The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-04-08
GRIM REAPER
HAS CLAIMED
MANY CHAMPS

D0dI1 HAS IdhC4l q SONNAS wa ~
famous ring champions during the
past few months. Charley Mitchell
who died the other day, was the 7th
to go within less than a years time.
The long list of fatalities began when
Les Darcy answered the call last May.
Unfortunately Darcy never received
chance to show his form in this coun-
try, but there is little doubt that he
was a great fighter and worthy to be
classed with the old time heroes of
the ring.
Bob Fftzsimmons was the next to
cross the Great Divide. F'itz was the
holder of three Championships
middleweight, light heavyweight and
heavyweight. He was rated as the
greatest fighter that ever drew on
glove.
John L. Sullivan, who died last Feb
ruary, was the greatest public idol the
prize ring ever had. He held the
heavyweight championship for ten
years and never was defeated in a
bare knuckle fight.
Terry McGovern, classed as the
greatest featherweight boxer of all
! time, died one day later. than Sulli-
van. Terrible Terry was a smaller
edition of Sullivan. He battered his
opponents down by the terrific speed
and fury of his attack. Science was of
little avail against his whirlwind
methods, such rings wizards as Frank
Erne, Joe Cans and George Dixon go
ing down before him.
Mike Donovan, who died recently,
was one of the early middleweight
champions. He won the title from
George Rookie in 1874 and held it I'M
til 1882, when he retired from the
ring undefeated. For many years
Donovan acted as boxing instructor at
the New York A. C. He never lost his
love for the game, and it was while
indulging in his favorite form Of exer-
else that he contracted a cold which
afterward developed into pneumonia.
Dick Burge, one time lightweight
champion of England, succumbed to
pneumonia last month. Burge was
known in this country principally
through his defeat by Kid Lavigne,
who went over to England in 1896
and knocked him out in seventeen
rounds.
OF the famous old time champions
still living Jim Corbett is the most
prominent. Corbett, who succeeded
Sullivan, was the second heavyweight
to hold the championship of that class
under Marquis of Queensberry rules.
The mention of Corbett's name never
fails to bring up recollection of that
day at New Orleans when he defeated
the great John L.
Corbett set a new style in fighting.
ing, for Jem Mace, Mike Donovan and
one or two others had shown that skill
was greater than brute strength in
the ring, but it was Corbett who made
clever boxing popular. His defeat of
Sullivan caused others to follow his
style, but no other heavyweight has
ever equalled him in the matter of
skill.
Jiff Jeffries, Jack Johnson and the
present champion, Jess Willard, are
the only other heavyweight cham
pions still living For a time after
Jeffries retired Tommy Burns claim
ed the title, but he was only self
styled champion, who was not gener-
ally recognized.
Tommy Ryan is the most famous
of the middleWeight champions now
l1N1HS. Ryan CldILleu LIE Title dllel
Bob Fitzsimmons ceased to defend it.
He was a remarkably clever boxer,
who could fight or box equally well,
but he never cared to try conclusions
with Fitzsimmons. Ryan was manager
of a boxing club at Syracuse until the
repeal of the Frawley law closed him
up.
Kid Mccoy claimed the title at one
weight his claim was not recognized.
Mccoy is still in good health. He was
one of the first boxers to enlist and
has done good service drumming up
recruits.
Billy Papke, who Is now living in
Illinois, was a genuine champion al
though he did not hold the honors
very long. Papke knocked out the late