Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-02-19
HISTORY OF LIFE
OF LATE CHAMPION,
INTERESTING TALE
DOwned by john BarleycOrn
He Afterward Triulnphed
Over His Appelites
! By H. @. Hamilton

united FfoSS SbdII correspondent
Copyright, 1918, by the United Press
CHAPTER I
A history OF the life of John L. Sui
livan must necessarily be a story of
great endeavor, of singularly applied
powers of concentration and achieve
ment-and of romance and pathss and
tragedy and comedy. For there never
was another like the famous old glad
iator who died q few days ago in Mas
sachusetts. The rolliclSing tales of the
old pirates, the adventurous songs OF
the caveman, the thrilling romance of
early days in American history, and
the absorbing human interest OF a
Mark Twain all are combined in the
illustrious life of the only man the
prize ring ever produced who could
lay claim to such popularity as John
l.. Sullivan.
A battler Of men he was, and bat
aler of good and bad liquor. He down
ed men in his best days and in his
turn was dOwned by one Of them. But
his triumph over John Barleycorn and
his neighbor, Fred X. Hangover were
complete and lasting For fourteen
Years John T.. had not allowed himself
a taste of the grape that Omar hhay-
yam and some others made famous. lie
died, wholly clean and free from the
effects Of his worst enemy.
There is not a question in the minds
Of the older followers Of pugillsm put
that John L. would have retired an
undefeated champion had he trained
along tho more faithful lines Of some
of the present day glove wielders Sui
livan s strength was so crushing, ms
dashinp energy 50 overpowerlng that
no man could stand up against him for
any length of time while he was IN
his prime, And when the time finally
came for him to be counted out on the
muddy. soggy turf at Richmond Miss,
with the youthful and 1.-the James j.
Corbett standing over him, it was not
because he had been beaten down. III
was because the shell of the once pow
erful fighting man had dropped from
exhaustion. Even in his losing mo-
ments he had driven himself at top
speed, straight into the ripping and
cutting left hand jabs shot at him ny
Corbett. His legs finally collapsed, re-
fusing to function under such utter
exhaustion.
The story of this wonderful old
fighters life is an inspiration. 1t
brings an echo of endeavor that should
ring true to every youngster, To gaze
over the history of Sullivan, 'to follow
his struggles, first against poverty as
o. tinsmith, plumber helper, tow boy,
then to fortune, fame, the black BOTTLE
and again popularity and the retiring
life of a gentleman farmer, is enough
to mako any man know he can win II
he applies himself,
Sullivan, demon in the ring, was
so only because he had one object in
He was the champion
and was frankly aware of it. The fact
meant one thing to him-that he he
must prove it when the opportunity
Offered itself, just as quickly as he
could He knew nothing of present day
methods of champions-to stand in
ring and defend himself against
knockout as long as he could.
1t was his honest, fairplay tactics
that endeared him to the hearts of
American sport lovers. Wherever he
went he was greeted with cheers No
sports champion before or since has
gained the following that mourned the
death of John L. Sullivan.
John L. Sullivan is dead, but he
leaves behind him the Marquis of
Queensbury rules to govern champion
ship contests He leaves the memory of
n true fighting man who hated to
his last defeat He sleeps
in the Massachusetts, cemetery near
whero he was born, but his name will
ever blaze on the pages of pugilistie
history.