The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-12-25
Corbett's Daily Letter
On Great Sport Topics
ny LANES J. CoRBETT

excitement ] might go so far as to try
to jump into the ring If my other eff
forts to impart advice to Rubin did not
succeed.
But Rubin, continued after the first
minute and a half Of fighting, to act
like man in a daze. And that saved
Bob Fitzsimmons The Cornishman was
given a chance to rest up a little, his
logged brain began to clear and by the
time the round came to an end he had
recovered. The minutes rest after the
first round helped him still further, and
he came out a much different man in
the second round. Also from that time
on he fought a different fight. He didn't
get near enough to Rubin to permit Gus
to do much of his famous left jabbing
or to land his solid right-handers
Along about the third round Rubin be-
gan to tire. In the fourth he was
mighty weary athlete. Fitz meanwhile
had recovered entirely from the effects
of the awful bombardment he got in the
first round-and tho end was obvious.
1t came in the sixth round. Bob
tricked Rubin into some close range
fighting, then backed away Gus and,
as Gus came in Bob shot his pile-driver
left into Ruhlin's stomach-and the
battle was over. Rubin had to be car
ried to his corner and then to his dress
ing room and it was a long, long time
before he came out of his state of coma.
This victory marked the fourth sue
ceSsiVe knockout triumph for Fitz since
the time he had lost the championship
and after brief rest he went into short
training for his bout with Tom Sharkey,
which followed two weeks after the Rub
lin contest.
| Bob Fitzsimmons always had admitted
that the luckiest fight he ever won was
| that against Tom Sharkey on August "a,
1900. Sharkey, rushing, roughing, ag-
| gressive type of fighter, went out after
Bob with the bang of the first gong imi-
| tating Ruhlins tactics Of two weeks be-
| fore, and kept after Bob. Bob hit Shar-
| key some solid blows in that first round
| but they had little effect upon the bat
| Ting sailor. On the other hand, Shar-
key with his boring in tactics, was al
ways close up to Fitz, and he doled
out to the Australian a severe punish
ment.
! After a bit of toe-to-toe fighting in the
center of the ring in that first round
Sharkey let loose a terrific right-hander
/ which caught Bob Fitzsimmons flush on
the point of the jaw. The Cornishman
dropped to the floor completely out But
luck was with him. Just as the count
started the bell rang, the round was
| over, and Bob FitZsimmons was saved
| Bob was completely unconscious as the
bell rang, and his seconds had to run
| out to carry him to his corner. There
| they worked over him in frantic fash
/ ion and through a near-miracle brought
| him around in time for the second round
| With the bang of the second round
gong, Sharkey, feeling confident of vic
tory, threw caution to the four winds
and went rushing at F'itz. He deter
mined to finish him in that round
| Sharkey came in with his mouth OPEN
his arms hanging at his sides-and then
it happened! Fitz landed terrific wal
| lope on the unprotected mouth of the
sailor and Sharkey, dazed, backed away
Realizing his advantage, the Cornishman
| followed it up. Before the round was
half over he had battered Sharkey TO
| a point where the next blow-a right
| handler to the jaw-sent the sailor down
and out for the full count.
| Many persons have talked about the
! recuperative powers of Bob Fitzsim-