The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-31

| John L. Sullivan formed many dis
 likes during his days as pugilist- but none more violent than for Joe | Collins, known to the ring game as | Tug Wilson. The memory of now this l diminutive Englishman tricked him into staying the limit in an abbreviat- | ed bout remained always With Sulli- van. The mere mention of Wilson's 1 name always had the effect to start | ing John off into flight of feverish speech.
 1 Wilson's greatest claim to fame, as l far as American pugilism was con-
 cerned, lies in the fact that he lasted four rounds with the mighty Sullivan | in 1882 and collected handsome guar antee. But Wilson's name figures prominently among the truly greats in British fight annals
 Wilson, who was born in Leicester, England, on March 31, 1S47, formed a great fondness for the boxing game. At the age of IT he became a pupil of Mickey Bent, a famous tutor of his time In a few months Wilson, who then was a featherweight, had develop ed sufficiently to warrant i.is being made. a member of Bent's troupe of boxers. Bent and his youths toured the countryside and his boys gave ex- hibitions.
 Wilson's splendid success in those af- fairs caused his praise to be sung throughout England and resulted in n challenge from a youngster named Kenney, who performed bootblacking chores as a regular occupation and prize fighting as a sideline. A battle followed and Wilson scored knock out victory. Then Wilson fought and
 whipped John Ormey of Leicester for
 side bet of $5Q Kenney challenged
 again, Wilson accepted and in the
 fight which ensued Wilson had Ken
 ney on the verge of knockout when
 theNpolice appeared and stopped fur
 ther hostilities.
 Wilson was arrested and sent to jail
 for year. This treatment by the au- thorities so disgusted him that he am
 nounced that he was through with the
 ring game for "alf time" For II years
 he never stepped into ring. But i'm
 1879, on visit to Nottingham, Wilson found it impossible to refuse to take part in a benefit exhibition with Ted Carney of York. He outpOinted Car ney by the proverbial mile. Carney tried to alibi his defeat by saying he wasn't in condition and insisted that in a return match he could hammer Will son into dreamland.
 Carney's attitude angered Wilson and he forgot his resolution never to fight professionally again and chal- lenged Carney. The match was for a side bet of $500. After 28 rounds of Carney was in such condition that the contest was stopped apd the decision given to Wilson.
 Encouraged by this success and real izing that he could earn an easy living in the ring. Wilson decided to continue as pugilist. He matched himself with Denny Harrington of London fo~ a side bet of $500. When the Wilson, ites arrived at the battle ground and saw the overwhelming Harrington crowd they decided that Wilson would not get a fair deal. So they urged Tug to stay out of the ring-which he did Later the men battled for a side bet of 5000. but the police prevented a finish and the contest was l declared draw and the stake money | returned.
 short time afterward Lord Ayls- 1 ford Marquis of -Queensbury), togeth- | CT with some other famous sportsmen | of England offered big purse for a | meeting between Tug Wilson and Ali l Greenfield, who had made quite a rep | ltation. The two men accepted and | agreed to the conditions of the ma-- puis of QueensbuEy that the battle 1 should be in private and should be fought on the estate of the marquis 1 before a crowd of the marquis own | choosing.
 The prince of Wales Oater King Ed ward of England) was included in the | ringside crowd as were he duke of Beaufort. Lord Lonsdaie, Captain Wyndham and about 45 other nen ranked high in English nobility. 1, Full details of that contest never were printed. owing to the fact that ord Aylsferd refused to permit news- Y 'aper men at the ringsde. But later t was learned that the battle was \ iesperate one from start to finish ireenfield assumed the aggressive at