1915-04-30 Ted (Kid) Lewis W-PTS10 Johnny Lustig [Canadien Athletic Club, Sohmer Park, Montreal, Quebec, Canada]

1915-05-01 The Gazette (Montreal, QC) (page 14)

KID LEWIS WON FROM MAX LUSTIG
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Overshadowed Him in Eight of the Scheduled Ten Rounds at Sohmer Park
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FIGHTER WAS ARRESTED
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New Yorker Refused to Fight Unless He Was Given a Greater Percentage Than Agreed on
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In a bout that overshadowed any ever held in Montreal, Kid Lewis, the English lightweight, scored a decisive victory over Max Lustig, of New York, in ten rounds. The meeting between these boys was the scheduled feature of the weekly entertainment of the Canadien Athletic Club at Sohmer Park and proved an attraction for one of their best gatherings of the season. The bill furnished three ten-round bouts and a four-round preliminary, making without exception the strongest that has been staged since the revival of the sport in Montreal. Two of the bouts went through the knockout route, while the other two were won on points. The feature event carried with it a story of one of the fighter's arrest for trying to hold up the promoters for a larger percentage of the receipts than he had agreed to fight for.

On his arrival in Montreal Lustig demanded twenty-five per cent. of the receipts after having agreed to meet Lewis for twenty per cent. He was told that he would not be given the advance, and he later on refused to fight at all unless he was given $500. Manager Kennedy, of the club, asked him to return the money he had received for transportation and on Lustig's refusal to return it he was locked up on a warrant charging him with taking money under false pretences. Lustig, on an assurance that he would meet Lewis, was released on bail and afterwards fought the fight of his career.

LEWIS IS CLEVER

Never at any stages of the fight was there any doubt as to what the outcome would be. Lewis outpointed his opponent in eight of the ten rounds, while he held his own in the other two. He overwhelmed Lustig in points, landing rights and lefts to the jaw and body, and shifting fought him at times almost altogether to the body, administering severe punishment to the American fighter. On several occasions Lewis had Lustig groggy and has the credit of being the first to ever knock him down. In the second round Lustig showed at his best advantage, doing the greater part of the leading and carried the fight to Lewis in the early stages. Lewis rallied in the closing minute and evened matters up. Again in the fourth Lustig rallied and forced the fighting in the first minute and a half of the session, after which Lewis drove him to the ropes and had him on the defensive when the gong sounded.

In the opening round Lewis opened the fighting with terrific punches to the face and body and had Lustig bewildered through his clever defensive work. In the next there was no advantage, while in the third Lewis again had the better of it. In the fourth Lustig came back strong, and held his own. In the early stages of the fifth Lewis landed frequently, and again had Lustig guessing. In the sixth Lewis landed a left that staggered Lustig, and in following up his advantage sent him to the floor with a right cross. From then on Lustig, although he was to be admired for his gameness, was never any match for his more clever opponent. The bout was replete with clever leading and countering, while both showed good foot work.

In the semi-windup, Battling Jim Johnson, a colored fighter from New York, scored over Arthur Pelkey, the Canadian, in the seventh, through the knockout route. Up until the knockout blow, which many claimed was struck low, Pelkey had held his own. Johnson showed little science, but his hard hitting ability put his man away. Johnson is credited with a draw with Jack Johnson, while he has also knocked out Joe Jeanette, who he meets here next Friday night in a ten-round bout.

In the better of the two preliminaries Bill Brown, a colored heavyweight fighter, of New York, won from Gaston Pottlez, knocking him out in the tenth round. Brown had the better of the fighting at all stages of the bout, he showing science against Pottlez's rushing tactics. Pottlez depended on his right swings to win for him, while Brown is a good two-handed fighter. In the other preliminary Kid Burns shaded Kid Barish in a four-round bout. Burns shows improvement in each of his bouts.


1915-05-01 The Montreal Daily Mail (Montreal, QC) (page 11)

LEWIS OUTPOINTS LUSTIG
Battling Jim Johnson scored knock-out over Pelky in 7th round.
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LEWIS GOT DECISION OVER JOHNNY LUSTIG IN BOUT LAST NIGHT
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Battling Jim Johnson Knocked Out Pelkey in the Seventh Round
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TWO INTERESTING BOUTS
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Lewis and Lustig Furnished One of the Best Bouts Seen Here
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Kid Lewis, the shifty English lightweight, decisively outpointed Johnny Lustig, of New York, in a rattling ten round battle, while Battling Jim Johnson, the husky colored heavyweight, scored a knock-out over Arthur Pelky in the seventh round of a scheduled ten round contest. Such were the results of the two feature bouts on the boxing programme at Sohmer Park last night.

The two bouts were fast and interesting but that between Lewis and Lustig was undoubtedly the best of the evening. In fact, it was the best contest that has been staged in this city for many a day. The two lightweights went at it hammer and tongs from the ring of the first bell until the end of the tenth round. They slugged away in great style, their speed and cleverness delighting the crowd. Lustig is well known to the local fans as one of the cleverest lightweights in the game, but he was clearly outpointed by Lewis. The English lightweight had it on his opponent in eight of the ten rounds, the two remaining rounds being about even. Lewis' speed was even too great for the clever New Yorker. His left shot out like a flash of lightning and it played a regular tattoo on Lustig's jaw. Round after round he kept playing his left on Lustig's face, while in the infighting, his right was used with good effect. The result was that towards the end Lustig was pretty shaky. In fact, in the eighth round it looked very much as though Lewis would put his man away for the count but Lustig's clever ring generalship saved him.

Lustig Put up a Kick.

The two boys fought every minute of the bout. Lewis outpointed Lustig in the opening round, while the second was even. Again in the third Lewis captured the honors. In this round Lustig insisted that Lewis remove his guard over his teeth. Lewis finally consented. In the fourth round Lustig made several rallies, and earned an even break, but from then on it was all in favor of the English lightweight. He forced the fighting, and landed telling lefts on Lustig's jaw time and again, and in the eighth had the New Yorker in a weakened condition. However, try as he did, he could not put Lustig away, the latter's clever footwork saving him at the critical moments.

Johnson Scored Knock-Out.

The Johnson-Pelkey bout came to a rather sudden ending in the seventh round, when the negro sent Pelkey down for the count with a left to the solar plexis. Pelkey had had the best of the argument up to the seventh round, doing most of the leading and landing several telling blows. However, following a clinch, Johnson landed a stiff left uppercut to the solar-plexis, and Pelkey went down for the count. Pelkey and his seconds claimed that the blow was a foul, but a physician, who was called in to examine Pelkey, stated that the blow hit him above the belt.

Bill Brown, another colored scrapper, also won his bout by the knock-out route, putting Pottlez away in the tenth round. Brown gave Pottlez a bad beating during the first nine rounds, and then sent his man to the floor for the count with a right uppercut. In the other preliminary, Kid Burns shaded Kid Barish in a four round bout.

The Canadien Athletic Club announced that there would be no fight next Friday night on account of the Canadian Amateur Championships, but that on Monday, May 10th, Battling Jim Johnson and Joe Jeanette would furnish the feature ten round bout at Sohmer Park.

1915-04-29 Benny Leonard ND10 Johnny Kilbane [Federal Athletic Club, New York, NY, USA]

1915-04-30 New-York Tribune (New York, NY) (page 15)

KILBANE PROVES FAR TOO CLEVER FOR LEONARD
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Featherweight Champion Forces Fighting in Practically Every Round.
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EAST SIDE BOXER FIGHTS IN STREAKS
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Leach Cross Outpoints Hommey in Bout Full of Action from Start to Finish.

Johnny Kilbane, of Cleveland, featherweight champion of the world, and one of the cleverest boxers who ever drew on a glove, had all the better of Benny Leonard, of the East Side, in a ten-round contest at the Federal A. C. last night.

There was scarcely a round of the ten in which Kilbane did not force the fighting, and he landed the greater number of the clean punches throughout the battle. Leonard fought in streaks, and in streaks only. Most of the time he applied the doctrine of "safety first" to his work and made it a point to keep far out of harm's way. Seldom did he unbuckle, and although the unneutral crowd booed the champion, charging him with poor work, it was Leonard's fault that the bout was not of the sensational order.

Kilbane laid down the gage of battle in every round except the first. He kept after Leonard, trying with all the cunning of the master workman to force an opening for his leads, but to no purpose. Leonard was, to say the least, cautious. Many said he was afraid. But the records will attest that he once fought ten rounds with Johnny Kilbane, and this can be turned into most anything by a nimble press agent.

In another and more sensational battle Leach Cross, the ever formidable East Side boy, checked the career of Packey Hommey momentarily. This bout was a slasher from start to finish, and Cross won on his ring generalship. This same generalship was aided in no small measure by an advantage of almost eight pounds in weight. Hommey was game and aggressive, but his aggressiveness earned him a multitude of hard knocks, and he left the ring a rather bruised and battered young man.

Witnessing a bout on the Bowery is not without its thrills and its grewsome possibilities. This is especially so if one be a newspaper man. There are the guardians of the gate at the entrance to the ringside. They "wouldn't send nowhere fer no newspaper guy," and they tell you so.

They back up their statements famously when in the presence of special officers. There are the rules of the Fire Department, and likewise of the State Athletic Commission, but these are honored only in the breach. Such piffling circumstances must not annoy persons who never had a headache in their lives.

At the Federal A. C. last night the aisles were blocked by spectators, who stood or crouched, and in the back of the building, near the barroom, the standees were lined ten deep. It would have been nice and convenient had a fire broken out. But what matter a few lives? Then there are the rules of the State Athletic Commission.

The order was promulgated some time ago that horns, bells and other noise making contrivances be barred from the boxing clubs of this state. Last night horns of various descriptions announced the arrival of a local fighter in the ring. As if this did not make the night hideous enough, the spectators hooted and sang.

It also was ordered that the main bout be in the ring by 10 o'clock. Kilbane and Leonard entered some half an hour later. Then Joe Humphries flaunted all rules by introducing Terry McGovern. He admitted that he was breaking the rules, but Terry was introduced just the same. Yes, there is still work for the State Athletic Commission.

But to return to Kilbane and Leonard. It may be said that the champion never tried so hard in any of his local bouts. He was in there trying with might and main at all times. He rushed, fought in close and tried everything in his repertory, but Leonard, remembering safety first, set his mind on avoiding punishment. He succeeded fairly well, but the champion won as he pleased.


1915-04-30 The New York Times (New York, NY) (page 11)

KILBANE GETS ONLY DRAW WITH LEONARD
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Featherweight Champion Content to Wrestle and Clinch Instead of Box.

Johnny Kilbane of Cleveland, holder of the world's featherweight title, did not enhance his reputation last night at the Federal A. C. on the Bowery when he stepped out of his class to box Benny Leonard of the Bronx ten rounds. It was an unsatisfactory contest, in which the pair wrestled and clinched throughout the greater part of it, and at the end the ambitious young Bronx lightweight had earned a draw. It was expected that Leonard would give the champion a pretty fair idea of his chances with the topnotchers of the lightweight division, as he has cleaned up the best featherweights in the country, but Leonard was making his debut among championship timber and showed throughout that he could not forget it. The result was that Leonard did not display his best wares, and the bout was not a fair test for the champion.

While good judges of boxing will probably make it an even thing between the pair, local partisanship made many favor Leonard, but the latter, with rare exceptions, showed no inclination to mix matters. He outboxed Kilbane and unquestionably scored more points, but the champion's continual leading and disposition to force matters left little to be desired between the pair. There were many cat calls and lots of hooting, but the majority of the spectators could not discriminate between a fighter and a boxer, and it invariably follows that a bout between two men of opposite styles terminates unsatisfactory.

It was announced as a handicap match, as Kilbane was supposed to be going out of his division to face an opponent who would have the advantage in weight, but as a matter of fact there was only two pounds difference in the weights announced. Kilbane tipped the scales at 128, while Leonard weighed 130 pounds. The advantage of two pounds did not aid Leonard in his style of boxing.

The champion experienced considerable difficulty in finding an opening. He was anxious to exchange punches, but the Bronx lad would have none of this style of boxing. Almost every time Kilbane tried to force Leonard to open his guard the latter would cover up or clinch. Before the champion could get Leonard to try punching, Gibson's protégé had secured a good lead. He did not heed the shouting of the fans, but used considerable strategy in avoiding many stiff blows, which, had they landed, would probably have put Leonard in a bad way.

It was not until the eighth round that a real hard blow found its mark. Near the end of this session Leonard caught his man rushing in and landed a smashing right in the jaw. This seemed to encourage the local man, while it came somewhat as a surprise to the champion. Leonard took the initiative and landed two straight lefts in the face without a return. He followed this up with two more, but received a hard right uppercut in the face which caused him to steady himself.

Kilbane opened the tenth round with two hard jolts to the head, and Leonard replied with a left jab in the face. The champion drove Leonard all over the ring, but was not successful in landing many blows, as Leonard was too clever to be caught off his guard.

Leach Cross and Packey Hommey furnished a fast ten-round contest for the semi-final, which was in striking contrast to the wind-up. Cross, who had the advantage of nearly seven pounds made such good use of this that he experienced little trouble in winning. As in his past bouts in this city, Cross showed himself to be a poor boxer, but a splendid ring general. He punished Hommey about the face and body and, although the latter took his medicine gamely, he was no match for the fighting dentist.

1899-04-28 Terry McGovern W-PTS25 Joe Bernstein [Broadway Athletic Club, Brooklyn, NY, USA]

1899-04-29 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, NY) (page 2)

McGOVERN'S GREAT FIGHT.
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The Brooklyn Lad Gives Away Much Weight to Joe Bernstein and Wins.
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HAS A CLAIM TO BEING CLEVER.
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Rated Only as a Little Slugger Heretofore, Terry Surprises the Crowd With His Skill.
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Terry McGovern made his debut as a featherweight last evening and effectively disposed of Joe Bernstein before one of the largest crowds that ever assembled in the Broadway Athletic Club. The Brooklyn boy's performance was up to the fondest expectations of his friends and stamped him as something more than a possible aspirant for championship honors. The fight itself was by far the best given since the club reopened, fast from the start to the finish and free from the slightest semblance of anything like foul work. Terry has been looked upon as a fighter pure and simple, and has not been credited with possessing any great amount of cleverness, but last evening's contest proved not only that he could fight, but that he is clever far beyond the ordinary. His blows were clean and his blocking, ducking and getting away were exceptionally good. Bernstein's high guard prevented him from doing any great damage about the head, but on the body Terry scored as he pleased and usually got away without return. Bernstein's best work was done at close quarters, but even at this game he was not a match for Terry and many times he was guilty of holding. He made a good fight and took the severe punishment Terry administered to his body without flinching, but was on the defensive throughout and depended mostly on his ability to counter. A peculiar part of the battle is the fact that with the exception of a slight trickle from Bernstein's nose not a drop of blood was spilled during the bout. Joe's performance stamped him as an exceptionally game man, for although he has often taken severe punishment before he never received the beating he did last evening.

Bernstein had several pounds the best of the weight, while Terry did not scale more than a couple of pounds over his usual fighting trim. At the conclusion of the battle the referee announced his decision in favor of Terry on points and received the applause of the crowd. The sports made McGovern a strong favorite, betting their money freely at odds of 2 to 1, and many offered even money that Bernstein would not go the distance. There were no discussions after the boys entered the ring, and as soon as the gloves were donned they proceeded to business.

Terry landed again with his left in the nineteenth and Joe dropped to his hands and came back only to receive a hard right on the body. The same thing happened again in the twentieth and just before the bell rang Terry drove his right to the body and a light shove with his left sent Joe clear through the ropes. They pursued the same tactics in the following rounds until they reached the twenty-fourth, when Joe started to do some leading, but could not land effectively. They came up strong for the last round and Terry proceeded to force the fighting and at last succeeded in getting over his right. Joe staggered to the ropes and Terry rushed in to finish him, but Joe stayed by clinching hard, and the gong sounded with both on their feet and when quiet was restored the referee announced his decision in favor of McGovern.

Harry Fisher of Brooklyn and Jim Austin of Canada, colored, met for ten rounds in the preliminary bout at catchweights. The contest went the limit and Referee Johnny White awarded the decision to Fisher.


1899-04-29 The Evening Telegram (New York, NY) (page 7)

M'GOVERN WINS FROM BERNSTEIN
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Referee Gives Him the Decision on Points After Twenty-Five Rounds at Broadway Athletic Club.
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Before the largest and most enthusiastic crowd that ever assembled in the Broadway Athletic Club "Terry" McGovern, of Brooklyn, obtained the decision over "Joe" Bernstein, of Manhattan, after twenty-five hard fought rounds.

McGovern clearly outclassed his man. He scored twenty points to Bernstein's one. Bernstein made a plucky defence and took a terrific punishment, but at no time did he appear to have an even chance of winning. It was evident early in the contest that Bernstein's only hope lay in the knockout blow, which did not materialize.

It was also evident after a few rounds had been fought that Bernstein could block cleverly and that "Mac" would experience considerable difficulty in reaching his opponent's head. Bernstein's superb defence of his face excited the admiration of all.

Bernstein tried hard to score a knockout in the twenty-fifth round, but "Mac" was away and outpointed his adversary. This final round was in favor of McGovern, who never gave himself a moment's rest. He hit Bernstein often and hard. Once he staggered "Joe" with a right on the jaw. When the bell rang "Joe" was very tired. The referee gave the fight to McGovern amid great applause.


1899-04-29 The New York Times (New York, NY) (page 7)

McGovern Got the Decision.

"Terry" McGovern of Brooklyn got the decision over "Joe" Bernstein of Manhattan in their bout at the Broadway Athletic Club last night. To the disinterested among the big crowd of spectators present, however, Referee "Johnny" White's judgment in awarding the fight to the Brooklyn boy was both surprising and unsatisfactory. To the unprejudiced ones it was plain that Bernstein was entitled to at least a draw. The bout was of twenty-five rounds at 118 pounds. The pair fought it out to the limit. McGovern was a 2 to 1 favorite. Two members of the Mazet Investigating Committee were interested spectators of the bout. They were Assemblymen Hoffman and Boland.


1899-04-29 The World (New York, NY) (page 8)

M'GOVERN BEAT BERNSTEIN.
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In an interesting fight at the Broadway Athletic Club last night Terry McGovern defeated Joe Bernstein, getting the decision after twenty-five rounds of fast fighting.

Every available seat in the house was occupied, and good standing-room was at a discount when the men were introduced to go twenty-five rounds at 125 pounds.

The betting opened at 10 to 8 on McGovern, and went to 2 to 1 before the Brooklyn contingent could get any good bets on. While McGovern was the favorite with the bettors, the rest of the spectators were about evenly divided in their choice.

The work of both boys was fast from the start, with McGovern the aggressor and Bernstein on the defensive, but lively enough when pressed. For the first three rounds nearly all the work was done at short range.

In the fourth round a hard right-hand swing caught McGovern under the ear. It shook him up considerably. Terry came back with right and left, and drove Bernstein to the ropes. Up to the eighth round the going was in McGovern's favor, although Bernstein stood the gaff well. In the eighth Terry cut loose with a vengeance and threw right and left at Bernstein's body for keeps. Joe came back fresh and smiling, and had a shade on McGovern for half of the ninth. Terry got home a vicious left-hander on the jaw just before the gong sounded.

McGovern forced the fighting along to the twelfth round, but Bernstein always came back ready to meet everything that came his way. Joe's work on Terry's jaw in the twelfth caused the remark by a McGovern man:

"Terry don't look much like a 2 to 1 shot just now."

McGovern was the aggressor nearly all the time up to the twentieth round. He continually followed Joe to his corner. Then would follow a few rapid exchanges on the ribs and stomach and a clinch. Neither had a mark on the face.

Bernstein had a slight advantage in the twenty-fourth round. McGovern made a determined effort to knock Bernstein out in the last round, and punished Joe more than in any previous round. Referee White gave McGovern the decision on points. The Brooklyn boy did the most work throughout the bout. He was the aggressor in about every round, with Bernstein on the defensive. Both finished strong and to all appearances none the worse for their work.

Harry Fisher, of Brooklyn, got the decision over Jim Austin, of Camden, in the ten-round preliminary.


1899-05-20 The National Police Gazette (New York, NY) (page 10)

TERRY M'GOVERN'S CLEVER VICTORY
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Decision Over "Joe" Bernstein in Twenty-five Rounds.
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FAST FIGHTING BY BOTH.
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Neither Man Badly Punished and the Decision Was Very Fair.
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"Terry" McGovern won his fight with "Joe" Bernstein "on points" as the referee said, but why this specific explanation was made was not exactly understood by the spectators, unless the official wished to convey the self-evident fact that Bernstein was not knocked out. The fight took place at the Broadway Athletic Club and was witnessed by one of the largest gatherings of spectators that ever was within the edifice.

McGovern earned the decision by his aggressive tactics, showing wonderful strength throughout the contest. Bernstein outweighed him by several pounds. In spite of the fact that he was meeting the strongest man he had competed against, McGovern was quickly made a favorite by the betting fraternity, the odds dropping from 100 to 70 down to 2 to 1. Even this price found plenty of confident admirers still ready to back the East sider. The Brooklyn boy had his opponent's body very red from hard blows in the early part of the bout. Bernstein's condition was superb, and he was able to take the hard knocks that he received. At close quarters Bernstein used his left for the face, which did not bother the Brooklyn boy, as he kept pegging away at the body in return. Bernstein was the first to lead, tripping in his efforts to reach his opponent in the opening round. Both then came to close quarters, and a vicious exchange of blows took place, McGovern having slightly the better of the mix-up. Just before the close of the round McGovern sent the right to the body several times without a return. He continued to be the aggressor in the second round, sending the right to the body with crushing force. Bernstein was slightly winded when he went to his chair. The fighting in the third and fourth was well contested.

McGovern's principal point of attack was the body, which he reached frequently. Bernstein reached the Brooklynite in the third with a heavy right on the back of the ear, which sent him back a few feet. In the fourth Bernstein reached the jaw several times with light lefts, which did not seem to bother the Brooklynite at all. McGovern was showing phenomenal strength, never stopping his aggressiveness. Bernstein landed a hard right on the head in the seventh, McGovern then boring in with rights on the body and forcing the East sider to the ropes.

After a rapid exchange of blows in the ninth at close quarters, the Brooklyn boy sent in a heavy left-hand swing on his opponent's jaw, which threw the East sider half way to the floor, Bernstein in return reaching McGovern with a right on the back of the neck just before the bell rang. In the twelfth it was give and take between the two. Bernstein made but few efforts to lead, relying on his work at close quarters to even up the disadvantage of his opponent's aggressiveness. McGovern tried for the jaw several times, but Bernstein succeeded in blocking. McGovern still made the body his principal point of attack in the fourteenth, sending the right and left to the body and receiving light blows in return. In this round the Brooklynite narrowly missed a vicious uppercut. McGovern showed his superiority in the sixteenth by sending Bernstein's head back several times with stiff lefts and rights on the face.

With a severe left on the right eye in the nineteenth, McGovern caused a serious swelling that inconvenienced his opponent. The East sider was sent through the ropes with a stiff left on the mouth, and he was bleeding at the mouth when he went to his chair in the twentieth round. The fast work was beginning to tell on both men. Frequent clinching occurred in the two following rounds, the honors being even. Bernstein staggered the Brooklynite in the twenty-third with a stiff left on the jaw, but McGovern, recovering quickly, finished the round none the worse for it. The remaining two rounds were lively. In the last McGovern sent in a right-hand swing that staggered his opponent. He followed up his advantage during the round and had Bernstein weak when the bout terminated. McGovern received the decision on points for his aggressive tactics.

The opening event of the evening was a ten-round bout between "Jim" Austin, a negro, of Canada, and Harry Fisher, catchweights. In their opening round Fisher was sent down with a heavy left swing on the jaw, the New Yorker taking the limit of time to rise. During the remainder of the round Fisher avoided most of the negro's swings by careful blocking. In the following two rounds, Fisher carefully avoided his opponent's wild swings, sending home a straight left with heavy force that sent the negro's head back, and then, on the breakaway, swinging with the left and landing frequently. Fisher continued the same tactics through the remainder of the bout and received the verdict at the end of the contest.

1891-04-27 Bob Fitzsimmons W-TKO2 Abe Coughle [Battery D Armory, Chicago, IL, USA]

1891-04-28 The Chicago Herald (Chicago, IL) (page 3)

KNOCKED OUT BY FITZ.
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HEAVY-WEIGHT COUGLE BADLY DAZED
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The Champion Middle-Weight Uncorks a Cyclone of Decisive Blows in Anger During the Second Round--Jim Hall Seen to Good Advantage.
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Before a crowd of 3,000 howling and yelling spectators in Battery D last night Bob Fitzsimmons, the conqueror of Jack Dempsey, exhibited his prowess by knocking out Abe Cougle, the local heavyweight. He accomplished the feat with dispatch by means of half a dozen terrific half-arm blows, delivered with a viciousness that fully pleased the cheering crowd and explained in a measure Dempsey's defeat. Fitzsimmons showed himself a strong, quick hitter, but his short work with Cougle spoiled the show, for it cut off all opportunity for the crowd to judge between the two middle-weights who are hooked for a battle for championship honors and a big purse in July, as Cougle refused to go on with Jim Hall for the wind-up after his experience with Fitzsimmons. Statesman Sol Van Praag was the timekeeper and Patsy Fallon was master of ceremonies. After exhibitions by local talent Jim Hall and Billy Woods, the Colorado heavyweight, appeared in a two-round contest. Hall showed himself to be a very clever man. He is a handsomer fighter than either Burke or Mitchell and delivers the cleanest kind of blows. He is very quick, uses either arm at will, both at striking and at guard, and in fact demonstrated himself a graceful master of ring tactics. He received great applause for his clever work, and the short set-to was pronounced one of the best ever seen in the battery. Fitzsimmons and Cougle appeared next. Bob's awkward "kangaroo" figure and his position astonished the expectant 3,000. Cougle started in with a will, and was throwing his superior weight at Fitzsimmons in a business-like way, while the New Zealander was taking things easy. Cougle planted a right handr on a sore on Bob's mouth and the latter went to his corner bleeding profusely. The crowd sighted the claret and yelled, "Do him, Abe," "You haven't got Dempsey now," and made other remarks that Fitzsimmons did not relish.

Rushed and Fell in a Heap.

The champion began the second round lively, and with his famous reach kept Cougle away and played freely on his head with both hands. Cougle rushed, and Dempsey's conqueror evidently lost his temper, for he swung his left on his opponent's right jaw, repeated the tap on the left, and the heavyweight went reeling across the ring and down in a corner. He came up partially dazed, and the slim man from New Zealand again closed on him. He showered six short punches on Cougle's jaws and neck, and the South Water street gladiator collapsed in a heap. Lieutenant Alex Ross and a squad of police climbed over the ropes, but time was up before Cougle could arise. He was led to his corner and fanned into consciousness. Fitzsimmons was afraid of the police, for he left the ring in a hurry and made his way to his quarters over the heads of the crowd. Many criticized Fitzsimmons for worsting his opponent, and claimed that he did it deliberately and without provocation. But the fighter's friends claim that Cougle "crossed" the champion with the intention of "making a monkey of him," a feat which Cougle couldn't accomplish in a hundred years. Many were delighted over the punishment meted out to him. Cougle left the hall as soon as he could get into his clothes, and with a gang of admirers laid in wait for Fitzsimmons outside of the hall. The crowd was dispersed by Captain Fitzpatrick and Lieutenant Ross, who warned Cougle and his crowd not to attempt to make trouble. The latter started away, however, threatening his late opponent.

Fitzsimmons and Billy Woods wound up the entertainment with a three-round contest, the final bout being very lively. The crowd was greatly disappointed over Hall's failure to appear the second time, as no opportunity was given to make comparisons between the two men from the antipodes. Fitzsimmons had demonstrated his ability in all directions, while all the experts could make out of Hall's appearance was that he is a very clever and scientific fighter.

On the bill were hot glove contests between Bowen and Harper, colored; "Professor" Williams and Steve Stevens, colored; Joe and Billy Sullivan and "Sparrow" Lewis and Billy Taylor. Billy Murphy, in a spirited bout at catch-as-catch-can wrestling, lasting six and one-half minutes, won a fall from Mike O'Day, while Al Zimmerman and Dan Kalb wrestled for fifteen minutes to a draw. Ben Mowatt, the club juggler, gave an exhibition.

1906-04-26 Jack Johnson W-PTS15 Sam Langford [Lincoln Athletic Club, Chelsea, MA, USA]

1906-04-27 The Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 9)

LANGFORD LOSES IN GAME FIGHT
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Sam Langford was beaten badly by Jack Johnson at Chelsea last night, but earned the cheers of his admirers and many more besides by a superb exhibition of grit and courage that makes other local exhibitions of gameness in the ring fade almost into insignificance.

He was there all through the fifteen rounds, and saved a lot of money for his friends who had bet that he would last ten rounds, twelve rounds or stay the limit. But it is a question if he were wire, for the beating he took is enough to seriously impair his strength and health.

Most of the punishment was on the head, and so may not have the injurious effect that a severe drubbing on the body would have. Sam didn't have a chance on earth to win, for he was outweighed about thirty-five pounds, and Johnson was too clever, too fast, too heavy, too strong and too powerful in punching for him.

Sam went down three times. On the first occasion it looked as if he slipped or stumbled to his knees, as the accompanying punch was not heavy. He was knocked down with a powerful left hook in the middle of the sixth round and lay on his face. He was down just nine seconds, according to Timekeeper Murphy, a thoroughly honest man, and the referee, Maffit Flaherty, who says he was on his feet at the call of nine, and according to several watches in the hands of men around the ring.

Down Again.

Later on in the same round he was down again for nine seconds. On the first knockdown it looked as if he couldn't continue. But he arose within the specified ten seconds. The second time he went to the floor from a right hand smash on the jaw. He wasn't in such a bad way and arose all right. Johnson tried his best to give him his quietus, but was exhausted and weak from punching and couldn't land the knockout.

It was a one-sided fight. It was all Johnson all the way. Sam did well on his left stabs and showed at times an inclination to shoot the right over for Jack's jaw. But he was outclassed too much naturally to make it any kind of an even fight.

Johnson's showing was commented on by everybody who declared that his challenges to Jeffries were preposterous. He would have been an easy mark for the champion had he been taken on.

Johnson was esquired by Joe Walcott, Kid Murray, Jack McCloskey and Santy Ferguson and George Dixon gave advice from the corner. George Byers, Andy Watson and other friends were in Sam's corner.

Unholz Disappoints.

In the opening preliminary Deny Ryan of Cambridge defeated Custer Dow in two rounds in a slam-bang slashing fight. Custer took the place of Tommy Murray who did not appear. In the other preliminary Rudolph Unholz, the champion of South Africa, showed a wonderful physique and won over Kid Murry, one of Jack Johnson's assistants. Unholz did not make much of a hit and will hardly be considered for a main bout. He fought a fellow who was a good deal taller. He was aggressive and ambitious but he is not high class.


1906-04-27 The Evening Times (Pawtucket, RI) (page 2)

JOHNSON FAILS TO KNOCK OUT SAM LANGFORD
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Jack Johnson of Texas, the big colored heavyweight, who claims the heavyweight championship of the world, tried with might and main for 15 rounds last night at the Lincoln Club, Chelsea, to knock out Sam Langford of Cambridge. Considering the fact that Langford was nearly 40 pounds lighter and fully a foot shorter this does not add to the credit of Johnson, but must be considered quite a performance for Langford, and this great middleweight will probably have greater difficulty in getting matches than he has had in the past. True, during the 15 rounds that the pair were at it, Langford was hammered as no fighter ever has been hammered in the same number of rounds, but the fact remains that Johnson could not knock him out, and whether it was due to Langford's ability to take punishment or Johnson's absence of a knockout punch has nothing to do with the matter, but it is hard to see a champion in a heavyweight of 195 pounds who cannot stop a middleweight, at the heaviest in this time.

The battle itself was about as wicked an event as has been seen in a long while, and was too one-sided to be of interest, the only thing that could possibly be imagined as a cause for the enthusiasm that was aroused being Langford's gameness and his staying the full 15 rounds.

Previous to the starting of the battle the betting was all that Langford would or would not stay the distance. For a while in the early rounds Langford showed beautifully, using his left in a wonderful manner, but after about the fourth round Johnson began hooking his left to the body and swinging right and left wickedly to the head. In the sixth round Johnson rushed Langford to the ropes, smashed him about the body and wound up with a terrific left hook to the jaw, and Langford went to the mat for the count, laying on his face and apparently all out. But he regained his feet and hugged through the round, but Johnson, with his superior weight and strength, shook Langford off and whaled him viciously and dropped him to the mat again for a few seconds.

From then on the fight was too one-sided to be interesting. Johnson closed Langford's left eye and gave him the worst licking a man ever took in the Chelsea ring, and there was never a chance for Langford, though he was game to the finish and flashed occasionally. Langford's face was a sight at the end of the contest, and it is a question as to just how the licking he received last night will affect him in the future.

In the preliminaries, Johnnie Ryan knocked out Custer Dow in the second round and Rudolph Unholz of South Africa whipped Jimmy Martin of California, Jack Johnson's sparring partner, in a hard six-round battle.


1906-04-27 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 12)

BIG JACK JOHNSON DEFEATS LANGFORD
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(Special to The Evening World.)

BOSTON, April 27.--Jack Johnson, the colored heavy-weight, of Galveston, won the decision over Sam Langford in their fifteen-round bout at the Lincoln Club, Chelsea, last night. Outweighed by at least forty pounds and a head shorter than Johnson, the Boston man was good and strong when the bout ended.

The sports generally, as well as Johnson, believed Langford would be down and out before ten rounds, and it looked in the sixth round as if they had guessed right, for Langford was sent to the floor for the count. He came back quickly, and when the round ended Johnson was in as bad a way as Langford.

1916-04-25 Mike O'Dowd W-TKO9 Joe Eagan [Armory Athletic Association, Boston, MA, USA]

1916-04-26 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 9)

O'DOWD MAKES JOE EAGAN QUIT
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St Paul Boxer Wins in the Ninth Round
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Staggering Rights to the Jaw Decide the Contest Here
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Westerner Goes After His Man Hard From Start
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Mike O'Dowd, the St. Paul welterweight, lived up to his reputation last night at the Armory A. A., making Joe Eagan stop in the ninth round.

O'Dowd came into the ring wearing his harp-covered green robe. He was serious all the time and he kept after Eagan so hard that the latter did not have much of a chance to display much cleverness, except in using his feet to keep out of danger. He clinched repeatedly, but O'Dowd managed to get in some stiff wallops with both hands. He landed some stiff rights and lefts on Eagan's stomach and ribs and then shot both hands to Eagan's jaw and face.

It was plain to the fans that the bout would not go the limit. Only once did Eagan try his right, getting it over to O'Dowd's jaw, but it did not bother the St Paul boxer.

Twice O'Dowd staggered Eagan with rights to the jaw. In the ninth round, which lasted only 35 seconds, O'Dowd went after Eagan from the tap of the gong. As Eagan started to back away O'Dowd caught him on the jaw with the right and Eagan went to the mat. He got up after Referee Flaherty counted 10 and O'Dowd again went after him, but the referee stepped between the pair and Eagan again went to the mat. O'Dowd was declared the winner.

O'Dowd made a good impression on the fans by his aggressive style of boxing and he will be seen here again in a few weeks. He left for his home after the bout to fill an engagement in that city.

In the semifinal Dave Powers was given the decision over Chick West. Young Cosmos of New Bedford won the award over Johnny O'Brien in the preliminary.

Willie Beecher and Johnny Harvey will appear in the feature bout at the club next Tuesday. In the semifinal Billy Nixon will meet Johnny Noonan. Frank Simmons and J. Morris and Willie Shea and J. O'Brien will box in the preliminaries.


1916-04-26 The Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 11)

DROPS EGAN IN THE 9TH
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Mike O'Dowd of St. Paul All That His Press Agent Predicted.
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By Jack Malaney

The story-book climax, which generally has a man crashed under the chin, lifted off his feet and knocked out, was what the crowd saw at the Armory A. A. show last night at the Arena. It isn't often done, but it surely was in the ninth round of the feature bout between Joe Eagan of Dorchester and Mike O'Dowd of St. Paul.

It was O'Dowd who swung the mighty punch, and Eagan performed the "elevator" stunt. Joe didn't stay down for the allotted 10 seconds; he tried to get back on his feet and continue, but he was so wobbly that Referee Flaherty stopped the bout.

It was not an unexpected finish, sensational as it was. Eagan was not in his usual form, but this was due to the work of the newcomer. It looked early in the battle as if O'Dowd would get him before the half-way mark was reached, but for various reasons he couldn't do so. Then, again, O'Dowd had let up a bit a couple of rounds before perhaps to catch Eagan napping when he was ready to swing the big punch; so the finish came very suddenly. It was shortly after the ninth got under way that it happened.

Critics Will Notice Him Now

It can be said after seeing O'Dowd perform that the critics have neglected him to date. In some mysterious manner he has escaped notice, but he is bound to be heard of much more in the very near future. It was general opinion among the fans, the Eagan rooters included, that he is a "bear."

If there is anything in the boxing line that this "Fighting Harp," as he is called, cannot do, the fact didn't develop last night. He is positively the busiest battling machine that has been seen here in many a month. Never for a second does he stop to rest, to stall or for anything else. He's busy from bell to bell. His two hands are equally good. He hooks with triphammer precision; he uppercuts with a vengeance; a little short chop from his right battery can do a pile of damage. Not often is a man possessed of this kick also a boxer of the fancy style, but O'Dowd showed Eagan more than once before the finale that he, also, has a left-hand jab that is both fast and stiff.

It took about one minute for O'Dowd to get in solid with the crowd. His businesslike methods were promptly accepted, and by the time the second started, the rooting was mostly for the visitor.

Eagan Holds on as Usual

Had O'Dowd been able to go along in his rushing, go-get-him style without being handicapped by his opponent hanging onto him continually, and by the referee interfering in clinches where O'Dowd had a right to punch, but was prevented from doing so, Eagan might have been stopped earlier than he was. Joe always does hold in a bout, but last night that was about all that he did, especially in comparison with the work of his opponent. But that holding kept him on his feet longer than he would have normally stayed.

O'Dowd's work in the first four rounds was of an order not often seen here. He was like a cyclone, letting blows go for both body and head. And Eagan didn't like the style, either. Joe couldn't jab, as he usually does, for he couldn't find O'Dowd. He couldn't sidestep or duck because Mike wouldn't let him get away with it.

At no time during the tilt was there anything to it but Mike from St. Paul. When the eighth finished, Eagan walked back to his corner and looked longingly at the round sign. He hopped out for the ninth, and then--bingo--it was all over. They met in the center and exchanged a couple of punches. Eagan had just delivered a punch, and was getting away when the mighty right crashed under his chin. Up he went and then down he went. Nine counts were tolled off, and he struggled to his feet. He was all done, however, and the referee had turned around to motion O'Dowd to his corner as the winner when Eagan staggered and fell flat. Whether he was as weak as his act showed is only known by Joe.

Powers Earns It Over West

Dave Powers of Malden beat Chick West in the semi-final bout, but the fans didn't like the decision. Dave earned his right to the award in the early part of the bout, when he, incessantly jabbed West, and also scored a clean knock down. There was only one preliminary, and in that Young Cosmos, the New Bedford hitter, beat Jeff Gallant of Roxbury. Gallant rallied in the last round, but only because the other boy had punched until he was too tired to do so any more.

Johnny Donovan of South Boston didn't box because the mysterious Johnny Marns didn't show up. Although there were quite a few boxers of Donovan's weight about the building, none would take him on.

1916-04-24 Jack Britton W-PTS20 Ted Kid Lewis [Louisiana Auditorium, New Orleans, LA, USA]

1916-04-25 The Daily States (New Orleans, LA) (page 13)

JACK BRITTON WINS WELTER TITLE WITH LEFT JAB
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BRITTON WINS WELTER TITLE
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LEWIS GIVEN BOXING LESSON
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ENGLISHMAN TARGET FOR JAB
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Morgan's Protege Employs Left-Hand Punch To Make English Opponent Resemble a Novice; Lewis Was Doomed Pug Throughout
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BY COL. CLUKE.

Jack Britton won the welterweight championship of the world Monday night at the Louisiana Auditorium. To defeat Ted Lewis, of England Britton employed one hand--his left, which he turned from a jab to a hook or shot it straight from the shoulder. From start to finish, Lewis was a doomed pug, and when the final gong sounded, the British fighter strolled to his corner dejectedly as Referee Burke hoisted Britton's fist amid an outburst of applause.

For a championship contest, the Britton-Lewis mill was perhaps the poorest staged hereabouts in the past eight years. It was not a fistic encounter by any manner of means. Lewis was next to helpless trying to break through Britton's guard, and at times the Englishman looked like a novice in front of a master boxer.

If a high-class boxing lesson--one of the type that Freddie Welsh or Abe Attell could furnish a fifth-rater in their prime can ever be repeated, Lewis certainly received it from Britton. Lewis had two of the twenty frames, Britton a dozen and six were even. Lewis did not show a blow that could be taken seriously. His jabs fell short most of the time and his swings resembled a piece of paper in a cyclone.

No knockdowns were recorded. Lewis, however, was dropped to his knee in the seventh, Britton turning and walking across the ring as his opponent came up apparently dazed and rushed into a clinch. Time and again Britton put Lewis on his heels with a straight left that landed perhaps as often as an expert marksmen hits a target.

Britton Very Clever; Good Ring General.

Britton made a grand fight from a scientific standpoint. He invariably forced Lewis into leads and countered. Britton induced Lewis to fight the style he fancies most, which made the mill look very ragged in spots and were it not for the fact that a ring title was at stake might have resulted in the spectators laughing the Englishman out of the ring.

If Lewis fought his best fight against Britton, he is no more entitled to claim a ring title than yours truly. He should have been equipped with a half dozen machine guns, as his blows not only seemed to lack steam, but fell so short of their mark at times that the crowd decided early Britton would be satisfied to provide a boxing lesson and let it go at that, all of which goes to show that as a speculator, Dan-Yell Morgan will have to wait considerable time before he picks up another soft wager and he is reputed to have cashed.

Lewis made a desperate bid to even up the contest in the last three rounds. At the urgent solicitation from his manager, Ted cut loose right and left hand swings a mile a minute. Britton, however, simply threw up his guard and blocked most of the blows. When Lewis tired a trifle, Jack stepped in and shot left after left to the face, one time hitting the Englishman a half dozen times without drawing a return.

The first four rounds were even, neither man showing a disposition to fight. Britton, however, seemed the coolest and better ring general of the pair. Every time Lewis started a lead, Jack's left shot out and frequently beat his opponent to the punch. It was noticeable early in the fight that Britton used only his left, many of the spectators contending that it would be curtains for the British when Jack unhooked his starboard blow.

Lewis showed to advantage in the fifth when he started leaping something on the order of Johnny Dundee. He threw rights and lefts into Britton's face and hooked his right to the body. Lewis' blows came so fast that Jack couldn't get his left going until the round was almost over, with Jack doing a retreat. In this period, Lewis missed a beautiful pivot which would probably have ended the scrap.

Britton started taking the lead in the sixth and from this time until the fourteenth, hit Lewis when and where he pleased, but seemed content to raise a pair of knobs on Lewis' cheek bone that resembled a watermelon.

The seventh was a great round for Britton. He shot a left to the mouth and added two more to the chin.

Britton then shot a straight left to the chin and a right to the heart. Lewis dropped to his knees and Britton walked across the ring. Lewis stopped a half dozen more blows before the gong ended.

The eighth, too, was interesting. In this round a rally started near the gong and continued for several seconds, Referee Burke parting the men. Britton had Lewis in a corner and copped him with heavy rights to the jaw and mind.

The ninth found Britton stabbing Lewis at will, the Englishman missing almost every counter. In the tenth, Britton peppered Lewis' face at will. Towards the end of the round they traded blows and at the gong, Ted clipped Britton on the jaw and sent him reeling across the ring.

Britton’s defense became perfect as the fight progressed. Lewis was wild in the eleventh and repeatedly ran into blows, the twelfth and thirteenth went to Jack by wide margins, while Lewis took the fourteenth.

Britton was easily best in the fifteenth and in the next frame chopped Lewis on the jaw and sent him back on his heels. The Englishman wore a sickly smile, rarely evading a blow. The seventeenth and eighteenth went to Britton, while the nineteenth was even.

Lewis started the twentieth like a cyclone. He threw his arms in the air for almost a minute without hitting Britton when Jack suddenly stepped in and started pumping his left to the face. Britton used his right, too, probably more so in this period than throughout the other nineteenth rounds.


1916-04-25 The New Orleans Item (New Orleans, LA) (page 10)

HISSED HERE SIX YEARS AGO, JACK BRITTON NOW RATER CHAMPION WELTER
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English Marvel Meets His Master In Clever Chicagoan
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Welterweight Division Can Now Be Placed on Equal Footing With Other Classes if Packey McFarland Will Come Out and Meet Old Rival
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(By Will Hamilton.)

About six years ago Jack Britton came to New Orleans an unknown and fought Ray Bronson. The fans didn't like his style and hissed the bout, which took place in the long-defunct little Royal A. C. Bronson won. When it was over only two men raised a voice in defense of the stranger from Chicago. One was Ray Bronson, the other was the referee--Dr. Wallace Wood. I believe it was.

Bronson, knowing that the bout had not been satisfactory as one to look at, made this little speech from the ring:

"Gentlemen, this fellow is the hardest man to hit I ever boxed in my life."

The referee made this remark:

"Britton's style is peculiar--something to which we are not accustomed. But he is very clever. Make no mistake about that. He is awkwardly clever."

The next time Britton came to New Orleans it was to thwart the lightweight championship contender, Charlie White, with his "peculiar cleverness" and a great left jab which he had perfected in the meantime.

And his third visit was to make good his claim to the welterweight championship over Ted Lewis, a modern Fitzsimmons who is rated one of the best fighters England has produced in a decade.

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Lewis Tried to Do Dorr a Favor by Sitting Jack Britton in His Lap

Remy Dor, manager of Pete Herman, was one of the biggest individual bettors on Jack Britton Monday night and he won for himself and friend a "good chunk," but he narrowly escaped disaster in the tenth inning.

Ted Lewis evidently was wise to Remy's betting, or else he simply wanted to get revenge on Dorr for his verbal jabs from the ringside. So when Jack let loose a jab after the bell rang ending the tenth round Ted let loose a right-hand wallop that landed flush on Britton's jaw and sent him whirling against the ropes right in front of Remy, who held up his hands evidently in fear that the ropes were going to break.

"He wanted to sit your favorite in your lap," was a wag's remark to the rooting Remy.

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Is a Great Boxing Treat.

Britton has outgrown his "awkwardness," but a style that is purely typical of Britton remains. His exhibition of jabbing, parrying, shifting and pulling from punches and his impenetrable shoulder defense against a right-hand blow Monday night will long be remembered as one of the best boxing treats of years in a New Orleans ring.

Though not the two-handed fighter that Lewis is, Britton is nonetheless a champion. He is so proficient in other things that he finds the use of his right-hand on the offensive seldom called for. It is a mistake to suppose that Britton is only a good defensive boxer. Time and again he forced the fighting and had the Englishman on the run.

How Class Has Gone Back.

The lack of a representative boxing audience to see so important a battle as this shows how far into the background the welterweight division has shrunk through lack of competition. There hasn't been a bona fide welterweight champion in years, and many of the welters have been the black sheep of pugilism.

But in the ring last night were two boxers who would have stood on an equal footing with the best men of their weight of any ring period--two who, in probably every particular, were as great as any lightweight champion since the heyday of Joe Gans.

First Title Bout in Years.

This was the first 20-round decision fight, with the welter title hanging in the balance, in many years, and it is just possible that it will pave the way to a type of contention in this class which will eventually put the division on the same plane with the others. Even the bantams have tripled Monday night's attendance in New Orleans.

Britton's victory probably will draw Packey McFarland, one of the most popular boxers in the country, from retirement. This would make boxing fans everywhere sit up and take notice of the 145-pound division.

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Was 1st Decision Ted Lewis Lost in 29 Fights

Ted Lewis hadn't lost a decision since arriving in America until Monday night when he was defeated by Jack Britton.

Lewis came to America the latter part of 1914. He has had about 25 fights since arriving on American soil. The majority were no-decision bouts, but seven or eight were for decisions and Lewis won all of these besides getting the newspaper decisions in a large majority of the no-decision bouts. He has scored two knockouts in this country.

It was the first decision he had lost in the last 29 fights. He lost a 20-round decision to Herb McCoy in Australia in July 1914, after having defeated McCoy in May of the same year.


1916-04-25 The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA) (page 9)

BRITTON OUTCLASSES ENGLAND'S CHAMPION
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Jack Britton, welterweight champion of the world.

That is the way Danny Morgan's fighting Irishman may sign his letters from now on if the decision of Referee Dick Burke, given at the conclusion of Jack's twenty-round battle with Ted Lewis, of England, last night at the New Louisiana Auditorium, holds good for the announcement made before the contest started.

Billed as a world's championship bout, and justly so, according to the opinion of the majority of sport writers of this country, Britton showed so much superiority over his English opponent in practically all of the twenty rounds of the contest that no room for doubt was left as to who was the better man.

Britton won from the first gong to the last. Lewis, according to the viewpoint from the west side of the ring, had but one round, the nineteenth, coming to him, and a couple of them in which an even break seems about the correct verdict. Otherwise he played second fiddle to the Chicago boy.

GREAT EXHIBITION OF BOXING

It was one of the greatest exhibitions of boxing, offensive and defensive, ever seen in New Orleans. This is written from the Britton side of it. It was a contest between two fine boxers, both of whom can fight. With this class of men it is usually claimed that they are boxers alone, but the records of each show that they both have the "kick" that goes with the fighting man and though there was not a knockout last night, nor even a knock down, it was simply owing to the fact that both were clever enough to block the "hay-makers" that were tried.

Never were two athletes in better physical condition than were the two last night. Britton, who has been seen in the ring here several times, looked to be stronger than in any of his previous contests. He was a little heavier, too, but if anything he was faster, shiftier than ever.

Lewis has boxed here only once before. This was with Harry Stone, whom he defeated in a twenty-round go at Tommy Burns' arena about seven weeks ago. According to his manager, Lewis was not at his best then, having just been through a hard siege of battles. But Jimmie declared that he was at his best last night, he having rested since that time. If he was, then his best is far from being good enough to beat Jack Britton over the Marathon distance.

Britton's cleverness in every department, his boxing skill, his countering and ring generalship, all were brought into play against Lewis, and each stood him in good stead. Lewis entered the ring with the avowed intention of keeping after Britton from first to last. He tried this at first. It did not work. His leads missed their mark and Britton's counters counted. Then he changed his tactics. He would allow Jack to do the leading. Jack did. He led and his leads found their mark.

CHANGES STYLE AGAIN

It would not do. Lewis changed again. He started swinging. Occasionally some of his wild ones found their mark. More often they did not, but in the nineteenth round, when he had about given up all hope of winning any other way, he tried the old "hay-maker" swing and he landed two or three hard. Once he staggered Jack with a stiff one but before he could untrack himself, Britton had charged and driven a half-dozen hard right and left punches to the body.

In this same nineteenth, Britton seemed tired. The Lewis camp noted this and all hands kept up a running fire of comment on it. It was an attempted "goat-getting" stunt, pure and simple. But all the same Jack did look mighty tired.

Then came the twentieth, and Britton showed just how tired he really was by tearing into Lewis after they had shaken hands and pummelling the Englishman all over the ring to a wide decision on the round and the contest.

It was a very clean contest as far as the tactics of the combatants were concerned. Twice Lewis slipped to his knees and both times Britton walked clear away from him so that he could arise and set himself again in good order. Jack was cheered both times.

From beginning to end, one round was so much like the other that it would be hard to describe all of them without becoming tiresome by repetition.

It was a lead, counter, jab, get away and slam to the body. Occasionally there were clinches, usually clean breaks, with some infighting but none of the regulation hitting and holding. When there was close work it was fast and hard and Britton, in this department, showed his superiority to Lewis as he did in all of the others.

ONE ROUND FOR LEWIS

In the estimation of the writer, the nineteenth round went to Lewis, the second and eighteenth were even, and all of the rest went to Britton.

The attendance was small, considering the class of the contest, the big arena seeming to be hardly a third filled, but those who were on hand were treated to one of the greatest boxing contests ever seen here. It seemed to be the general verdict that "it was the greatest one-sided bout on record."

Kid Gomez forced Young Nelson to take a high dive among the electric light bugs in the first round of the semi-final, while Eddie Burns trounced "Hesitation" Bronson and Jonas Robertson walloped Young Britton in the other preliminaries.

1897-04-23 Jimmy Barry W-PTS20 Jimmy Anthony [National Athletic Club, Woodward's Pavilion, San Francisco, CA, USA]

1897-04-24 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, MO) (page 3)

THE CHICAGO BANTAM WON
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JIMMY BARRY CLEARLY OUTBOXED THE AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION.
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Anthony Was Still on His Feet at the Close of the Twentieth Round, but Barry got the Decision.
--------

"Parson" Davies's bantam weight pugilist, little Jimmy Barry of Chicago, clearly demonstrated his superiority over Australia's champion, Jimmy Anthony, in a twenty-round bout at San Francisco last night. He did not knock out the Australian, but Barry had all the best of it and the decision in his favor met with general approval. The Woodward pavilion, in which the National Athletic club of 'Frisco pulled off the fight, was crowded and the programme, which included a rattling four-round bout between Rubenstein and Cooney, in which the former got the verdict; the bantam championship event, and Bob Armstrong's smothering of Sam Pruitt, a California heavyweight, furnished a good evening's sport. Hiram Cook acted as referee and was roundly hissed for his decision in the first fight between Rubenstein and Cooney, which was awarded to the former. It was all Rubenstein's fight up to the last half of the last round, and though Cooney had the better of it after that, Cook's decision was proper under the rules.

The event of the evening was the twenty-round contest between Jimmy Barry of Chicago and Jimmy Anthony of Australia. A clever fight was put up by the bantams and though it was Barry's all the way through, Anthony seemed dangerous in every round, as he finished practically as strong as he began, while Barry was noticeably tiring, though he made a lively finish. The Chicagoan got the decision. Barry was entirely too quick for Anthony and the Australian did not get in a single effective blow. On the other hand, Barry frequently rained swing after swing on the Australian's jaw, but the blows either had no force in them, or Anthony is a wonder to stand punishment.

It is certain that there was no steam behind many of Barry's blows. He is the perfection of activity, and had no trouble in finding Anthony's jaw, but that is all he good it did him. In a boxing contest that was all that was necessary and the fact that Anthony kept forcing Barry to walk backward around the ring counted but little in his favor. Anthony had but one mark on him at the end of the fight, a cut back of the left eye, while Barry had red spots and scrapes all over his body.

In the beginning of the fight Anthony tried to rush Barry, and the latter cleverly ducked or swung his left on Anthony's jaw. Many of the rounds were uneventful, but Barry was clearly outpointing his man all the time. In the last four rounds Anthony tried to rush Barry and ran against a rain of blows that stopped his aggressive work. Barry's remarkable agility saved him and he reached Anthony's face whenever there was a mix up.

THE BATTLE IN DETAIL.

The men were well trained and Barry set the pace. It was evident that Barry was the cleverer man of the two, but his blows did not seem to hurt the Australian. In the third round, after Barry had landed several right jabs without return, Anthony became aggressive, whereupon Barry swung viciously, but missed, and fell to the floor. In the fourth Barry led with his right, but was hotly countered. He then landed with both hands without return, and the round closed with Anthony swinging wildly.

Barry was confident that he had sized his man up when the fifth opened, and landed a stiff right on the Australian's face, and followed it up with right and left on Anthony's jaw. Both came up smiling for the sixth. Anthony rushed, but was cleverly stopped by a left on the nose. Anthony poked his left into his opponent's stomach, and received a right in the face as a return. Barry led several times, but his blows seemed to lack steam.

In the seventh Anthony cleverly stopped a lead, and the round closed with Anthony fighting hard. Little or no fighting was done in the eighth, but in the ninth Anthony showed signs of improvement, for he stopped all his opponent's blows, and landed several times on the Chicago boy's stomach. In the tenth both fought very hard, but Barry was evidently taking no chances. He rushed, but was stopped. In the eleventh Barry landed a right and tried again with a left swing, but Anthony made a quick duck, and got out of the way. The fighting was slow during the rest of the round. Barry went after his man in the twelfth and landed whenever and wherever he pleased, but he could not put the little man from Australian out.

BARRY LANDS AT WILL.

In the thirteenth Barry landed twice on Anthony's nose without return and pushed him hard. Anthony rallied, however, and rushed the Chicagoan all over the ring. In the fourteenth Barry poked Anthony's sore nose again, and as the gong sounded punched him on the neck. This was decidedly Barry's round.

In the fifteenth Barry did all the fighting, landing rights and left on Anthony's head, jaw and stomach. In the fifteenth Anthony came up with a black eye, but was strong. Barry, just as the round closed, swung his left on the Australian's jaw and the latter went to his corner in a groggy condition.

Anthony came up fresh for the seventeenth and stopped a left lead for the face. Barry then jabbed him several times on the nose and then slipped to the floor. He got up quickly and received a light counter on the jaw. Anthony's eyes were in mourning in the eighteenth, but he was still strong. The only important blows struck in this round were a right on the foreigner's jaw and a stiff left on his nose. Barry plainly outclassed him as far as cleverness was concerned.

In the nineteenth Barry was much the stronger of the two, and countered his opponent on the jaw. Anthony landed a right hook, but there was no force to the blow and Barry uppercut him savagely.

The twentieth and last round was all Barry's, as he smashed his opponent on the eye and jaw repeatedly. Although Anthony was still on his feet when the round closed, the referee announced that as the contest was for points, Barry was clearly entitled to the decision and the big end of the $2,000 purse, and was the champion bantam weight of the world.

BOB ARMSTRONG'S EASY MARK.

The ten round go between "Parson" Davies's black fighter, Bob Armstrong, and a California colored bruiser named Sam Pruitt was a howling farce. Armstrong is supposed to possess championship metal, but there was no opportunity of sizing him up last night. Pruitt seemed to be full of sorrow or something else as he came forward. His legs and shoulders were bare and his skin shone like that of a Samoan chief after a cocoanut oil bath.

When he toed the scratch Armstrong struck him several lefts in the face and on the body, and Pruitt looked reproachfully at the "Parson's" novice. Another left hand stomach punch settled it, for Pruitt walked to his corner and told the referee that the thing had gone far enough.

The exhibition, which lasted about five seconds, was of such a comical nature that the spectators roared with laughter. Only a handful of enthusiasts who took pugilism seriously at all times got mad.


1897-04-24 The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA) (page 7)

JIMMY ANTHONY WAS OUTCLASSED
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Barry, the Champion Bantam, Won a Well-Merited Decision.
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Twenty Rounds of Scientific Fighting in Woodward's Pavilion.
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Armstrong Whipped Pruit in a Punch, and Rubenstein Defeated Cooney.
--------

"Good laws me, Mr. Armstrong, don't hit me any more. I'se stopped now."

This is what Sam Pruit, a big, husky, colored man said to Bob Armstrong, his opponent, last evening at Woodward's Pavilion after he had received a few left-hand jabs in the mouth.

It was the last event on the National Club's programme, and it ended in a dismal failure.

Pruit and Armstrong were to have had a ten-round bout, but Pruit was not a "dead game" pug, and he quit early in the game.

The first event was a four-round contest between Ike Rubenstein of Sacramento and Joe Cooney of Chicago. Referee Cook gave a decision in favor of Rubenstein, and the announcement was received with hoots and catcalls. Rubenstein had certainly the better of the first two rounds, but in the last rounds of the fight Cooney scored a strong lead and had his opponent on "queer street" when the contest finished. Rubenstein did not by any means prove that he was a game fighter, as he withered in the last part of the game and looked beseechingly at his seconds, as if he wanted them to throw up the sponge.

The event of the evening was a 20-round contest between Jimmy Anthony of Australia and Jimmy Barry, the champion bantam of this country. The fighters, who scaled in at 115 pounds, could not have been in better trim for a long race. The betting was strongly in favor of Barry, who sold for $10 as against $6 on Anthony.

The contest was not for the championship of the two countries as many people supposed, as championship battles are to a finish only. The fight was very interesting because of the science and generalship displayed by the contestants.

Anthony was the aggressor from start to finish, but he was outclassed by a more clever man, who, by cunning moves and pretty arm work, drew the Australian's fire, which spent itself on the atmosphere.

Anthony tried time and again to get within close range of his game, but instead of sending out straight left leads, he swung at Barry's head or body and fell short almost invariably only to receive a clip under the ear or a straight left on the eye, which medicine, however, was taken by Anthony with apparent relish.

The rounds were pretty much the same up to within the last six or seven, when Anthony, finding that he was outpointed in straight-hitting and ducking, made some desperate attempts to land a right swing or left hook on some vulnerable spot. Barry was careful not to mix too often with his powerful opponent, anticipating that a chance blow might send him to dreamland.

However, when the little fellow did get to close quarters and an exchange of compliments resulted, the American champion proved to the satisfaction of the referee and spectators that he was pretty good at a mixture himself, as he landed at least two blows to the one he received. Anthony's stopping was very clever, but each time he essayed to land a right hook or attempted to cross his opponent, he fell short and clinched to avoid a return.

There were many opportunities which he missed taking advantage of for a good stiff uppercut and as a consequence he lost what might have resulted in a victory to him. The Australian's leads were generally short. He calculated distance badly and several times he left openings after missing wild swings which Barry should have taken advantage of, but the American was not there to take a chance of being knocked out.

Barry's figuring on distance was excellent, and when it came to in-fighting he proved himself the master of the man who was supposed to be a crackerjack at that game.

Neither man was punished to any extent, as the contest was a clever exhibition of good sparring instead of slogging, which the spectators are more accustomed to see. The bantams gave general satisfaction, and Barry was richly entitled to the decision in his favor.

The new master of ceremonies of the National Club is a most remarkable spieler, who surpassed the great master of ceremonies, Billy Jordan, in all particulars. He announced that a dispatch was received yesterday from McKeever, which stated that he (McKeever) was ready to sign articles with George Green to fight under the auspices of the National Club.

1904-04-22 Jack Johnson W-KO20 Sam McVea [Mechanics’ Pavilion, San Francisco, CA, USA]

1904-04-23 The Daily Californian (Bakersfield, CA) (page 3)

KNOCKOUT FOR McVEY
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AFTER PLAYING WITH HIM ALL THE TIME JOHNSON SENT HIM TO THE MAT
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Oxnard Pugilist Helped to Corner at End of Twentieth Round of Wretched Battle.
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At Mechanics' Pavilion last night Jack Johnson knocked out Sam McVey in the twentieth round after a one-sided contest. It was Johnson's fight throughout and he would probably have won the decision in any event. McVey managed to struggle on until almost the end of the twentieth round when he went down before Johnson's blows and had to be carried to his corner. He was clearly inferior to Johnson throughout the battle. Before the fight it was announced that the winner would challenge Champion Jim Jeffries.

The main event was preceded by two preliminaries between Frank Fields and Arthur Williams and Fred Landers and Jack Dougherty. The first was won by Fields and the second by Landers.

Dick Sullivan refereed the preliminaries and Eddie Graney the main event.

A full report of the battle by rounds was received at the Louvre and a large crowd assembled there to read the returns. Before the fight there were a number of McVey backers in town but as the fight progressed it was seen that the Oxnard fighter was no match for Johnson. There was little or no money bet on the result and the fight was clearly very poor and uninteresting exhibition from start to finish and few believe that Champion Jeffries will consider for an instant any challenge from the winner, especially as he has positively declared that he will not fight any negro.

Johnson fought at 190 and McVey at 207.


1904-04-23 The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA) (page 11)

JACK JOHNSON KNOCKS OUT McVEY IN THE TWENTIETH ROUND
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HEAVY-WEIGHT CONTEST IS POOREST SEEN IN THIS CITY IN MANY YEARS
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Spectators Applaud Satirically the Feeble Efforts of the Colored Gladiators and Then Silently Retire From the Scene of the Alleged Battle---McVey Shows No Qualifications as a Boxer
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Twenty seconds before the close of the twentieth round in their fight in Mechanics' Pavilion last night Jack Johnson knocked out Sam McVey. This brought to a close one of the poorest fights ever seen in this city. It marked the first exhibition of the Shasta Club, which butted into the boxing same here only to give it a decided setback.

For a time the spectators applauded satirically the feeble swings and jabs of the boxers. Then they jeered the alleged gladiators, and finally many of them made their way out of the building, leaving a small proportion of the attendance to sit out each tiresome round.

McVey proved possessed of but one quality necessary in the make-up of a fighter. He could and did take a lot of punishment without flinching. Beyond this he did nothing. For round after round he did not land a blow on the elusive Johnson, and his mighty right arm, with its ridges of thews and sinews, might as well have been strapped to his side for all the use he made of it.

McVEY CANNOT PUNCH.

He did not land an effective blow throughout the fight, Johnson never giving him an opportunity to get set. With all his strength and ruggedness, he showed no signs of aggressiveness, and will never make a fighter.

Johnson showed all the cleverness for which he is noted. He landed an incredible number of blows on McVey's head, but he never followed up his advantage. He had his opponent in distress several times, but he refused to take a chance and backed away out of danger. All sorts of remarks were directed at the boxers, but the one that brought down the house was uttered by some one at the ringside, who said: "Cease this brutality." As hardly a good blow had been struck for ten rounds the humor of the remark pleased the weary spectators.

CONTEST ENDS SUDDENLY.

The sudden end of the contest proved a surprise. There had been but little work done from the twelfth to the nineteenth round. In the latter Johnson took a chance and staggered McVey with rights and lefts to the head. McVey was nearly out, the principal damage being done him by a hard left to the body. When he came up for the last round his head had hardly cleared and Johnson went at him again.

He landed repeatedly to the head of the Oxnard man, and then scored quickly with a right and left to the jaw. The force of the blows turned McVey completely around and he fell a huge, limp mass, face downward on the paddock floor. He lay there breathing heavily until he had been counted out, when his seconds assisted him to his corner.

The attendance was small, the receipts of the gallery being only $850. Joe Walcott and the Dixie Kid, who are to fight at Colma next Friday night, were introduced by Billy Jordan.

JOHNSON STARTS WELL.

Johnson started in the first round as though he had made up his mind to win decisively. He was after McVey at once with right and left to the head and knocked the Oxnard man down with a clean left to the jaw. He caught McVey coming in and slightly off his balance. This was near the end of the round. Johnson went after him again in the second round, sending in rights and lefts with great regularity. McVey seemed to shake up Johnson early in the third round with a right to the body and then missed some wild swings to the head. Johnson landed two hard rights to the body in the fourth round. Johnson varied the fifth round by trying first for the head and then for the body.

Johnson staggered McVey in the sixth round with a right to the head, but the bell stopped proceedings before he could do any further damage.

The fight slowed down to a snail's pace in the seventh and eighth rounds and the crowd yelled to "throw them out." Johnson livened things up in the ninth round, staggering McVey with a right to the head. Most of the fighting done during the evening was in this round. Johnson wrestled McVey down in the tenth round and kept up his piston rod left.

Johnson was busy in the eleventh round but did little damage. In the twelfth he had McVey groggy again, but let him come to. There was no fighting from this point on to the nineteenth and twentieth rounds.

In the preliminaries, Frank Fields stopped Arthur Williams in the fifth round. Williams was knocked down and lost track of the count, although he was able to go on. Fred Landers knocked out Jack Dougherty in the fourth round with a right to the jaw. In the second round Dougherty was sent down for the count of seven. He then knocked Landers down twice, both boxers staggering about the ring in a dazed condition. The gong saved Dougherty in the third round, but in the fourth he retired.

Eddie Graney refereed the main fight.

1911-04-21 Jack Britton W-PTS15 Jake Barada [Business Men's Athletic and Gymnasium Association, Auditorium, St. Joseph, MO, USA]

1911-04-22 St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, MO) (page 10)

BARADA BEATEN BY BRITTON LAST NIGHT
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STOCKYARDS LAD MET HIS FIRST DEFEAT AT HANDS OF CLEVER CHICAGO PUG.
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BIG CROWD WATCHED CARD
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Eddie Howard of St. Louis Dropped Antone Rubie of Omaha With Hook to Jaw In Third Round--Two Good Preliminaries.
--------

Before about 2,500 members of the Business Men's Athletic and Gymnasium Association and others, at the Auditorium last night, Jake Barada of South St. Joseph lost his first bout, to Jack Britton of Chicago, in fifteen rounds. The Stockyards lad was no match for clever Jack, who kept away from his well-meant punches easily and stepped in and out, delivering rights and lefts in one of the prettiest exhibitions of boxing that has ever been seen in a local ring. At the close of the fifteenth round, with Britton showering rights and lefts at will and the local boy gamely fighting back, Referee Will McGinnis raised the gloved mitt of the Chicagoan in token of victory and the big crowd was satisfied with a fair and well-given decision.

Eddie Howard of this city treated the fans to some real stuff in his bout with Antone Rubie of Omaha, dropping the wrestler-boxer in the third round for the full count with a powerful right hook to the jaw. Rubie was no match for Howard, who ducked his clumsy swings easily and never failed to land terrific swings to the wind and jaw every time the pair came together. Howard left the ring breathing only from his own exertions. Rubie did not land one clean blow in the three rounds.

In two good preliminaries, Pal Murdock of Kansas City won a decision over Bud Kelly in six rounds and Mickey Joyce of Pittsburg got a draw with Kid Gordonniere of Elwood in a bout that went the same distance.

Britton a Great Boxer.

Without a doubt Jack Britton is a great boxer. His cleverness and ring generalship were a revelation to the bugs who gathered to watch last night's stag, and everyone is satisfied that he has everything necessary to enable him to hold a place near the top of the lightweight ladder.

Barada put up the gamest article of the kind that has been seen here in many a day and he deserves credit for the showing he made. Barada did not put up his best game, at that. In fact he boxed in poorer form than for some time past and probably this was occasioned on account of a sprained right hand which he received in training.

Be that as it may, Barada was up against the real thing in Britton and the Chicago boy was never in great danger of running against the sleepy stuff. Barada tried throughout the fifteen rounds to slip over the kick that would win for him but that chance never came for Britton made him miss blow after blow by his clever hoof work.

The officials of the club announced last night that in the near future Mickey Sheridan and Tommy Moore would be matched for a main event bout at the Auditorium.

1903-04-20 Philadelphia Jack O'Brien D-PTS10 Joe Walcott [Health and Physical Culture Athletic Club, Grand Dime Theatre, Boston, MA, USA]

1903-04-21 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 13)

BOXERS HISSED.
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O'Brien-Walcott Bout Angers Spectators.
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Club Members Throw Their Cards Into the Ring.
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Choice of Officials Also Unsatisfactory.
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Joe Walcott and Philadelphia Jack O'Brien went 10 rounds to a draw at the Health and Physical Culture club last night.

There were about 2000 spectators present, and they were evidently of the opinion that the bout had a queer look. So disgruntled were some of the members that while the bout was in progress they hissed and threw their membership cards into the ring. The members were not only disgruntled over the contest, but they were also sore that the club officials engaged a Philadelphia man, pitcher Rube Waddell, for referee, and had a Philadelphia man as ticket taker.

From the outset the spectators were of the mind that Walcott was not out to win, and he verified that suspicion after the contest when he declared that he would not get anything if he had defeated O'Brien.

The latter was shifty on his feet and jabbed Walcott repeatedly. The colored boxer did let loose once or twice and sent some rights on O'Brien's body and jaw, but they were so weak that they made no impression on the Philadelphia boxer.

In the opening preliminary contest John Butler of Lynn got the award over W. Johnson in 8 rounds. Johnny Sheehan and W. O'Brien went six fast rounds and Sheehan was given the award. Harry Snelling of Quebec scored a decisive victory over Tim Harrington in two rounds.


1903-04-21 The Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 9)

Joe Walcott and Jack O'Brien Boxed Ten Tame Rounds Without a Decision
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Big Crowd at Culture Club Cried "Fake" at Negro and Philadelphian--Walcott Said He Could Have Knocked Out O'Brien Had He Desired, But There Was An Agreement.
--------

"Philadelphia Jack" O'Brien and Joe Walcott boxed ten rounds at the meeting of the Health and Physical Culture Club at the old Grand Dime Theatre last evening. "Rube" Waddell, the Athletics' pitcher, was referee. Before the bout started he announced that if both men were on their feet at the end of the tenth round there would be no decision. They both went the limit, with cries of "fake" heard as it progressed.

After the bout Walcott, in his dressing room, said that he could have knocked out O'Brien any time he desired, but that by agreement entered into he could not do it. O'Brien made no pretence about contesting with the colored demon, but was content with staying through the exhibition. He showed leads for the nose with a left, coming in on the lead clinching. The referee called "Break" as soon as one man hugged or clinched, even though the other man was free. As O'Brien persisted in hugging, holding or clinching at every opportunity, Walcott had no chance to do any effective punching at short range, had he desired.

O'Brien gave a beautiful exhibition of foot work and ran around the ring as fast as a champion sprinter could. Several times he deliberately turned his back to the colored boy and fled from his attacks. There was a large crowd present, and in the eighth round more than a dozen membership cards were hurled deliberately into the ring while the men were boxing. A cry went up from the gallery and pit calling on everyone to leave the building.

Many were disgusted with the exhibition and left before the tenth round.

O'Brien jabbed Walcott on the nose, using his left in the attack, but did not injure the negro, although he made him snuffle a bit. His jabs were delivered without steam or viciousness. After the men shaped up, O'Brien assumed the aggressive, shooting out the left for the head.

Between several of these leads Walcott essayed to reach the Philadelphian, but Jack went to a clinch and stalled him.

In the second round the negro was on the offensive, but outside of a few punches he was cautious not to have his hand clenched. O'Brien beat a retreat whenever he could without appearing too ridiculous.

Preceding the main bout there were three rattling good preliminaries. John E. Butler of Lynn defeated John Johnson in the eighth round. Frend Snelling, the Canadian champion, defeated Tim Harrington of South Boston and Johnny Sheehan of South Boston won from Billy O'Brien, also of South Boston.


1903-04-21 The Evening Times (Pawtucket, RI) (page 2)

RUBE WADDELL REFEREES O'BRIEN-WALCOTT FIGHT
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Boston, April 21.--Philadelphia Jack O'Brien, the scrapper of high aspirations, lost his prestige in Boston last evening, when he boxed 10 rounds with Joe Walcott to a draw, according to previous agreement. The playful way in which the two men boxed was roundly hissed by 2,000 spectators at the Health and Physical Culture Club last evening.

Not once during the 10 rounds did either man hit the other hard enough to have moved a hair or whisked away a fly. There was much swinging of arms and dancing, but little else. At the very outset it was plain to see that neither man was in earnest. When the pair clinched they killed time by waiting for the referee to go between them. That official was "Rube" Waddell, of the Philadelphia American League ball team, who grew a little rough, or was perhaps too hasty, in his breaking, which aroused Walcott's anger.

The result was Waddell did not attempt to break the pair after the fifth round. Every time they clinched, on the order to break, Walcott dropped his arms and backed away. O'Brien was taking no chances of a cross, however, and carefully kept his hands on Walcott's arms until the latter backed out of reach. So it was through the 10 rounds. The renowned left on the alleged clever O'Brien was not on view last evening.

Several times during the mill O'Brien left himself open. Once when he was completely uncovered Walcott started a vicious right swing for the jaw, but cleverly stopped it. O'Brien hit with wide open hands, but the greater part of his work consisted of pushing and hugging. The spectators showed their disgust by throwing their membership tickets into the ring. Many of them left before the bout was half over.

Yesterday afternoon O'Brien's manager was at the club and had the ring enlarged a foot and a half. Then, too, there was fussing about gloves. At the end of the bout Walcott was as fresh as when he entered the ring, and on the way out remarked that he could have put O'Brien out any time he wanted to. O'Brien was tired on account of his dancing about the ring, and plainly showed that he had done little or no training.

Three good preliminaries took place. Jack Johnson of Cambridge was put away by John E. Butler of Lynn after eight rounds of hard, fast work. Harry Snelling of Canada did the same thing to Tim Harrington of South Boston in the second round of their contest. Harrington had a hard bout in the afternoon and was too tired to withstand Snelling's hard rights. In the final preliminary Johnnie Sheehan of South Boston won in six rounds from Tommy O'Brien.


1903-04-21 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 10)

BOSTON CROWD HOOTED BOXERS.
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O'Brien and Walcott Fought Ten Rounds--Decision a Draw, in Keeping with an Agreement Made Before the Contest.
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(Special to The Evening World.)

BOSTON, April 21.--"Philadelphia Jack" O'Brien and Joe Walcott fought ten rounds to a draw before the Health and Physical Culture Club last night. The decision was in keeping with an agreement that if both men were on their feet at the finish such a verdict would be made. The crowd was much displeased and shouted its derision when leaving the building.

The bout, as originally arranged, was to have been fifteen rounds, but just before the men entered the ring it was decided to cut it to ten rounds, and O'Brien would not fight unless the decision would be a draw if both men were on their feet at the end.

"Rube" Waddell, the Athletics' pitcher, was referee, but his task was comparatively easy because of the agreement between the men. O'Brien had a slight advantage throughout. The negro was handicapped in height and reach, and when pressed hard by O'Brien resorted to clinching.

In the preliminary bouts John Butler knocked out John Johnson in the eighth round, and Harry Snelling beat Tim Harrington in two rounds.

1894-04-19 Joe Walcott W-KO16 Tom Tracey [Music Hall, Boston, MA, USA]

1894-04-20 Boston Evening Journal (Boston, MA) (page 2)

Walcott Knocks Out Tracy in the Sixteenth Round.
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THIS WAS A SURPRISE.
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Joe Walcott, the Negro, Knocks Out the Australian Welterweight.

Joe Walcott, the wonderful coal black negro welterweight, short, stocky and wearing a natural armor of skin, bone and muscle, against which blows from the fists of the hardest-hitting pugilists make little impression, won another battle last night. He knocked out Tom Tracy, a white man, and the welterweight champion of Australia, in 16 rounds. The fight took place in Music Hall and was witnessed by about 2000 sports and lovers of the fistic art.

It was one of the liveliest fights ever seen in Boston. Tom Tracy is a fighter from the word go, and showed himself to be not only a game man, but a good ring tactician, too. He was in magnificent condition, great knots of muscle showing through his pink, well-groomed skin, on shoulders, arms, body and legs. The young man was light and graceful on his feet, and avoided some stiff blows by clever dodging.

The winner, Joe Walcott, when he stepped out from his corner looked like a little ebony statue. His jet black skin glistened in the glare of the electric lights, while the top of his round bullet head shone like a billiard ball, evidently having been shaved. Joe is only about five feet in height, and his opponent was more than a head taller, and apparently heavier than he. But the little darkey's shoulders seemed broader than ever. A great ball of muscle appeared in the biceps of each arm when he curled them up, and his stocky, well-knit body was supported by powerful legs.

The referee was "Jimmy" Colville of Boston, and the timers were "Handsome Dan" Murphy for the Cribb Club, "Mike" Bradley for Walcott, and "Johnny" Eckart for Tracy.

Dan Creedon and Howie Hodgkins looked out for Tracy, while O'Rourke and Jack Havlin were behind Walcott.

It was give and take from start to finish. Walcott led with his right at the very start off. Then Tracy got in one on Walcott's head. The black man had the better of it and landed two or three heavy ones before the first round ended. Tracy did no leading.

But in the second round Tracy got in several stiff punches on Walcott's body. Walcott landed on his opponent's face and made some terrific swings with his long black arms, which were ducked cleverly by the white man. Had they landed the latter would have been out of it.

The crowd cheered Tracy whenever he did anything clever. He was undoubtedly the favorite with the spectators. In the third round he sent in a smashing blow on Walcott's nose, which maddened the black man so that he chased Tracy around the ring and thumped him on head and body.

Walcott stopped some of Tracy's blows well in the fourth, but Tracy was an adept in ducking and his tactics seemed to be to avoid punishment rather than to give it. Walcott got in a heavy swing on Tracy's face as the round closed.

In the fifth round Walcott rushed Tracy to the latter's corner and they clinched. When separated there was a lively exchange of blows. The sixth, seventh and eighth rounds were much alike. Tracy feinted with his left a great deal. He seemed to be waiting for a chance to send in a finish blow with his right on Walcott's face.

Both were very shifty. Tracy slipped to his knees once or twice. He was somewhat inclined to run away from Walcott, or to clinch. The referee found it a difficult matter to separate the two several times. The pair appeared tired in the eighth round. Walcott delivered some stiff ones in the ninth and Tracy went to his corner a little groggy.

In the tenth the referee got on to Tracy's clinching. He warned him to stop hooking Walcott, or he would be disqualified. In this round Walcott drew first blood, landing heavily on Tracy's nose. Both appeared rather tired.

Tracy continued game and landed some stiff ones on Walcott's stomach. But Walcott seemed to land several times where Tracy did but once. Tracy tried to rush Walcott in the thirteenth round, and showed up quite fresh. Walcott was ready for him, however, with a grin on his face.

The fifteenth round was a hot one. Tracy got Walcott against the ropes and tried to punch his little head off. It was impossible, of course, but he attempted it. As they broke away Walcott shot in a cyclonic uppercut. Then they clinched again.

Tracy led in the 16th round, but missed Walcott's face. After a short exchange of blows Tracy started to retreat and Walcott rushed him to the ropes. With a terrific left-handed swing the black man knocked his opponent out. The blow landed on Tracy's right jaw, and he fell forward on his face, unconscious. He revived a few seconds later, got up on his feet, and was knocked down again. This time he was counted out before he could arise, and the fight was awarded to Walcott amid the cheers of the latter's friends. Joe left the ring with a broad smile on his face.

Before the big fight exhibition bouts of four rounds each were given by Boyle O'Reilly of Cambridge and William Dally of Australia, and Jimmy Sweeney and Willy Driscoll. Both were rather tame affairs. Young Griffo of Australia was presented to the crowd from the platform. He is matched to fight George Dixon for $1000. Mike Harris of New York was also introduced to the crowd as the only man who had ever got a decision against Walcott in a fight. Harris challenged the winner of the Tracy-Walcott fight. Joe Walcott will probably accept this challenge.