Year: 1866




The Prize Fight Between Rookie and
Ryall for Two Thousand Dollars =
Draw-They Fight Three Hours In .
Deluging Rain, and Thca Shake
Hands and KNOCK On-They VIII
Fight Again ON the 22d Inst.


The prize fight for f40O between John Rookie and
William Ryall came Off Tuesday, January 49, about
twenty miles from London. The fight lasted two
hours and y-sx minutes, during which time thirteen
rounds only were fought. The London Sporsman gives
the following account of the fght:-


Rookie TAT S18 first threw his cap into the ring, his
partisans giving hearty cheer and as Ryall quickly fol-
lowed similar demonstration was made on his account
The latter tossed for choice OF corners and as he
his seconds secured for him place where his back
Rockies seconds Jem Mace and the eccentric
Jerry Noon while Ryall attended by Bos Tyler and
Young Baldock of London. Mr. Edward Smith ofciaed
referee, and Teddy Mills umpire for Ryall, John
Auckland performing like office for Rookie. I'm.
walked across and offered to take els to siO but the
only reply was from Mace, who laid f25 TO go on
his principal The time, after stripping which WA was
and they shook hands in the centre Of the ring On
assuming the attitude of pugsts all present who had
not previously the in buff at struck
with their marked difference in sze appearance and
facial expression Ryal though only slightly the taller
of the pair appeared all giant compared with his
opponent He is symmetricaly blit and has good
shoulders and powerful lons while his lower limbs are
well developed Standing over his man. there was an





spired his hackers with every confidence. Rookie,
the contrary looked tall and rather spare; but the
great knobs Of muscle which stood out here and
there showed that he must have undergone hard
training, and that every thew and sinew had been
sumed their present knottcd appearance. The fact
stands thus Ryall was lily white and had lot Of fat
him. which on such day as Tuesday was useful while
his adversary was brown as berry and at the same
thin and hard nails Rookie from his style is evil
IDENTIFY "counter fighter and as they spared round
in Rockies corner 1t became clear that he was only





terrific execution which those who adopt this artful
mode of business only can do AT length Ryall struck
his opponent the left cheek Rookie returning the
ear and presently afterwards on the chest. A Few
minutes feinting, and Ryal reached Rockies left eye
ceeded in drawing blood from the left Of Rockies
mouth on the under lip First blood was claimed and
to this point Nothing worthy of record now ensued
till they got to close quarters in Rockies corner,
where they ratified away merily with both hands
After this, Rookie hit slightly on Ryalls chest,
and then invested heavily his breast
and throat twice in succession Another rather round
handed blow which reached Ryas cheek followed
by counters when each slightly got the face and at
nine minutes past nine O'Clock f3 to co was laid on
Rookie The men were now 'rubbed DOWN. by their re-
spcctve seconds Jem Mace using brown Baden
Baden towel while Tyler and Baldock mopped up the
wet which hung about Rya hair and stood on his chest
and back with pocket handkerchefs borrowed from
pie in the crowd Tyler black coat, which now
shone brightly, and he from time to me squeezed and
wrung the laps and pockets which the acetous Jerry
Noon and anon saturated with water by means Of
the sponge used to 'paint his In return Mr.. Bos
suggested that the fun all out Of Jerry, who would
the weting and whose whiskers were be-
coming gray instead of black, which proved most
positively that he "dyed 'em." Many harmless
exchanges followed until the men, and especially Ryal,
the expiration of nearly hour began TO look cold
Mace gave his "np'' of brandy, and afterwards
rubbed his shoulders with dash of the same inyigorat
ing fluid The rouIid concluded by their closing at the
ropes where, after some half arm fighting, Rookie
slipped down. One hour and six minutes had now
elapsed. After spongng and being put into warm rugs
few seconds they again faced each other, looking
all the better for their slight rest The ground of course
had become perfectly miserable to about on
their continual workings to and fro had kneaded it
the consistency Of thin dough- At every blow or at
tempted blow thcy slipped about as one might imagine
couple of fellows would do who tried TO spar skates
The only Boceabe features n this round were two or
three "dabs" by Rookie at his opponent's chest,
blood spurted out Immediately Eventually they
got together near the ropes, and after some little


sogging Rookie went down. the round having occupied
twenty seven minutes Aquick bout was the third one
and almost Immediately they got to work, Ryas eye
being revisited Rookie then cevery trpped his oppo-
nent with back heel, and feel on him. Ryals appear
ance on mounting his seconds back being ludcrous in
extreme he looked though he had been keel
hauled" in ditch The whole Of TINS execution , was was
little spirit would have been infused into the men
through the above, but as they came up again Ryan
trembed like aspen Rookie directly led reaching his
opponents shoulder, and after this they closed and
fought at close quarters Ryall receiving about the
breast and Rookie the face and chest Ryall then
twisted his man on the ropes which gave way with
the united weight of the combatants Thre, minutes
only elapsed in the above meeting TO describe separ
atey took place from this point would be more than
useless, and therefore summarize the remainder
In the fifth round Mace offered f14 TO fl0 on
Rookie who another little mark Ryas left eye,
after which they closed and tumbcd together after eight
minutes sparTing Hero the brothers Tyler had little
affair to themselves round the r'ng Ion IN ms eager
justice TO Rookie rushed IN as soon as the men
down. and trying To &c, in front OF Bos the latter
turned round and they pcgged into each other ul the
little 'un Ind had enough In the sixth round Rookie
under the ribs but In turn ho dealt his an
tagonist splendid blow the nose end running from
which blood was soon visible. The 'pace' in the next
afurn haca
turned his back Rya and literally ran TO the ropes
his side Of the ring IL was now nearer fair weather
than any time since leaving London Bridge and after
a rub over Rookie whose neck had turned yelowish
green again punched his adversary on the nose after
which they went down together near the ropes the time
being forty-two minutes past ten exactly, the men
having fought two hours Rookie was first TO show for
the next bout and me was called thrice before Kyai
appeared. There presently An appeal made 70 the
referee that Rya had put his spiked boot on 10 Rookie
foot but as-if occurred at ahs was the result Of
tice and merely said eight on During the bout Rya
again sdabbed'' Rockies left eye, which winked after
this frequently shen they got TO close quarters and fell
Here Bob Brettie appeared with hot bottle or brick
which in a handkerchief he applied 70 Ryall's back
Rookie again, with rug round his head rt In the
ring The bout worry Short as after getting near
his head gong into pool Of sash Dos Tyler hero asked
day, and Brettle gave his opinion that n they
only reply, however was 'et them nshs on IN ss here
ulI morrow but they shall tight IL oat" Mr. Smith
no doubt rocofeccd the McKcvcy and Badock and
thought II the men and their hackers could not agree
and draw the stakes without his intervention he had
better take no part In the affair At the end OF the
ninth meeting In which there more than roll
about Ryall went down undcrmost and here watches
showed the time ~ four minutes past eleven O'Clock
Both shlyered and shook they up again. Ryall
being indeed scarcely able 10 held up his hands They
directly fell together and the spectators rushed
through the inner ring despite the Efforts OF the rng
keepers The referee with the men and their seconds
now occupied the twenty feet set apart for fighting
purposes and laid about the ropes till there


did no, appear square Of above twenty feet In the
three rounds which makng In all theen) there