The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-11
CURBETT TELLS Of
GREAT BATTLE WITH
JOHN |. SULLIVAN
Story of the 1892 Mil In Which the
FRESH Kid From California"
Won Championship
GENTLEMAN JIM UNscnATcHED
bout Goes Twenty Rounds OF Sctenti fic
sparring, But When Gong Opens
Twenty-fIrst Young Aspirant Be-
comes Raging Demon

By JAMES j. CoRBETT
copyright, 1917, by King Features
Sydnicate, Incl
Twenty-Five years ago in September
won the heavyweight championship
Of the world by defeating John L. Sui
lHan. 1t was not a popular victory.
Sullivan had been the public idol for
ye'1rs. He was the best loved cha m :
pfon the world of boxing ever knew.
lie was generally considered unbeat-
able, Year after year he had fought
practically all Of the greatest warriors
rusilism produced. None could beat
him.
And then on September 7. 1892. "a
fresh kid from California" came elong
and knocked him QUITO the surprise
of the sporting world Some folks
since then have claimed that / caught
Sullivan when he was on the down
srade--that he wasn't in condition to
battle me that night. Others have
gone farther and termed mine n fluke
win. They couldn't conceive any
other way in which victory for me
was possible Sullivan ont weighed
me. Sullivan was a craft ring war
rior ana sullivan had terrible nu9ch.
So how was ii possible for mor IA he
tho victor. unless aided ny fortuper
Few persons ever conceded nae any
real credit for that VICTORY.
Some time ago I wrote my own
story Of the sullivan fight II was
complete I'm six chapters Since then
many persous have asked me to re-
peat that story in this column: New
readert Of my stories who did NOT see
any OF the six articles have made n
similar request But the granting OF
Il is not possible
Just the otter dav came across a
eopy OF a paper ~ Thursday morning.
September 8. 1872 II contains an ac-
count CT my contest with sullivan.
aa~ll.l@s- !.
douhfedlv are IA millar with most OF
the intimate details of that encounter.
But the Younger ones are not II Is
for them, and for those who have
asked me- 10 rereet my story of that
feht that | am .reprintfng. word for
W ord. the round hy-round story OF
nav fight with Sullivan, which was de-
scrIbed nv an unbiased writer who
was at the ~inrside on the night of
September 7. 1Sas
First Round
At 9.A7 the giants shook hands,
sullivan led with his left and missed.
rnrhett stopped another left. Sull.
wan swung hard with his right aud
missed again. Corbett danced around
IN O. tantiiiztne manner. There were
Misses from the crowd. Sullivan
rushed Jim to The ropes Init ala not
land :, Tp,to this ttNiea Cowh@tt had not
led and WAS hissed roundlv for not
doing SO Sullivan rushed swung his
right, bat fsl short. Sullivan's lips
were clinched together and he looked
III tfaas mr. n
single blow reached him. Although
John rushed him no less than FIVE
times ana led with left and right half
A. Dozen times he ala not touch the
Californian. Corhett aid not attempt
TO lead,
Second Round.
sullivan was angry and Corhett
smtlinE Sullivan tried TO get to him
but fell short, Again ne tried II hut
failed: again sullivan landed with his
left open hand on Corbett's face very
lightly Finally sullivan rurhed him
TO the ropes and landed lightly with
his left and right, Corbett getting
away by heavy ducking Corbett got
back with the left on his stomach.
his first lend In The fight They kept
on adding er4t4- estrtet. ltet,t dancing
around Sullivan ATTEMPTED no more
leads until near the close Of the
round, wher he hit Corhett on the
shoulder with hts RIGHT lust as the
rong sounded Corhett pushed his left
hand into Sullivan's stomach and was
loudly cheer~a
Third Round.
Sullivan led but by an easv duck
Corhett was out Of range. Sullivan
rushed. Corhett ran. hut turned and
stopped him. Sullivan landed on hack
hack with left as Corhett ran. Cor
bett landed twice on the stomach hard
and strong, nnd got away without ar
return. Again sullivan led and
missed. He was LOUDLY cheered Sui
Ivan rushed end touched liebtlv and
received soake- IN the stomach.
Cerbett. hv beautiful durks and side
stems. avoided several vicfously-aimed
iefthanders.
Eorrrh Rowna
kulliyaa tried. hut ava n IL WIS the
ofd thinr--4~orhetf waS "ut OF ran~a
suIliv.n pushed forward for n rush
ara then stonned, and as he did COG
hett nut htstri~ht on hts face nehtl-'
sullivan thought he her him cnrnered.
TIE re',tcA two or thren t'roes for
,arritor,- TO lord hnt ~ortett ~ot av-a.. 4
sullivan swr,w hard WITH hlv r'~i,t
h,,t II vas tho en1pts o'r co~~aft
countered NIGHTLY IN tn" nose S'"H-
,ao IN rr~hi~c forward went i'r+N
f.orhat,'~ e+~o tent f~ft with h'S N,"''-H
r.orhett's rtcht next found 'oa~~'c's,
m S,lIlivar's ribs. They were hdd"p~
p,he, tho cong sounded for the clos
OF tho round
Fsfsh RSrud.
TWO li~ht EXCHANGES onened the
round. sullivan rushed. hnt was met
,,,it,, n stir left in tho face. sullivan
swung with all his mieht and Gorhett
4,s. missed 1t. AS sullivan pushed
fo~vcrd for a rush Corhett met him
Ian a straight blow on the no~~.
,bich turned on n big tap of blood. I
fsorhett followed 1t I'M with several on |
t,e injured snot He followed again |
With a hard lefthander on Sullivan's !,
sace. and in the rest of the round had !
the big fellow at his mercy Corhett |
was cheered loudly. Sullivan's fare !
r,a. smeared with blood when the
round closed,
sixth Round. Al
The big fellow landed better after
=. had been sponged In his corner.