The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-06
IohnL.ssKl,epHn %JanloS J.CorbeH

(Note: This is the seventeenth chapter of series of articles which Mir Corbett is writing on ''John l.. as I Knew Him" It relates to many heretofore unpublished incidents in the life of the great war rior. The next instalment will appear tcmorrow.)
 John l.. Sulivan's failure to knock out Charlie Mitchell in their battle on French soil in 1888 was crushing blow to the pride of the American champion. Through all the years of his pugilIstic greatness he had declared: "I can whip any man in the world in a finish fight" Never had he failed to make good--until he met Mitchell the second time. It was gallng to him that, in S9 seconds of fighting in 1888 he had failed to stop the little man whom he had battered almost to a pulp in less than three rounds of glove fighting five years before. As John l.. Sullivan pondered over the outcome of that bare knuckle battle with Mitchell he at last came to the con clusion which friends had tried to force upon him through all the years of his 
 proper foods, lack of training and whis- ky could wreck the most powerful phys ique that human ever had.
 So John l.. came back to America a sadder but wiser man. Those who were
 intimate with John L. noticed that q bg change had come over him follow ing this trip to England. The erstwhile supreme confidence in himself had waned n t~tf I1h a1t ,nf odt ting the possibility of defeat at the hands of any man had come to the realization that his health, wonderful as it had been in his earlier days, couldn't stand up under the battering of evil living. So he became little more temperate, a little moderate in his habits, and for the first time in his career actually got down to a point of ystematic-although mild training.
 But John L., despite his inability to whip Mitchell, remained as the greatest idol in pugilistic America His friends were legion; everywhere throughout the United States crowds fought for the priv iege of shaking his hand. His failure to triumph over Mitchell was excused and justly so-by the explanation that he was totally out of fighting condition; that he had underestimated his foe and overestmated his powers to stand up
 
 A benefit performance was given for John L. in Boston on May 15, which was short time after his return to the United States. This netted him 5000. Less than a month later his friends in New York city4also arranged Madison Square Garden testimonial, adding $000 to the bankroll of the great American fighter.
 But John L., despite the continued show ad al hnt he wasn't the same old John l.. that he had before him the greatest fight of all Ito get back into the condition of his earlier and more temperate years. Some persons claim that John L.'s failure to stop the British fighter broke his heart" But this seems to be an exaggerated statement It took from John l.. some .of the superlative confidence in his own ability; made him little more serious and steadied him down considerably the best thing that could have happened to him.
 John l.. wasn't back from England very long before Jake ISiirain began to volley him with challenges for finish fight. under London prize ring rules for the heavyweight championship. Kilrain who had the financial backing of Richard K. Fox, claimed that Sullivan had run out, of match with him in 1887 and Kilrains followers continued to insist that Sullivan is afraid to meet Jake. "
 The champion held off taking official cognizance of these challenges for while and then. on December 2. 1888, de- lighted the sporting world with this statement:
 q will fight Jake Kilrain finish bat tie, under London prize ring rules for a $10O,0 side bet. As soon as Kilrain makes a deposit to guarantee good faith. will make arrangements for the sign ing of the articles.
 Almost as soon as Sulivan's challenge had been given to the public, Fox. act ing in behalf of Kilrain, posted $500 in the bank to guarantee Kilrains appear ance. on January '. 1889. the articles were signed in Toronto for what was to be the last bare knuckle fight on American soil with championship at stake.
 QUESTIONS} AND ANSWERS
 Dear MT Corbett: When and where did Battling Nelsoh win the Lightweight champiQnship? ARTHUR WALTON.