Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-09-19

A lot Of water ran over the dam
between 1892, when the world was
shocked by John L. SuIlivan's loss
TO Jim COrbetf, and the recent 1886
brawI in which at least American
Sullivan to kayo the pompadoured bank
clerk, who came out of San Francisco
TO inject cleverneSs into boxing, so did
al the experts and alleged wise birds
pick Louis TO make short work OF
Schmeling.
Ring history is dotted with many
upsetS, but the two greatest upheavaLs
of all time were the fights that saw
the pronounced favorites lose by the
knockout route. Sullivan and Louis
were veritable cinches. Their losses
stunned the boxing world
Butte Man Boston Scribe
Towne, in 1892 reporter on a Bos-
ton paper, recalls that the city Of cul-
ture became the city of doubt. The
home town of the great John L. re-
fused to believe that the rough and
ready idol had fallen. Towne recalls
writing a series of articles dealing with
the near mystery Of the decline and fail
Of Boston's favorite son. Many per-
sons interviewed by Towne stated that
the fight was faxed; that Sullivan was
Ill, that he was doped; that he was
double-croSsed; in fact, every excuse
and alibi was given except that he was
beaten by better man.
And, SO it was with Louis losing to
Schmeling. Random was rocked to sleep
with the news that the Brown Bomber
was defeated-knocked out. The Louis
and Schmeling affair looked like a bad
match when it was made, Just as did
the Corbett and Sullivan brawl. There
was some difference in the two setups.
Corbett was the youngster, not re-
garded seriously. In the fight at New
York, Schmelng, a veteran, was con-
sidered all washed up.
The Shock of 1892
I was talking with a PhilipSburg
man the other day who recalled list
ening to the wire report of the Sulli-
van-COrbett fight. He doesn't want his
name printed, and, so he is labeled
MIR. A. The report of the New Orleans
fight was received in a saloon at the
burg. Mr. A recalls that the place was
jammed with Sullivan boosters, and
that there was hardly Corbett SYM
pathizer in the place. The wire report
was poor; delaysi occurring between
each round. Whoopee was being gen.
Grated in the saloon fashion Of the
nineties. 1t was a holiday for miners,
all work being called off for the day
AS the reports trickled in by relays,
MI. a SdlQ Tile CIOWQ LUX J1lc ACWS
good naturally that the slender dandy,
the inexperienced amateur from San
Francisco, was landing at will on the
face and body of the great Jawn l.
The fact that Corbett was winning
round after round didn't cause the
crowd any concern. The composite opin-
ion Of PhilipSburg men was that when
John L. got ready he would STAY the
dude from Frisco. And they waited to
hear such news; waited for two hours
to hear the expected tidings that never
came. Finally, when the report of the
last round was received and read, the
crowd thought it was hoax and de-
manded proof Wires were sent to Hell
ena, to st. Paul. and to New Orleans,
asking for verification.
Couldn't Believe Tt
With the sending of the wires went
the hope of all congregated that the
news of the knockout would be false.
In due time, wires trickled in from
several points that Corbett had won. /
Even then, it was hard to believe and
harder to take There was no ribald
cheering no long celebration: rather,
the men of Philipsburg became a band /
of mourners An idol had fallen; the /
first great idol of the American ring
had toppled from the throne; Phil /
ipsbung's sorrow was Just as great as