Norwich bulletin., 1917-12-08
OF FIGHTING FITZ


 With Great 'Fighter-His Marvellous
 Heavyweight Champion - earroom
 RawI With corbett.
 By WILLIAM Fl. RODYAP
 Sports Editor Public ledger
 From the middleweight champ;on to the worlds heavyweight titlekolder is a big leap. Few have ma<Ye 1t in the history of the ring. It took Bob F'itz- simmons six yea~a two months and three oaN.' 10 Lake it. Tn that inter- vening tr:<ss he cont rihuted many bright ssases to pugilistic history. Aft CT -anEy Bob had beaten the hereto -1re invincible Jack Dempsey in such a decisive manner he found it diffi- cut to get any n1idd!eweights to face him in the ring. Clubs, promoters and matchmakers met the same obstacles Only two middleweights in America had the .emerity to match their skill against him in 1891 after his Demp- sey conquest. They were Abe Congle in Chicago, who Fitz disposed of in two rounds, ard Black Pearl in Min neapolis, who was flattened in four rounds.
 Then the heavyweights began to yearn for a crack at the physical freak. Billy Madden had brought Peter Ma her over from Ireland. Madden real ized the charm and magnetism of an d1cn cnlfnPlOn. lie thought ne cOuIu make Peter tine worlds heavyfeight 1 titleho1der. Madden doped it out that Fitz would make grand trial horse for MaheT In other words he was eag- CT to test the Celt's ability to take punishment because Billy. knew that Lapky Bob could give it.
 If Mahcr had possessed the heart, of if FitZsimmons supporter had not tapped the bell a few seconds too soon, F'itz might never have reached the Of many at the ringside on that memor able March 2. 1892. it the Olympic club on Royal street, New Orleans, say that Maher had Fitz whipped early in that fight.
 Maher knocked Eitz down in the first round and Tad his all but out when the bell sounded. He was dragged to his corner by Joe Choyn=k:~ and revived during the minutes rest. He came back lighting hard and from the third rourf to the twelfth when the end came, he made it hot for Maher that the latter simply quit and walk ed to his corner.
 "n's no use," he remarked to Mad den and to those at the ringside, That fellow is q devil"
 Maher weighed ITS pounds, while Fitz scaled 165. just 12 1-2 pounds more than when he beat Dempsey. The end of the fight was specta cular. When the ninth round rolled around Maher was nearly through. He was blowing and. puffing like a steam engine.
 Lets rest while said F'itZ.
 ''No, come on and firht, you black guard" said Maher savagely.
 Fitz took him at his word and from then on made the going so tough for the Irishman that every Maher man a big betting event. Two or three times the hopes of the fans were re- vived when Peter statred one of his Inaymakers. but every time L-gf 1.ie Sorx tci6 6o the danger zone. When the bell rang ending the twelfth round Maher shook his head at his seconds as if to say
 ''No more of this flor me"
 Captain Barrett. of the New Or leans police asked Maher if he was through and Peter nodded assent.
 F-itz. good sport that he was. forgot the many vile epithets that Maher had over, shook his hand and kissed him on the forehead :. Kissing ones op- ponent seemed to be the proper thing in those days.
 ..1 @You dii very we'll" said Fitz. then she turned to his seconds and asked fo1. a flask Taking long draueht he then handed it to F'itz.
 Will you join me asked Maher.
 of course I wiII2' answered Fftz, and he drained the bottle.
 FitZ cana north for short trip ito exhibit his proWess and incidentally to pick up some stray ducats. He boxed three contests in Newark, one in this city and one in New York, beating James Farrell in two rounds, Joe God frey in one and Jerry -Slattery in two. He then returned south and beat Mil lard Bender as Anniston. Ala, in ons round.
 Fitz found himself in a dilemma aft CT his conquest of Maher when he re- turned to New Orleans. Jim Hall had lomed up in America. He was hot on Fitz's trail, because the story had preceded him that his victory over Lanly Bob in Australia was a f1uke It was the newspapers that forced the match, for in those days ring contests were discussed on the editorial pages as we'll as the sports sheets. Hall Crescent City Athletic club ring, which had succeeded the Olympic club for the time being in bidding for pat ronage. 4 purse of $40. 900 was order ed for the bout, but it was never paid. Fitz won in four rounds by a right hand half-arm uppercut. He received just a tithe of the original purse. He said he would never meet another heavyweight.
 Fftz was a spectator at the Sulli- van-Corbett fight when the ex-Ca1ifor- mia bank clerk won the worlds title Sejt. '. 1892, in the Olympic Club ring. The next morning the crowd hocked to see the new champion. The writer the late Thomas J. Ryan, then harbor master of Philadelphia, and Jack Mo Auliffe spent the morning with Sul7 livan, consoling him in defeat. Cor bett was seen later in the day.
 An incident occurred, which Fitz verified, but which, threw doubt on his declaration that he would never meet another heavyweight. The story goes in New Orleans that Fitz went to Corbett's dressing room, knocked at the door and remarked to the sem try in charge that the middleweight champion would like to congratulate the new heavyweight champion. Cor bett apparently had little use for F'itz, for he sent him a slurring mes- sage. Fitz shrugged his big shoul- ders and passed on, remarking:
 That Corbett had better enjoy his championship while he has it. for if ever I decide want it I'll take it away from him! I can beat him any time I want to-
 The expression evidently sank deep