The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1918-03-14
CHAPTER V

men assembled at Mississippi city,
and went from there to a spot near
SCOTS Station. With them were
John L. Sullivan. the young fighting
demon from the East, and Paddy
Ryan, claimant of the American heavy
weight championship.
Within fifty yards of the murmur-
ing waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and
with the warm breezes from the south
waiting a scent of spring, they pitched
a ring on the turf. And there the
Sight that made John l.. Sullivan the
heavyweight champion of America
was held. Less than ten minutes after
the time the men were called to
scratch by the referees Ryan lay
broken, bleeding relic of a man,
5ondled in his corner by his attend
ants, and John L. Sullivan, painting
from his eXertiOns, his fists cracked
and bleeding, stood leering across
from the ring, champion.
The two gladiators formed wonder
mi pair as they stripped in the glisten-
ing sun, Murmurs of admiration went
around as the champion peeled down
30 his white flanneI breeches and
white stockings. He was a huge man,
weighing about fifteen pounds more
han his younger antagonist, and mus
eled superbly. But admiration turned
20 the other man when Sullivan peeled
off his clothes and stood. a young
apollo, in green breaches and white .
stockings. No one doubted as they
looked at the challenger that the most
dangerous man Ryan ever faced stood
to meet him that day. And the bet
ting Immediately was influenced .
Ryan, the champion, was on the short
end when the betting started. Sulli-
van was made 10 to 8 favorite
There was some trouble over the
referee, so an agreement was reached
that two men should administer rules
OF the battle. They were Alexander
Brewster and Jack Hardy.
Then the fight was on without any
-rreHminaries, With the shouts of the
1900 fight mad fans ringing in their
ears the men leaped from their cor
12ers at the call of time, and walked
briskly to the point designated as
.'scratch" in the old London-prize ring
rules. There they stood for an instant
cycling each other
Sullivan's plan of battle Included, as
ynuch as anything, a system of facial
expressions and misunderstanding in
the extreme Most of his opponents
were cowed into submission long be-
fore they ever felt the iron weight of
his tremendous fist. And this was the
method he employed against the cham
MON. He scowled and growled as
Ryan walked nervously forward, and
barely moved his head as the cham
pions left shot at him twice in feint-
ing movements.
To the surprise of Ryan, Sullivan
did not jump backward and then step
forward to renew the fight. Glaring
viciously, he stood his ground. 1t al
ways had been a rule of Sulliyan's
never to move backward His line of
battle was simply to find his base Of
operations, plant his feet there and
defy anything to remove him, and that
vas the disconcerting method he used
against Ryan.
AS Ryan's left hand flashed twice
toward his body Sullivan chopped
downward with his left, against the
ruard of the champion, and swung his
tight for the head. He missed and
Ryan came back again with his left
hand. He also missed and Sullivan
lost his patience He rushed Ryan
and the champion broke ground as the
demon from Boston rushed, his arms
f1aying the air. Left and right thrash
ed past the champions head, and he
blocked them at first But Sullivan
was irresistible and, as he swung
again, the blow smashed through the
appraised guard, and caught Ryan on
the neck. He staggered backward and
fell, the round lasting less than q
minute, Sullivan triumphantly stand
ing looked contemptuously at his
fallen opponent and walked back to his
corner.
Ryan's hackers already were squirm
ing. They had noted the arc described
by that murderous right arm when il
crashed through and fell on the mech