New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-04-09

Mr.. Corhett is writing on John l. AS
IL Knew Him. It relates many here
atofore unpublished Incidents in the
life of the great warrior. Inc heA'
#chapter will appear tomorrow
few DAYS after our fight in New
AOrleans, John l.. Sullivan announced:
ct am through with the ring Tor
all time"
\ Unlike most other beaten cham
Mions, John L. kept his resolve. only
twice after that did he appear in &C
live ring harness and on both of those
@ccasions it merely was in exhibition
Bouts. His first temperance before
Nm audience after the New Orleans
battle was when a big benefit was
8iven for him In Madison Square Gar
ZEN. New York City.
IN When the testimonial was being ar
BANGED. those behind the project wired
Asking me IL I would agree to engage
IA a. four-round exhibition with the
treat warrior. I consented gladly.
s. A big crowd witnessed the sparring
match. John and I boxed in ring at
IRE, but the four rounds were tame.
Neither of us extended ourselves and
he exhibition wasn't productive Of
thrills. But it seemed to satisfy the
#ldience.
Some of John LIS friends declared
Mter our New Orleans contest that
#e great fighter left that city "broke";
Nat the last dollar of the huge for
#ne which he had earned on the
#hge and in the ring was gone.
#hether this is true or not / cannot
MH, but I do know that Sullivan
III 1sn't very flush in the latter days
81 1892.
MBut the chance to rebuild his shat
FED wealth came in 1893, through
HI insisted clamor of the public to
Is him on the stage. That demand
Wiuenced a theatrical tour which be-
"a in 1898 and carried into 1894.
MOther champions in pugilistic his
~ have been dethroned and have
/ Mfered the common fate-loss of
&pularity. But not so with john l..
@livan. The public loved him as it
I Ns er has any other athlete; it idol
Y M him and in every city that John L.
M ted on that 1S93-94 tour he Was
\ @eted like a conquering hero.
# And his share of the profits was
M ut $4,000.
N M fter a few months Of taking it
-" John L. decided on another
y 8 De around under the management
& M Parson Davies. Approximately
1000 was SulIivan's share of the
d its of that engagement. In 1896,
Ter the management of Duncan
h @ rison, he made another jaunt
" & ugh the country which netted him
81 M ut $4,000.
n 10 more striking evidence Of the
A derful popularity Of John l.. Sui
u "a can be presented than the state
n W is made in the paragraphs above;
II M statement which shows that the
Il at warrior made close to $225,OO0
81 ing q period after his retirement
N 4the prize ring.
i M
n Inn LIS last appearance as q boxer
81 M on August 81, 1896, in Madison
81 H re Garden, New York. And, on
Il night, to the surprise of the
q king world, the old fellow, woe
W out of condition, gave the youth
81 W aggressive Tom Sharkey something
b M boxing lesson.
By W was in 1896 that Sharkey, who
81 me- made O. reputation for himself
8 - the Pacific Coast went East
81 4handlers were anxious to bring
# into the pugilistic spotlight. They
to match him with some of the
&S H. fnent Eastern heavyweightS, but
@ In this emergency someone
~ Asted that Sharkey's greatest in
8 ction to the Eastern fighters
be secured through the medium
51 exhibition bout with Sullivan.
81 IN L., approached on the subject,
n HEM Id to the bout.
hough the exhibition was sched-
# eor only three rounds of one min
n6
8 rnmons. Peter Maher, Frank
Tim Hall and many other pug
M satellites of that day were
8 Snrinkled throughout the audi
@% were some of the most prom1-
~ men in municipal, professional
# on naercial life along the Atlantic
& bird. It was a multitude that went
8 e a welcome and final send
the champion of champions"
en John L. walked into the
8 wild cheer for the great fight
M Ike forth. A few seconds after
M Sharkey jumped through the
W 8 The sailor threw aside his
M inas an revealed one of the most
full physiques any man ever car
@ snto the prize ring. MeanWhle'
|SS8 oUd was specializing as to what
kaneath the robe of John L. It
have to wait long. The idol Of
& III hi can sport lovers shed his bath
ard a chorus Of "Ohs' swept
8 h the crowd.
II M L. had carried into the ring
ght close to 800 pounds. Rolls
Sx S hung down from his belt. He
M soggy and pudgy and a thou
niles removed from any appear
W BE ring athlete. The crowd
| look at Sharkey, another at
M and then it began to feel
E3 For the noblest Roman Of them
But it's sympathy was entirely
I'D for.
s before the bout began the
# dam nd I'd a speech. John l.