Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-05
SULLIVAN CHAMPION or
ChAMP|OAS---MADDEN
"Discovcrcr" and First Manager Of
Noted Fighter Feels Big Fellows
Death as Personal Loss.

Cairo, n. u, Feb. 5.-Shockcd to hea
| of the passing of the CREATES. of American
| fighters, John l.. Sullivan. To me it is 4
personal loss, for notwithstanding the
many claimants it was my privilege &c
discover his wonderful powers and e
| undertake his pugilistic education.
John L. first attracted my attention In
1851 when | met him in Boston at jim
keenan's sporting cafe, where ] wss
! manager and gave boxing entertainments
with Peto Mccoy and others.
At that time he was known as the Bos-
ton Strong Roy, and had gained \ local
reputation as good, strong, rough
novice. always ready for a fight no matter
who the opponent, and had h d bouts
with Coekner Woods, Dan Dwyer, Mike
ID novan, Tommy Chandler, Jack Hogan,
Joe Goss and George Rookie.
SuIlivan's FIRST match with gloves took
ri in Cincinnati, O., where he defeat
ed Prof. John Donaldson in ten rounds. On
bis return TO Boston after this match. Sui
Ivan asked me to take him to New York.
At that time had been following box
ing for living about ten years and had
gained the reputation OF one Of the best
lightweights in America, and We made an
agreement as to divisio OF gate money IN
ur New York exhibitions. OF course Sui
lvan left all details of arranging these
affairs To me and the newspapers dubbed
me Manager, a title now IN such COM
mon use. but which had never been heard
of before that time In connection with
prise ghting.
at this time Sullivan was without know
lc ige Of the science Of boxing, but was a
might clever rough fighter, and il was my
l. - Il
be went at boxing with the same doggcd-
ness that made him world champion
fighter
We had verv little money, IN fact he
had none, but 80 well did / think of his
ability that We advertised 70 give $50 to
anv man whom he could not stop in four
rounds In those days, sI0wss big money
for a fight, and $50 looked like a small
fortune, and all the biz scrappers went
after il, thinking it was easy money.
His first victim was Steve Taylor, big
clever heavyweight. whom he knocked
out inside the four rounds with eight
ounce gloves. Th made Sullivan and the
boxing game popular. The contest wss held
at Harry hill Houston street place.
He then beat John Flood in the famous
barge tight with skin gloves. We travelled
about from one city 10 another, meeting
all co,ners. and John T. beat them all
with ease, never once being III trouble.
Eve used 10 give sparring matches in
the theatres and put on amateur bouts for
silver cups, Just managing TO make living
until finally we induced Paddy Ryan to
meet him for the worlds heavyweight
championship. The fight with bare
knucEles, took place In Mississippi City,
Miss, on Feb. Z, 1882, and Sullivan won
III nine rounds.
I'm lust eleven months Sullivan rose
from comparative obscurity to the posi-
ton of worlds champion heavyweight,
feat that no other fighter has ever eQuAlled.
Richard K Fox backed Ryan. Dave
Blanchard, Jim Keenan, and myself back
ed Sullivan. ] also trained and seconded
him.
II knew John l.. when he WAS at his
best, and in my opinion there never was
q man then or since who could beat him
Of that time. He was very quick, bull.
like an Apollo and game fighter and hard
hitter He could run 100 yards In IL
seconds and was veritable Hercules in
strength.
"He was then twenty-five years old and
st his best for the next three years, sitter
which ne commenced 10 get fat and gradu-
ally went Dach. Jonn baJltS corn was ms
worst enemy, but managed to keep him
away from the cup until he had won the
championship. He was big eater and .
great lover Of salt. He would drink o
pail Of water a day when he was on the
water wagon, and you can imagine how
much booze he would get away with when
he fell off. He had most kindly disposi-
ton and would do anything for a friend,
L,,f lile MANY great men IN any line of en-
deavor, could not bear to be crossed,
Asa fighter he was champion of cham
pions. all right, and think am aiudge. ("