The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-11

This is the twenty-second chapter ot series of articles which MT. Corbett | is writing on John l.. as Knew Him. " | It relates many heretofore unpublished incidents in the life of the great war rior. The next chapter will appear to- ] morrow.
 The Sullivan Kilrain fight in Rich burg. Miss, in 1889. sounded the death knell for bare knuckle fighting. It was indisputably brutal contest and even those fans who loved the sight i of gore in a prize ring had their de- sires more than satisfied. And so when public sentiment condemned Lon don prize ring fighting no one maoe a defense in it's behalf. And pare knuckle fighting was banned. "That suits me perfectly" declared John l.. Before my fight with hli- rain I stated that 1t would be my last bare knuckle contest. Hereafter all i, my fights will be under Marquis or Queensbury rules"
 l And then the big question arose: .Who shall be the heavyweight champion or the Wotlu uAiuSh and Queensbury rules?"
 John L. Sullivan at once answered: T am the champion under London prize ring rules, and guess I'm just as much entitled as anybody else to the title under Marquis of Queensbury rules I helped to introduce glove fighting in this country and was the fn cloves in 1 big contests. So I hereby claim the Marquis of Queensbu ury title.' A large majority of the public agreed 1 with John L., but when Peter Jackson, ! the great negro warrior, set up d claim there were some folks who felt {, that he had as much right to the | Queensbury championship as had the ! mighty Bostonian. This element pointed out that Jackson was the real
 Marquis of Queensbury type of fighter; a clever, brainy boxer and one given l more to speed and science than to
 brutal strength. But John L. scoffed | at Jacksons claims.
 1 At once the negro began to hurl challenges at the mighty white man.
 He pointed to his record as evidence ! that he, above all other men active Tn l the ring at that time, had right to | IlEnJ Wllu JOHn iI cuiiiNoit. -AAiN Jackson's work certainy was impress l sive.
 I The negro who was trifle more than six feet tall, and weighed in the 1 neighborhood of 195 pounds, had be- l gun his career in Australia in lSSS Five years later he arrived in San Francisco and his wonderful boxing ability soon made him sensation. He took on foes as fast as they cared to T r... y Rk~~ h aAv E 0 went down and out before his merci less attack After having whipped all the prominent boxers in the wes.
 Jackson swung through to the east and his success continued.
 And then Jackson went to England There he met and defeated eight ol the best fighters in that country. lr 1890 he returned to the United States and continued along his winning way
 With each new triumph he hurled new defis at John l.. Sullivan. But the biz
 champion settled the question. win you 1 fight Jackson?' by announcing:
 ''I draw the color line. I will not fight
 a negro
 Every pressure was brought to beas to get John L. into the ring with Jack, son.. but the white man absolutely re | fused. Some persons. who were not friendly in their feelings toward Sulli- {, van claimed that John l.. was afraid to meet Jackson: that he feared that the wonderful skill of the negro ant i his superior speed would be too much foi 1 John l.. in a finish bout. But despite al l these slurs on his ability, John l.. was
 steadfast in his refusal to take on Jack.
 son.
 Il think 1 have earned rest. l have 1 fought practically every man that cared
 to face me almost from the day thai ! | whipped Paddy Ryan. During my ca.
 reer SO far I have licked moro than