The Cordova daily times., 1918-03-13
CHAPTER III

CHAPTER III
A Cincinnati sports writer it was
who gave Sullivan his chance to be-
come prominent. Before this man went
to Boston and took a look at the touted
Boston Strong Boy, Sullivan gave seri-
Gus thought to becoming a ball player
He had received an offer from the
famous old Cincinnati Red Stockings
and wgs just about ready to accept
However, business took the sports
editor of a Cincinnati newspaper to
Boston, and after getting one look at
the wonderful muscular development
of Sullivan he realized that here was
a man likely to become the pugilistic
sensation of the age. He Immediately
signed Sullivan to contract that call
ed for his appearance in match at
Cincinnati. Sullivan didn't know who
he was to meet and neither did the
promoter of the bout, but there was
no difficulty about that. The agree
ment was made and lived up to.
The sports editor went back to Gin
-cinnati and began casting about for
a suitable opponent for the Boston
man. He had promised him only 800
Tor the bout, which, in those days, was
considered sufficient remuneration for
any fighter Fighters were supposed
to be boxing, in the main, to show how
good they were, and not for wealth
Their pay was supposed to be enough
to keep away hunger and to clothe
them.
Sullivan was getting rather impa-
tent when one day prof" Joe Don
aldson walked into the newspaper office
and offered his services. He showed
clippings from Chicago newspapers
which showed that he had some stand
ing as a boxer, so the match was on.
Sullivan was given lot of advertis-
ing through this bout. The day it was
decided he should go to Cincinnati
to box, his discoverer began to exploit
him as the coming pugilistic champion,
so when he showed up in Cincinnati
he was an object of much curiosity
Crowds would gather about the Bos-
aon youngster on the street. 1t an
noyed Sullivan some, but he finally
came to regard it, even at that time in
his life, as an appreciation due him
Even then he had some vague idea
that there wasn't a man alive who
could whip him, and he acted accord
ingly.
Sullivan was an extremely broke
young man when he landed in Cincin-
natl. He never had taken part in a
real boxing match He had no over
coat, though the time was in winter,
and his clothes were threadbare at
spots. But--he was not drinker At
that time the rising boxer was just as
temperate a young man as there was.
He refused, when asked in Cincinnati,
to have a drink of something to warm
him up"
John L. Sullivan wore his first fight
ers trunks, his first fighters shoes
and engaged in his first big advertised
bout when he stepped into the ring
with DOnaldson-a man who had
gathered a reputation around the coun-
try, and who was expected, therefore,
to make short work of his opponent.
Sullivan refused to spoil the shine
On his pretty new shoes when he en-
tered the ring, and dfsregarded re-
quests to put rosin on them. 1t prob
ably was lucky thing for Donaldson
that this was so, for, in their new
ness, the shoes skidded around the
ring and enabled Donaldson to avoid
the real crushers in Sullivan's roper
toire of swings and straight punches
The bout went four rounds and the
crowd begged for more, but Donaldson
aware of the class of the man he was
to meet, refused. Sullivan had smash
ed and torn at him until the man with
reputation was nearly denuded of it
Sullivan was confident he could win
decisively in a few more rounds. Fin
ally, as the clamor increased, Don
aldson offered to meet Sullivan again
with side bet of $500, the bout to &C
to a finish.
Sullivan agreed to the terms, anG
the fight finally was held, with Don
aldson sucumbing in ten rounds;
badly beaten man.