The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-04
Veteran Boxer Says Sulli, van Was His Own Worst Enemy, But Was Always Square As g. Die.

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 New York. Feb. 4-"So he's gone GONE!- My, what man, what a fighting man! John L. Sullivan S name will outlive that of the greatest ring warriors-for he was that hiHn- self"
 And Mike Donovan, of Sullivan s youth, and Prof. Mike Donovan of ours sat in deep thought with his snow-white head nesting between his two knarled hands.
 ~Greatest Roman of them all .'' he began again. q named him that the big fellow John-and I did not agree, not always, but liked the big rough fellow to the bottom of my heart despite his faults. He was his own worst enemy, but he made a come back that will be a goal for many a man to come, men who have lost the grip on themselves.
 "John was a rough fellow, but square as a die. He made no pretense of being gentle, and in the ring heavens above-the fellow was bull dog, loosened from his chain. That fellow knocked them dead on the run.
 "He was the first of all the agress- i've fighters. I'll never forget the first day I met him in 1880. Tom Early had a little palace in Boston. I was in town with a show. Tom called me aside and told me that there was a young fellow from Highlands, @ sec : tion of Boston, that they called the i Boston Highlands Strong Boy and said: I want you to look him over.'
 "The next day they brought him in and looked him over. What a lad! f Big as a house, you know honestly i big. Dressed rough like a truck ] driver or a street car driver-well, , like truck driver, because he looked i strong. He was about 22 or 23. I ! looked him up and down without even a word from either of us. I , noticed that he was fidgeting, so said.
 '""I hope you don't mind me look i ing at you this way. They've told me | about you so that I'm going over you l like I would a prize horse. Say, by | George, young fellow, you look pretty strong
 'John cleared his throat and in a voice that actually startled me, grum- i bled, Yes, AM pretty strong
 '+That was the beginnings
 S-Pd like to get some pointers from you on fighting,' Sullivan began. T l box with lot of fellows, but nobody can give me any pointers.'
 "I promised to show him a few the next day, but had been having trou- ] tN1 oh md the next day it was so bad that had to disappoint Sullivan. Dan Dwye1 l and I went to see him box some fel- low a few nights later, and the mo- ment saw him put up his hands told Dwyer that young Sullivan had all the points of a, fighter.
 Jimmy Elliott at my elbow begar | to wrangle with me because of my opinion. shut Elliott up by telling him that young Sullivan could whiI him and he did later on. I liked hit style so well that saw him after the show and said:
 Sullivan, you come around to my theatre on Friday night and I'll wint up with you.' And he did and wt wound up in a style that would have tfckled the heart of Nero. We hat the devils own fight. had too mucH clevernOss to allow him to get me, bu how he did come.
 "I had a notion that I would lilSt to be the Iightest heavyweight cham pion in history, but when I put m! head down to work close on Sulli vans body and he chopped dowl hammer like with his right, thougl l .V- IL. I L. T s.- terest; well, some interest in tn heavyweight situation, right there.
 broke my right hand on him with tn very last punch.
 ''He came around the next day, ant I was lamenting the fact that was il training for a championship bout witt George Rooke Of England. Sullivan wanted to take my place, Stout hearted, wasn't he?
 q was. training down at Coney Is land. I used Joe Goss on the road.
 told Joe about the Boston Highland Strong Boy, and he remarked that h ought to- be. a good man for him t meet in Boston. Joe was to figh Paddy Ryan first. I told him righ there that Sullivan could whip tn both of them. Joe laughed and
 warned him that if he made tn match Sullivan would knock him ou with one of those chopping blows t the neck,
 "If you go in with your head dow to light his body he'll drop you. I KNOW. Joe laughed tnd eventual weht to Boston to meet Sullivan.
 had it right. Joe rushed in, an hang down he went I saw The in hi dressing room, and he howled: 'Blim ] was never it so hard in all me loif' What DID the brighter it me with low aid eft me? 9"