The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-10-25
JohnL. Had Great Scrap
With Byrnes in Chicago
Great Battler Made Lasting Impression on First
Appearance Sportsmen Planned to Have
H. Sullivan Whipped Champion
Turned the Tables

John L Sullivan's first appearance in
Chicago left lasting impression of
his greatness as a pugilistic warrior.
For the mighty Bostonian gave fight
ing exhibition that night that still lives
in the memory OF every man who saw
him in action.
Shortly after John l. Sullivan had
won the championship in 1882 by whip
ping Paddy Ryan. he decided upon a
tour of the country. And Chicago was
among the first cities on the route
list. Even before he arrived there, Sui
livan had announced that he would give
$50 to any man that would last four
rounds with him. In Chicago, at the
time. was a certain group of sports
men who were not at all fond OF
John L. Sullivan They wanted to see
him whipped And Immediately they
began scouting around for some man
who might be able to take his meas
ure. After looking over more than a
score of prospective conquerers of Sui
livan they decided upon youth named
Jack Byrnes.
Byrnes was a Michigan lumberjack.
He stood feet inches and beamed
around 215. Probably no more superb
specimen of manhood ever stepped into
prize ring. He was muscle from top
to bottom, as 1.-THE as a panther. with
frightful power in his blows, and a
rather cool and crafty brain. And
withal Byrnes knew how to fight
From boyhood Byrnes had been fond
of the mitt game. He took lessons
from some men rather well schooled
in the art. And, as he went along into
his later teens. he practised with the
though in mind that practice makes
perfect" Byrnes had fought fifty
fights or more against lumberjacks-
and had whipped them all. In his
leisure moments he had taken on Sc
cond and third rate pugilists Just for
= the exercise" when he visited the big
cities. And none had halted him.
This was the man that was pitted
against John L. Sullivan, the man that
his enemies. posing as his friends. had
tipped him was yellow and absolutely
no good" the man that could be settled
with one punch.
Sullivan started off rather easily
with Byrnes attempting to feel him
out And Byrnes, following instruc-
tons dubbed along through the half OF
the first round SO as to give John
Sullivan the impression that he wa;
no good-to lure John L. Sullivan into
carelessne ss-and then SWING over
finishing pile driver.
But Sullivan wasn't tricked He
knew enough about fighters to know
that Byrnes. despite his fake clumsi
ness. was real warrior. Byrnes fin
ally awakening to the fact that III
wasn't fooling sullivan with his Dur
Iesque, went out in earnest. And ther
began slam-bang contest that hat
the big crowd on it's feet yelling II
sheer delirium from then on until thu
climax.
JOHN l.. WINS
The early part of the second was bu
ho a
ward the latter part of that session
John 1. Sullivan Unanswered Byrne
into corner, tented with left ant
then shot through his famous righ
with crushing force behind 1t. In
blow took much of the steam out o
Byrnes and from then on he was
different warrior. But he was still
game and he courageously battle
through the final part of the second.
The finish for Byrnes came in tn
third. John L. Sullivan knew after tina