The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-18

as N'aA@S "hASa MT IpIp rs WFilihk
concerning his battle with Charlie
Mitchell, IN Jacksonville. Fla. jan
uary rs, 1894. The next insta1lmens
will appear tomorrow
One of the favorite ring tricks is
to delay your entry into the arena so
your foe can cit around In his corner
and fret and fume--aud perhaps get
chill And Charlie Mitchell played
II to perfection the day he fought me
in Jacksonville, Fla.
About fifteen minutes before the
fight was to start ono OF the officials
'of the Duvai club. where tho contest
was staged. went to MitchelIs dressing
room and mine and told us that It
was time for liz to go into the ring.
A few minutes later I made. my way
into the arena and climbed into the
ring. But Mitchell wasn't there.
sat in tho ring five minutes. ten
minutes. fifteen minutes, twenty
minutes--but no Charlie Mitchell APP
peared. Twenty-Five minutes passed
but still, no Mitchell despite several
aunmonses by the club officials. That
fight took place in January and the
arena wasn't heated. OF course, IL
was Florida. but. just the same. the
day was raw and cold and I began
TO get chilled through and through.
Ard still no Mitchell.
Meanwhile the crowd began 20 grow
more and more impatient They fear
ed that the state authorities had gone
through with their threat to halt the
proceedings and had arrested or de-
tanned Mitchell in some wav. 1t was
during that long wait that Steve
Rrodie. who gained immortal fame
as a bridge Jumper. uttered one OF
his many famous remarks. A West
arner, who was OF English birth and
who was a Mitchell enthusiast. Jump
I'd up and said:
"I'lI bet 500 head of cattle AGAINST
81. 600 that Mitchell beats Corbett."
.Brodie, nearby, hustled over.
grabbed the Embellishments arm and
asked him TO repeat his remark
"T'il bet 500 head OF cattle against
900 that Mitchell beats Corhett."
'"Trot In de cattle" enjotned Steve
IS ne unstYapped huge bankroil.
Thirty minutes passed--then thtrtv-
Ave. But still no Mitchell. What's
that? A cheer in the rear OF the hail
that grew and grew until II filled the
house And then came Mitchell. slow
lv. He was taking tine-pientv Of it.
He halted at the ringside to exchange
remarks with his friends there and
then. in a calm, deliberate fashion,
elm bed through the ropes. As he
stood in the ring he looked over AZ
me, with sarcastic grin on his face
and then ne had the audacity to wink
al me.
was rather peeved no to then,
but that grin and that "Weil-1 fooled
YOU old fellow wink ira nsformed me
into a wild man All the bitterne *
thatT had felt toward Mitchell up to
that time had been. IN "a certain sense,
kept under cover. But now ] was
eraxv to get at him. And | didn't
waste many seconds in starting that
contest.
Honest John Kelly was the
referee of the contest and Snapper
Garrison, famous jockey of wears
! ego. was timekeeper, In all fights II
/ is usual for the referee to call the
men to the center Of the ring issue
formal instructions and then after the
| men go hack TO the corners the
| referee, at the moment he deems best
signals to the timekeepers to bang
| the gong for the start of the first
round. Tut THAT wasn't the proce-
dure In that fght.
| Just as soon IN Mitchell had put on
| his gloves, ] jumped up from NV chair
and yelled across tho ring to him:
mo ha ndshaking."
! Then turned toward isSnapper'
and yelled to him;
"Pang that gong, Bang II. l say
Snapper impulsively aid as he
wes told and the ffeht was on TO the
surprise Of the crowd, the referee and
to Mitchell himself Charlie was ex.
pecting to go through the usual pre-.
Iiminarv conference over rules. etc
i But | didn't give him a chance. He
had tricked me by keeping me wait
ing in the ring for him more thar
Thirty minutes and paid him back.
/ Kelly was lollins in one corner ot
the ring az the gong sounded while
Mitchell was standing un In his corner
stripped and ready. With the clans
of the belt. Kelly shot a surprised loot
at Garrison and then jumped to thu
center of the ring. 50 did I. Mitchell
came out of his corner slowly and al
he was talking toward me, sarcastit
smile came over hts face as he said:
"Hello Started already
/ And then Mitchell in q nTatter-of
fact wav shot a left jab--the first
punch of the fight, II caught me full