au bis great co~tcsts and glean from him an opinion on that mighty and important question as to whether Sullivan in his day was really the greatest pugilist that ever entered the ring.
 T saw Sullivan in the only three iwnor'9nt fishts of his career-his fights with Corbett, Ryan and Xii rain
 T com tell them the real story of Sullivan's career the real story of his wonderful strength at the beginning tho real story of his skill as pTgilist when he set out, the real story of his skill as boxer. the real storE of his ability to deal an awful blow with either hand the real story of his temperate life and his wonderful physique
 "It was Billy Madden who said that when Sullivan fought Paddy Ryan at Mississippi City on Febru- ary z 1882, he could have whipped any man that ever lived.
 Tt was this same Madden who said that after the Ryan fight Sul- livan was never fit to enter the ring and never after the Ryan fight deserved a victory.
 "Perhaps truer words were never spoken, and what Madden said will be corroborated by all familiar with the career of Sullivan before and after his battle with Ryan.
 Tn the thirty-five years that have gone since Sullivan defeated Ryan I have seen all the great heavy weights in action.
 Time and again I have crossed tho continent t. see Joffries. Fitz- simmons, Corbett. Sharkey, John son, Jackson. Slavin. Ruhlin and others of the big fellows perform, l1t ."ar ia all tha. l1' did I sec man to compare with the Sull> van that faced Ryan that day in Mississippi.
 'I honestly bel'-ye that the Sulh- van of that day could have whipped all the heavyweights We have evel had since; whipped them all in one day and put each man out as fast as he stood up.
 "When I talk like that to some If the young fellows of the pres ent day. they laugh in my face aid say:
 Poor old Mir Muldoon. He doesn't know any better
 Alas, too many of them remem- Der Sullivan as he was that day when, fat as pig, bloated and untrained, he whipped poor Jake Kilrain or that night when at the end of his career of dissipation he fell before the skill and speed of Corbett
 "A great many laugh at me when tell them that before his fight with Ryan, Sullivan had never tast- ed of strong drink.
 "In 1880 Macon the great fight writer, brought Sullivan from his home in Boston to box four rounds with Prof John Donaldson at Gin cinnati Sullivan arrived in the Queen City in the winter time with no overcoat on his back.
 Tn his pockets he had nothing but a few pennies.
 ne lOOhtu SO IOuSH llidl oot' Bob Lynn, a Cincinnati sport, stalk ed him to a suit of clothes.
 Before his meeting with Don adson Sullivan was invited to a banquet given by a lot of Cincin n0ti s0orts VI 3 had fits when their question::
 What1l you have to drink?' Sully replied
 'Sarsaparilla'
 He was not educated up to the drink habit and this was the first time he had ever been so far iron his old fathers home in the Bostor Highlands.
 Donaldson was not sprins