The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-04-04
Brummagen Lad Follows
John l.. and Bob Fitz to
Unknown World-Knock-
ed Out in Last Fight By
Jim Corbett at Jackson
vile in Three Rounds.

yet has seen, who died here yester-
day, was never, contrary to general
belief, a professional champion.
Mitchell liked to refer to himself as
the boxing champion of England"
but he had no valid claim to the
title. He based his claim on the
strength of his having outboXed Jem
Mace, the retired heavyweight cham
pion, in an exhibition of three rounds
of two minutes each in London on
February Z, 1890. At that time Pc
ter Jackson was the champion of the
British Empire, and Mace was long
past his years of fistic effectiveness.
The bout was a joke. The promot-
ers advertised it as being for the
boxing championship of England, and
Mitchell assumed the title, though he
used to smile at the mention of it.
There is no question that Mitchell
could have won the heavyweight title
had his match with Jem Smith, the
recognized champion, materialized.
Mitchell was signed to fight Smith in
1889, but for some unknown reason
the champion postponed the meet
ing indefinitely and Mitchell lost the
chance to take over the belt. Smith
was only mediocre boxer and would
have been the easiest kind of a victim
for Charley. On November II, 1889,
Peter jackson succeeded in getting
Smith into a ring and in the second
round the champion of England very
unceremoniously jumped over the
ropes. Jackson was giving Smith an
unmerciful whipping. Mitchell could
have had a match with the new
champion, but he showed no inclina-
ton to fight the negro, who no doubt
could have beaten the one time bank
clerk MitchelPs claim to the title was
the foundation for the claim that
John L. Sullivan was the champion
of the world.
Mitchell was born in Birmingham,
Eng, on November "a, 1861, and was
1. student of the Mace school of box
ing. He early developed unusual c1ev-
erness with his hands, and although
at the outset of his career he seldom
weighed more than 1876 pounds he
never hesitated to engage heavy
weights in battle.
A most remarkable performance of
the Briton was his defeat of Caradoff,
known as the Belgian Giant who
bCdl6u GGt pOuLUS. lie UOuL LUX
place in Antwerp in 1881, when
Mitchell was 20 years of age, and the
young Englishman, who weighed but
1873 pounds, beat the burly Belgian in
four rounds.
After winning a. heavyweight tour
nament staged by Billy Madden at
Chelsea, Eng, one Of MitchelTs vic
Tins being 240 FOUNDER named Jack
Knifton, Mitchell set sail for Ameri-
ca.
Met John T.. in 1883
John L. Sullivan was at the height
of his popularity, and Mitchell lost nc
time in challenging Sullivan to a bout
for the title according to London
rules. Sullivan refused to make g
bare knuckle match, but consented
to a glove bout in Madison Square
Garden. The men met on May IA
1888, Sullivan scaling 201 pound:
and Mitchell lab pounds.
Mitchell knocked Sullivan fiat IL
the first round and was holding hi,
own in the third round when Police
Captain Williams stopped the con
test. Although Mitchell had giver
Sullivan a beating the referee de
clared the American the winner, ant
1t so appears in the records Sullivan
twice tried to throw Mitchell out o.
the ring.
After beating William Sheriff, thu
Prussian, in six rounds at Flushing
L. l., on October 2, 1888, Harry Hill
\the referee, gave the decision t.
Mitchell and then changed his ruling
to a draw. Mitchell outboxed Don
McCaffrey in this city on October Is
1884. and the referee gave the decis
ion to the Pittsburgher
Mitchell boxed a four round draw
with Kilrain and a six round draw
with Jack Burke, but won both o.
points
These contests clearly showed tn
class of the Briton, who not only wa
a clever boxer but a hard, accurat
hitter with either hand.
Failing to get on a match wit
Sullivan for the title, Mitchell return
ed to England on July Is, 1886, bu
came back here the following Apr
and toured the country with Jak
Kilrain. Mitchell returned to Eur
ope September "a, 1887, and thre
days later Sullivan sailed for Eng
land. On the arrival of the Amer,
Sdh CudllplOl d IIldlCIi Was IlldQ
and the men met at Chantilly, Franc
March 10, 1888. Sullivan weighed 20
pounds and Mitchell 166 pounds.
The contest lasted 80 rounds,
the end of which Sullivan was
beaten man. Under London rules,
was permissible for the principals
consent to a draw, with the under
standing that the fighters should me-
again at the call of the referee.
has been charged by those at IL
ringside that Sullivan's hacker, Harl
Phillips, convinced his man could NJ
win, purchased a draw from Mitcl
ellis handlers. Mitchell was Gag
to resume the battle at a later dat
But Sullivan sailed away.
Mitchell again appeared in Amt-
ca after the battle with Sullivan, al
seconded Kilrain in his Richbu,
fight with the American champio
Mitchell's last ring battle was tn
with Corbett at Jacksonville, Janua
rs, 1894, and the Briton, who hi
lost his form and did not weigh mo
than $50 pounds. was stopped in thr
rounds.
SO far the Red Sox have outclasst