The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1918-02-07
JOHNL SULLIVAN
CLAIMED BY DEATH
MOST INTERESTING FIGURE OF
PRIZE RING RENOWN PASSES
AWAY SUDDENLY.

AS was his wish. he died with his
shoes on" Although stricken with
heart trouble three weeks ago, ne
had quickly improved and was in no
sense an invalid. He was about to
leave his house for visit to Boston
when he received his final Knockout.
His friend and companion. George
M Bush, rushed to his side as the
old gladiator sank to the floor un-
conscious and revived him with cold
water applications to his head.
John L." responding quickly to
this treatment. and as in his palmy
DAYS in the prize ring, struggled to
his feet and refused to take the de-
cision of death. He reluctantly con.
sented to have a physician called
but after receiving medical treat
ment announced that he would have
q bath and keep his appointment.
Even as he expressed this determi-
nation he became unconscious and
died apparently without further
pain.
The body was taken to the home
of his sister in Boston. where fun
eral services were held Wednesday
morning.
Hardly had the news of the pass
ing of one of Americas greatest
fisticc champions been flashed broad
cas-: than messages of sympathy be-
gan pouring in from men in all walks
of life. Sullivan in his prime was
popular idol and he never entirely
lost his hold on the public.
, John L" always attributed his
loss of the American championship
to James j Corbett by a Knockout
10 New Orleans, September 7. 1892.
to liquor. He had made a fortune
in the prize ring and had spent it,
when his friends rendered him a
benefit concert in Boston to put him
on his feet again. The money OBJ
tanned from this venture went also
according to his ruling habit. and
then Sullivan's old fighting spirit
reasserted itself, and he announced
that he had entered the lists against
John Barleycorn for fight to the
finish.
He proclaimed his defiance of
drink from platforms throughout
the country and held himself up to
the youth as a horrible example of
what drink would do. He never let
up in his aggressive fight against
liquor.
He was fifty-nine years old when
he was counted out. He had often
expressed regret that he was too
old to go with the boys overseas,
but he was not too old to do his bit.
He never declined an invitation to
speak at flag raising or recruiting
rally or in behalf of the liberty loan.
Sullivan was never taught how to
box. He took to fighting naturally.
His first appearance in the ring was
at a variety performance in Boston
when he was in his teens" mag
nifcently built young man. weigh
ine nearly 200 pounds. A husky
boxer, who was one of the perform
ers, challenged anyone in the audi
ence to enter the ring with him. 1t
was a summons Sullivan could not
refuse. Peeing off his coat, he
leaped upon the stage, took a blow
to the head and knocked out his op-
ponent with one clean punch straight
from the shoulder.
Sullivap's hardest fight was with
Jake Kilrain. 1t was fought near
New Orleans. lasting for Is rounds.
That was the last championship con-
test in the United States to be
fought with bare knuckles, under
the old rules.
That fight practically decided the
uselessness of trying to beat Sulli.
van by combating him in his own
sledge hammer style. A SO round
fight with Charley Mitchell, wary
and skilled boxer, seemed to show
fighting managers that the great
John L might be vulnerable to a
man who could box we'll and stay
with him long enough to wear him
down. The opportunity to try this
method on the champion fell to
James Corbett. The purse was the
largest ever put up in ring battle
up to that time. The purse was
s25, 900 and the stakes $4,000. The
fight that was to end John LIS
championship was fought before the
Olympic club of New Orleans. When
the fight was over there was new
champion of the world. Sullivan
was "a al the time of his defeat.