Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-05-02

van, now a popular and heavy
weight electrician In Butte, looked
just 30 years ago when he fought
Stanley KetcheI q 20-rOund draw
at Butte. Later Ketchel won the
worlds championship and was
ready to give Montana Jack title
fight when murdered in 1910.
days At the time he was homesteading
the island spot, and maintained BACH
elor quarters. He gave Jack a stand
ing invitation to have breakfast every
morning at his shack. Jack accepted,
but Louies provender was so rich, and
there was so much of 1t that Jack found
he was taking on weight. He had TO
pass up breakfast on his morning visits
with Mack, who made it a point to
meet the Butte boy as he arrived at
the bridge daily. Louie would tempt
Jack with a recital of the fruit, cereal,
trout. steak, fried potatoes, hot cakes,
corn bread and other palatable dishes
that Jack was passing up. The day
after the fight Jack hired a hack to
go to Louie's place, and he put away
a breakfast that widened the smile Of
Mack and the girth of Sullivan
Baron Long, proprietor of the q. S.
Grant hotel at San Diego and the BiIt-
more at Los Angeles, and one of the
owners Of the old Tiajuana race track,
hung the monicker Montana Jack" on
the Butte boy. Jack CTwin) Sullivan
was fighting in California in 1908
when the Butte boy was in the Golden
state. 1t distinguished the two Jacks
both of whom would mix with middle
weights or light heaVieS, Long christ
ened the lad from the Treasure state.
Montana Jack" and the name has
stuck.
There was a family in Billings. re-
siding on Montana avenue, who had
two daughters who were in their teens.
Jack knew the father and called on
him one evening. The daughters were
introduced, the father explaining at
great length that Jack was none other
than the great John L. Sullivan, the
champion of the world. The father also
told the young ladies that Jack was a
worldwide traveller and at one time
had snubbed the Prince of Wales, later
King Edward VII. The girls believed
the stories and with all of their en-
thusiasm worshipped the Sullivan boy.
For several months after he left Bill
hngs, letters would come from the
young ladies. One day a letter, written
in sister collaboration, was devoted to
a proposal Of marriage from both. The
sisters explained that they were in
love with Jack, and they put it up to
him to make his choice, the one not
oS4CSbCN w bC BIAuESUldlQ at The we'd
ding. Wen, Jack is still a bachelor
though he could have been a benedict
mad he cared to, or even a bigamist. as
far as two Billings ladies were con-
cerned.
Jack started boxing professionally in
1900. He hung up his gloves for keeps
~ 1918. His last fight was with JACK
Fitzgerald at Omaha. Sullivan winning
by kayo in the ninth round. Jack and
his brothers, Dan, Gene, Jerry and Phil. :
reside in Butte. All have been boxers
In their time. Jack. Dan and Gene
were professionals, while Jerry and
Phil we're content to be amateurs. The
Sullivan boys have never used intoxi-
eating liquors or tobaccos. Dan is one
OF two Montanans TO be selected on
american Olympic teams. The other is
Casper Omen. now In Germany. can
tain OF the American ski Jumping team.
Both hailed from Anaconda. Dan was
on the American wrestling team at the
games In Athens, Greece, in 1906. Dan
was boxer and track athlete as well.
but his Olympic efforts were confined
to the wrestling mat Montana jack
also went to Athens but as a spectator
to see the games. Burton Holmes, the
noted traveller and lecturer, had the
seat next to Jack in the coliseum every
day.
Tommy Burns, former heavyweight