The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-26
THIRD FIGHT BETWEEN
DANIEL MENDOZA a7d
GEORGE HUMPHREYS, at
DOkcATER SEPTEMBER
20 tn, 100.


the Austrian Generals by depart
ing from all established rules for
waging battle, so Belcher, going from
Bristol to London as a stripping Of
II, within four years had beaten the
best and biggest men that could be
found to face him by scorning all the
scientific systems then in vogue and
trusting to his own natural style
When at the zenith OF his fame he
met with a terrible accident. While
playing racQuets he was struck In the
eye by a racquet ball, which com
pletely destroyed the sight OF the eye,
Thus handicapped he felt that all hope
of holding the championship was gone,
but. determined that the belt should
pass to no one but a Bristollian, he
sent for his friend, Hen Pearce. the
Game Chicken" to take his place as
holder of the title.
Readers Of Conan Doyle's Rodney
Stone" which has been called the best
novel ever written about the prize
ring, will undoubtedly remember Boy
Jim Harrison's introduction to pugl-
ism, his fight in the coach house with
the redoubtable Joe Berks. That cpl
sode was taken direct from the Game
Chickens" career. One night, when
he was comfortably in bed asleep, Hen
Pearce was reused and hidden to dress
at once, as he had been backed By
some OF the Corinthians to fight Berks.
He obeyed the call, and at midnight,
by candle light, IN a room at VIII
Wars, the One Tun, In Jermyn
street, he stripped to do battle with
his formidable foe. Berks made liSne
Of Pearce's pretensions. spoke of hin
as a thread paper fighter" and backed
himself to lick this boy of Belcher's'
inside a quarter of an hour. But he
soon found that he had caught q Tar
tar.
Gave Name 60 Neckwear.
reckwear. A later hero OF the British
ring gave his name TO a Colonial set
Element. a popular iQueur famous
racehorse and new bishopric, That
was the man known as Bendigo. His
real name was William Thompson and
he was born in Nottingham In 1911
Bendigo came thus: He was one OF
triplet OF sons whom some waggish
acquaintance Of the Thompsons
dubbed Shadrach. Meshach and
Abednego. The last named WAS the
fighter. At first he was known as
"Abednego." and was so styled in
paragraph advertisement In Belts LIE
appearing in 1885. The name was sub
sequently shortened to "Begnego' and
finally corrupted into "Bendigo' Ben
Et gNaTE
battles with Ben Caunt. but long after
he retired from the ring he was per
sonally known throughout England
Even to recent years stories OF his &C
centricities were still current In Not
tingham. Finally he became Exhibit
A Of the revivalists.
He was hawked about the country
as converted character, and the an
nouncement that he was TO preach and
pray drew thousands. ALFRED In a
black coat and white tie. his hair, al
ways straight and sleek. plastered
down. he was the star at revival meet
ings. Once the sporting Lord Long
ford met him in Oxford street, and
stopping the ex-champion, gazed in
amazement at hts appearance and
asked: "Hullo, Bendy! What's your
little game now" Truly, my lord
replied BendiSo, 81 am now hgh,ing
Satan, and behold Scripture says The
victory shall be mine" Hope ~o.
Bendy," said Lord Longtord a-''
but pray fight Satan more fairly than
you did Ben Caun,. or else I shall
change sides, and all my sympathpes
will be with Old Nick" MY lord
answered Bendigo. you backed me
against Ben Caunt, and won your
money, so you've no cause 10 com
plain. I beat Caunt and l mean 10
beat the devil. so you had better back
me again"
Black Diamond and YoLel.
Many OF those personalities OF tho
old ring died young, Belcher NJ 80
the Game Chicken" AZ 80, Hooper The
Tirman, at 81; Turner al - Josh
Hudson, the John Bull fighter AZ ST.
Randall the Nonpareil, OF 81 N.'''
when they did reach maturity their
lives took the Etranges; turns iu0'y
Member OF Parliament; Broughton-
art collector, and BendiGo, -eyival't
have been mentioned, Richard Hum
phries. the Gentleman Boxer, w-o
thrice fought Mendoza, losing tVia-
developed into a successful coal ne''
chant. Jem Ward, the London ho
Diamond, became a painter ~ ,u.s.--
cradle reputc. He "gi1 ~ hwe
he could do all tGat Turner
color ana "atmosphere % vl.r' no
sidered l.g forte thouan be- "n...-."'
that Turner Suroassed him 30
An episode in tho Black N ATT a-'
career illust. ltes the Gegrrdej lag
of the B':usn prize rims after
Os-etrvsd >. 61vy mn P-~s