The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-01-08

annals of Fistiana.
On the date stated. sixty-fve years
ago, Yankee was in San Francisco.
The Nigilantes. an organization Of
purposeful men of summary methods.
waited upon Yankee and quietly dis
pensed with him forever.
Many paragraphs are devoted TO
the Morrissey affairs and to other
battles in which Yankee Sullivan en-
gagged and fought with great skill
and courage. but history leaves US in
the dark as to what manner OF man
combated his most sinister adversary.
What time O. day was il? How
was the weather? What did the COM
mittee say to Sullivan? What did
he say to the committee? Did he
smile?
MUST HAVE BEEN REASON.
Moreover, for what reason was he
forever counted out in this fashion?
There must have been reason. The
Nigilantes always had n reason. But
the history We are reading dryly re-
marks: sullivan went to California
after his fight with Morrissey and
was killed by the Nigilantes com
mittee."
He was only forty-five years old
at the time. a comparatively young
man. His right name was James Am
brose. but as Yankee Sullivan he at
tanned fame as one of the greatest fight
ers that ever poked battered nose
through the ropes OF a prize ring
sullivan was born at Bandon, near
Cork. Ireland. April IL. 1913. I07
years ago. He had ten battles in the
ring, and several Of them were fought
on American soil.
He started fighting in England and
whipped Stewart. Sharpless and Tom
Brady fairish men of their day. lie
cam" to America in 1871. but went
back TO England to fight the eupho-
nlously named Hammer Lane. He
beat Lane on February .. 1871. in
nineteen rounds, lasting thirty four
minutes
CAME HERE IN IsiI.
On September . 1S4l. sullivan
fought his first battle in this country.
his opponent being an Englishman
named Vincent Hammond. who lived
in Philadelphia. sullivan won easily.
the fight lasting ten rounds aud talk
ing up eight minutes. Il was under
London prize ring rules, of course.
The stake in this battle was 500.
and Hammond was badly punish ed.
You couldn't get a preliminary fighter
that much money these days.
In 1912 sullivan fought Tom Secor
on Staten Island. the Battle-Ground
being on the premises OF gentleman
vaguely described as a Mr.. Aspin-
wall. between the lighthouse at the
Narrows and old Fort Tomkins.
Secor was a game lad and IL took
sullivan sixty-siN rounds 10 beat him.
Tom was unable to respond TO the
call of time for the sixty-seventh
round. Both Secor and Sullivan were
pretty well punched up.
SULLIVAN WON lT.
On August 20. 1912. Yankee Sulli-
van and one Professor Bell fought
twenty-three rounds on Harris Island.
twenty miles from New York. Pro-
lessor Bell couldn't get himself to-
ge'Aer for the twenty-fourth round.
while sullivan was sim bright and
clipper.
on May II. lSi7. sullivan gave Bob
Caunt, brother of Ben Caunt, the
English champion, terrific lacing
in London county, near the Blue
Ridge Mountains. sullivan won this
icust in seven rounds, and nearly
two years later he met Tom liver.
This was one OF Hyer's two-ring
battles, the other being against
Country McCloskcy, who was sec.
onded by sullivan. Hyer gave Yanh &c
such pasting in sixteen rounds that
the Irishman went To Mt. Sinai Hos.
pital in Baltimore TO recuperate.
In 1852 sullivan met John Nor
rissey, who had been over in Eng.
land. They fought for $1,000 n side,
at Boston Corners, on the boundary
line between New York and Massa-
chusctts. sullivan stepped right out
in front and for ten rounds he whaIed
away at Morrissey's face until Johns
pan" rcsembled a slab of fresh beef.
MoRR,ssEy GoT ,T.
MorrssCy was pretty well tagged
out when the thirty-scvpnth round
came on. and then he suddenly made
n great rally He got sullivan across
The ropes and hammered him soundly.