The New York herald., 1921-11-20
American Champion VAN
quished Briton, His Seconds
and Friends in Same Ring.
FARCE OF TWO BELTS
Referee Vanished in 39th
Round and Contestants Bat
tied Till the 42d.
by CHARLES F. MATHIsoN.


illustrated by the appended letter re-
ceived from Cortlandt De Lancey of Ar
lington. N. Y. under date of Novem-
Der IA. He writes as follows:
''Will the universally liked New YORK
HERALD not give its old admirers an ac-
count of the famous fight between John
G. Keenan, the Benicia boy. and Tom
Sayers. champion of England? Never
word do l see in any newspaper about
this fight. the most famous that ever
took place. When did this fight occur?
What was the exact date? How soon
we are forgotten. alas"
Not only was the Heenan- Savers fight
one of the most famous of ancient ring
battles, but IT was the first international
combat with the worlds heavyweight
title at stake, and the first time in the
history of pugilism that fighter fairly
won the championship OF the world and
was cheated out of the fruits OF victory
by the friends of the defeated pugilist.
No boxer ever received more crush
Ing defeat than did Tom Sayers at the
hands OF Heenan, the American cham
pion. at Marlborough, England. April
~, 1860. At the end Of the forty second
round of the fight Sayers, battered to a
condition of helplessness. was unable to
respond to the call Of time for the forty
third round His friends then cut the
ring ropes. swarmed into the inclosure
and stopped the fight. Sayers had to be
carried TO his quarters, while Heenan,
unhurt. walked briskly to his dressing
room.
The referee who had deserted the
ring In the thirty-ninth round. leaving
the contestants to battle four rounds
without any official to enforce the rules.
afterward declared the bout draw.
Later. as soon as Sayers was able to
sit up. English sportsmen went through
with the farce of presenting champion
ship belts to both Heenan and Sayers.
thus marking the original so per cent.
championship in ring history.
Unfortunately, the donors neglected to
pay for the Heenan belt, and the maker
took It away from the American cham
pion.
Heenan was the challenger. and his
proposal reached the British titleholder
April 25. 1859. The challenge was for
battle for the English heavyweight
championship held by Sayers. and for
a side stake of $1,000 a SIDE AS Hee-
nan held the American heavyweight title,
the match necessarily was for the cham
pionship of the world.
snyers the Fnvorite.
Although Sayers weighed but 11O
pounds to 100 pounds by Hecnan. the
Britons had so much confidence in their
man that they made him the favorite in
the betting.
On Heenan's arrival In England he
met with very unpleasant experience.
Hardly had he got settled in his train
ing quarters when the police compelled
him to move This action was repeated
at frequent intervals all the time he was
training. with the result that he was
almost constantly on the move. Sayers
was not once disturbed during his train
ing.
So great was the interest in the con-
test In America that special correspond
ents were sent by the NeU York Clipper,
Bdrper's Weekly, Wilkes Spirit Of the
Times and LeSlie's Weekly to report the
event.
In England the excitement was in
tense, and all the notables. including
Lord Palmerston, the Prime Minister of
England. were at the ringside.
The first round was devoted largely
to sparring and felnting, in which
Sayers had a slight advantage, drawing
first blood with a light left handler to
the mouth.
left to the face in the third, repeated the
the fifth round.
Savers reached Heenan under the
right eye with heavy shot In the sixth
that opened a cash. but Heenan retail
ated with another knockdown.
The seventh and eighth rounds were
fun of fierce fighting and the English
man did his best work In the eighth.
lie raised q mouse under Heenans right
eve by a series of left handlers. Never
theless both rounds ended with clean
knockdowns of Sayers by the American.
Saycrs showed weakness when he
came out for the ninth round, and after
Heenan had landed two staggering
blows that wheeled the Briton around
the American dropped his man with
blow In the back.
Sayers's right arm, which had been
hurt in blocking one of Heenan's blows,
was out of commission when the Briton
came up for the tenth round, and his
legs seemed weak. He was strictly on
the defensive from this round to the
finish of the fight at the end of the
forty-second round. Sayers was Knocked
down in a majority OF the remaining
rounds, and when not bowled over by
the powerful left hand shots OF the
American he was either wrestled down
or dropped TO avoid Heenan's blows.
Foul work by Sayers' Friends.
During the thrty-eighth round II be-
came evident that Sayers's gang was
determined the Briton should not lose.
In this round Heenan got Sayerss
head in chancery (Which was permit
ted by London rules) and, holding the
Englishman against the ropes. pum-
nIclied him terrihcally. While this was
going on friends OF Sayers leapcd into
the ring held Heenan's arms so he
could not strike Saycrs and tore the
beaten Englshman from the Americans
clutch. This brought the round TO a
close and should have resulted In the
disqualification of Sayers. as the action
OF his friends constituted fragrant foul
Frank Bowling, the referee, however
ignored this foul and permitted the de-
feated man to go TO his corner
Dowling then committed the crown
ing offence against tho American. In
the midst OF much disorder in the thir-
ty-ninth round. the ring being invaded
hy the adherents OF Sayers, who Kicked
end beat Heenan. Bowling left the ring,
lSaving Heenan TO his fate.
In spite of this cowardly action on
inc part OF the referee the valiant Amer
lean continued to fight against Sayers,
and the latter's seconds and friends.
v1lo now swarmed into the ring and
gave expression to shouts against the
continuance OF the fight Heenan. how
eyer, forced his way through the crowd,
and az soon as Sayers rose TO his feet
the American sent him to the grass
with heavy blow.