The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-04-29
Ban johnson, Once Sport Writer,
Tells Yarn of Battle in Woods

2,40O and portion OF 1t was armed.
Many had expected that little shoot.
ing would be done and they came pre-
pared to take part in any fireworks
entertainment. But nothing hap
pened.
Little time was lost in laying out
the ring on the dewy turf and the
fighters got busy without delay.
was a violent Sullivan partisan and
although l didn't bet Cd the contest
myself. many of my friends had wag-
cred rather heavily on my sayso that
Sullivan was in fighting shape and
was a sure winner.
Lets Out Yell.
1.-The first round had Just started
and the crowd had settled back in
the rough and poorly built seats. John
struck Jake powerful right handler
a wild oh, Murray for Butcher and his
bleeding army
'The familiar expression caught
Sully's ear. He deliberately turned
around and began to search the faces
of the crowd for the person who had
cheered for him. Just as he caught
my eye, Kilrain, taking advantage of
Sully's lack of alertness, had rushed
the champion while his back was
turned.
"Kilrain might have won the fight
then and there--if he had been fully
awake to his opportunity. Jake could
hit with crushing power and a blow
then to Sully's chin might have finish.
ed the champion in the first round or
at the worst, hurt John so badly that
he could have been finished in few
more rounds.
But Kllrain was so excited that he
just rushed John L., grabbed him in
his huge arms, tried to smash him in
clinch, failed and then threw John
l.. heavily to the ground. That end
ed the round and gave it to Kilrain
That fight, it may be recalled, was
bare knuckles and under the London
prize rules which permitted wrest
ling and.throwing as we'll as punching
Each round ended when one of the
fighters was on the turf
STILES Cheers.
THAT was the only round which
Sully lost in the whole Highland
| lost it for him. Ever afterward
carefully refrained from any ringside
outburst for a favorite fighter.
"The day was terrifcally hot. I've
never known any like it. AS the
| morning wore on and the heat became
mercer and flercer it was a question
as to who was suffering the most
| the fighters or the crowd.
| Most of the spectators had been two
nights without sleep because the or
| 1ginal plans called for staging the
, battle the day before and the crowc
had waited all night in the railroad
station so as not to miss the train
1hey stayed up the next day and ther
came the terrible all night ride in the
day coaches followed by exposure tc
! the terrific sun for many hours or
! the fight day.
| In American history l don't thinl
there is an#instance of where a figh
crowd suffered more to see a cham
pionship clash. All through the audi
ence men tainted from exhaustion o.
were overcome by heat. To add t.
the hardship one section of the crude
stands collapsed but. fortunately, NJ
one was seriously hurt
! SulIy Triumphs
The story of the fight is easil.
. told. 1t was Sullivan all the way
| hllrain prolonged it into IS rounds b,
falling to the turf again and agail
without being hit. 1t wasn't tricker.
on his part. 1t was sheer exhaustion
For kilrain was terribly beaten.
When the end came, the crow,
rushed for the trains. was slowl,
getting away. Then I discovered tina
some of the notes which | had takel
on the fight were missing. wen
back to the battle-ground Everyon
had gone except one man And tina
man was Kilrain
He sat in his corner. a bleedin;
CHASTITY sight; beaten almost to un
consciousness; babbling incoherently
deserted by his admirers; deserted b,
his seconds-deserted by all. A bla7
ing sun burned down upon his uncoy
cred head. In all my life I have see
many pathetic sights but none NOR
SO than that of Jake Kilrain. spraw
Ing helpless, alone in the turf tina
was soaked with his own blood
Saves Jake
II hailed a negro, who was nassin
in cart and with his help | trundle
kllrain into the wagon steadie
kilrain's body in the cart to save hir
from unnecessary jolting and so
was that Jake kilrain made the fri
from the battle ground to the train
only a short walk at most but one ir
flnitely too long for kilrain. broker
bleeding and battered, TO have mad
alone.
i I've often wondered in the year
since just what would have happene
to kilrain if | hadn't had to 90 ba c
TO he ringside for my lost notes.
Copyright 1921 by King Features
Syndicate. Inc..l