Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-02-25
CHAPTER V.

On warm, sunny morning 1000 men
assembled at Mississippi City, and went
from there to a spot near Scott IS station
With them were John j. Sullivan, the
young fighting demon from the east,
and Paddy Ryan, claimant of the Am
erican heavyweight championship.
Within fifty yards Of the murmuring
waters Of the Gulf of Mexico, and with
the warm breezes from the south watt
ing scent Of spring, they pitched a
ring on the turf, And there the fight
that made John i. Sullivan the heavy
weight champion Of America was held.
Less than ten minutes after the time
the men were called to scratch by the
referee Ryan lay a broken, bleeding
relic of a man, fondled in his corner
by his attendants, and John L. Sulli~
van, painting from his exertions, his
fists cracked and bleeding, stood leering
Across from the ring, champion.
The two gladiators formed wonder
full pair as they stripped in the glisten-
ing sun Murmurs Of admiration went
all around as the champion peeled down
to his white flannel brooches and white
stockings. He was huge man, weigh
ing about fifteen pounds more than his
younger antagonist, and muscled superb
Iy. But admiration turned to the other
man when Sullivan peeled off his clothes
and stood, a young Apollo, in green
breeches and white stockings. No one
doubted as they looked at the challeng-
er that the most dangerous man Ryan
faced stood to meet him that day. And
the betting Immediately was influenced.
Ryan, the champion, was ON the short
end when the betting started. Sullivan
was made a 10 to s favorite.
There was some trouble over the ref
cree, 50 an agreement was reached that
two men should administer rules Of the
battle. They were Alexander Brewster
and Jack Hardy.
Then the fight was on without any
preliminaries. With the shouts Of the
1000 fight mad fans ringing in their
ears the men leaped from their corners
at the call Of time, and walked briskly
to the point designated as scratch
in the old London prize ring rules.
There they stood for an instant, each
cycling the other.
Sullivan Is plan Of battle included, as
much as anything, a system of facial
expressions and aetions-terrifying in
the extreme. Most Of his opponents were
cowed into submission long before they
ever felt the iron weight Of his tremen'
bous fist. And this was the method he
employed against the champion. He
scowled and growled as Ryan walked
nervously forward, and barely moved
his head as the champion Is left shot at
him twice in feinting movements.
To the surprise of Ryan, Sulli a. did
not Jump backward and then step for
ward to renew the fight Glaring vi
ciously, he stood his ground. 1t always
had been a rule of Sulliyan's never to
move backward. His line of battle was
simply to find his base Of operations,
plant his feet there and defy anything
to remove him, and that was the dis
concerting method he used against Ry-
an.
AS Ryan s left hand flashed twice to"
ward his body Sullivan chopped down
ward with his left, against the guard
Of the champion. and swung his right
for the head. He missed and Ryan came
back again with his left hand. He also
missed and Sullivan lost his patience.
He rushed Ryan and the champion broke
ground as the demon from Boston rush !
cd, his arms flaying the air. Left and
right thrashed past the champion s head
and he blocked them at first. But Sulli-
van was irresistible, and, as Ne swung