El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-02-25
Ills writer knew sullivan

more than 80 years. saw him
fight IN New York. in London
and on baron Rothschild's training
farm near Chantilly. in France-the
last fight in the open air on the turf
London prize ring rules. with bare
knuckles, in Europe
The men fought with one minute
rests between knockdowns Each
round lasted until one man went
down. II was an interesting display
OF the brutal gentleman's sport. The
worst criminals in England were at
the ringside, standing in the corner
OF Mitchell, the English fighter. They
had announced that Sullivan would
not be allowed to win
In SuliiTan's corner stood a respect
bic looking man in stovepipe hat,
with a handsome. heavy blue coat
velvet collar He had both hands in
his OvercOat pockets spoke very
quietly. and said to Pony Moore,
Mitchells fatherinlaw: Il suppose
YOU know what I've got here in each
hand'-tilting up the barrels Of tive
revolvers. Tell the Manchester men
in your corner not to take any chances
on meH-Which meant that he would
kin anybody interfering with his no
lions OF fair play.
Nobody did interfere with them.
The man was Billy Porter, the bank
burglar, one Of the most dangerous
and murderOus Of American criminals.
He took a fortune from one New York
city bank, killed at least two police
men and died a prisoner working in
a German salt mine-caught in a big
burglary.
How Sullivan Fought.
Fighting with bare fists. on the slip
perry turf. naked to the waist, IN bit
Ter winter weather. or fighting in
doors with big gloves, Sullivan fought
IN only one way
He walked up 10 his man at the
start. and kept walking at him 10 the
finish; and the other man. while Sui
Ivan was Sullivan. always walked
away, OF ran
II never occurred 70 Sullivan that
any man could beat him. And no man
cOuld-Only whisky, and It took Whis-
Ky many years
He beat his man ordinarily with
look He sat in his corner, waiting
for the signal. absolutely Indifferent.
It was plain 10 be seen IN his light
sincerely why anybody had been fool
enough to get IN the ring with him.
He would look viciOusly at his man,
then look away, and shake hands
without even looking in the other
mans face AS he dropped the mans
hand he would shoot out his left,
walk forward and swing with his
right-alWays forward This writer
saw him fight four or five times, and
never saw him take a step back
ward.
D0nOTan's Broken Nose.
Nike Donovan fought Sullivan IN
Boston. Donovan was champion mid
dleWeight and was matched 10 Ight
Billy Edwards for $4,000.
The Boston men had been told 10
L. Co. 80
show what I could do. The chopping
block turned out to be a young hack
driver, not 20 years Old named John
L Sullivan" said Donovan. the man
VINO spars with Roosevelt 4 did not
ike the looks Of him, and said:
Young fellow, an matched for $4,000
and wouldn't break that little finger
On you for a good deal. Don't get gay,
and when you come to New York III
teach you something about fighting.
.-Sullivan's reply was. If you get IN
that ring with me you'll be lucky II !
don't break your neck
And 1 was lucky" said Donovan
sullivan knew nothing about boxing,
but ne was the most savage fighter
and hardest hitter that ever lived
There's no use talking about any one
else when you talk OF Sullivan DO
rou see that broken nose2 Young
sullivan did that He swung his arm,
stepped in. He hit me on the back,
using his arm as a club in a down
swing, knocked me on my face and
broke my nose on the floor"
On another youthful occasion, while
still a hack driving fighter, Sullivan
was to fight in a big theater with a
well known professional from another
city. The professional took one look
at Sullivan. then went off and got
drunk When the manager apOlogized
and explained there was Kissing. /
Sullivan walked down TO the foot I
lights. Ny name is John L. Sulli- I
van, and I can lick any man in the 1
house"
One man tried and the first blow !
Knocked him back into the audience. /
No man lived that had Sullivan's force |
N a blow. He could literally knock
A man up in the air, over the ropes .
and out into the crowd He showed
the Maori from the Antipodes Just 4
how he did IL.
In Madison Square Garden on one
occasion sullivan fought a profess /
sional" named Leflan, or something /
ike that The professor had been de-
clared the perfect man" At the Wen
IA exposition and won the prize as
perfect physical human being. Suli- |
van was not at his best when he met 4
The orofessor-his trainers had had 1
him in a Turkish bath all day TO I
steady him He got IN the ring rather
groggy, searching around for his per
feet man. He caught his eye and II /
was all over
and the perfect man was done. Amos I
j. Cummins, who Fes going 10 write I
the fight for Charles A Dana, was too 1
fszeuFfed for literraV effort. and said J