1894-06-22 Joe Walcott W-KO6 Mike Harris (Casino Athletic Club, Boston, MA, USA)

1894-06-23 Boston Morning Journal (Boston, MA) (page 3)

WALCOTT DEFEATS HARRIS.

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The Contest Takes Place at the Casino--Six Rounds Are All That Harris Could Stand Under.

Joe Walcott knocked out Mike Harris in six rounds at the Casino last evening. The meeting of these two men has been looked forward to with great interest by the sporting fraternity in and around Boston for several weeks past. Now that Walcott has proved himself the better man, the claims of Harris, who once got a decision against Walcott in a sparring exhibition, and has plumed himself upon it ever since, will have no weight.

A crowd of 1500 men witnessed the contest last night. There is little ventilation in the cheese-box--shaped Casino Building, and it was such a hot place last night that nearly every spectator removed his coat, plied palm leaf fans vigorously and imbibed ice cold nerve food and ginger ale at intervals in order to keep comfortable. As it was every one sweltered.

The show began at 9.30 o'clock. Walcott was the first to appear in the ring, and he was applauded. The coal-black face of the invincible Bostonian was wreathed in smiles which exhibited his even rows of gleaming white teeth and the whites of his eyes to the spectators. O'Rourke, his backer, and two other white men, looked after Joe's welfare.

Several minutes later Mike Harris of New York, his white opponent, entered the arena with his backer, Charles Hoyt, and others. He was looked after by Howie Hodgkins and two other friends. Harris is a head taller than Walcott and appeared to be in first-class condition. He is a strong looking man with a good back, shoulders, chest and legs. The crowd seemed to think he would give Walcott a game fight and extended to him a cordial greeting.

The referee was "Jack" Kelleher, who filled the post very satisfactorily. He announced that the contest was for 10 rounds.

Then the bout began. In the first round Harris aimed several blows at Walcott's ribs, supposed to be his most tender spot. But Walcott met the white man every time with blinding smashes in the face. It was give and take for a while, Walcott getting in the greater number of blows. It looked as though Harris was going to be knocked out in the first round. He was sent to his knees and stayed there until the referee counted off eight seconds. Then he got up and stayed out the round, although a bit groggy.

In the second round Harris led several times, but Walcott had all the fun. He knocked Harris against the ropes frequently and sent him to his knees once more, when the counting began again. Harris got up in time to save himself and Walcott rained more blows upon him.

The black man came up serenely in the third round and landed several terrific thumps on Harris's face and body. Harris got in one or two on Walcott's ribs, but they seemed to have no effect. Then he began to run away from Walcott, but was knocked down again on his knees and narrowly escaped being counted out.

Harris did some good ducking in the fourth round, cleverly escaping several of Walcott's left hand swings. He was sent to his knees once more, but was not counted out. When he got on his feet again Walcott punched him all over the ring.

Both men were sweating from the force of their exertions in the next round, and their bare backs glistened in the glare of the electric lights. Harris was knocked against the ropes, and Walcott gave him some wicked upper cuts. He also chased him all over the ring again. Harris was down on his knees when the gong rang.

As they came up for the sixth round Harris appeared weak, while Walcott was very strong. Harris was nearly pushed through the ropes, and Walcott began whacking him again in earnest. Several of his swings missed their mark, however. Harris continued his running away tactics to avoid punishment. Finally Walcott caught him with a stiff straight-arm blow in the face, which knocked Harris out completely. This ended the contest, Walcott being declared the winner.

Before the Walcott-Harris bout there was a six-round contest between Al Allen of New York and Hugh Dally of Australia, which was declared a draw. It was an uninteresting bout.


1894-06-23 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 3)

WALCOTT WINS.

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Whips Harris at Casino in Six Rounds.

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New York Man Gives Way to Colored Man's Rushes.

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No Doubt About Decision After Few Minutes.

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Complete Reversal of the Bout in New York.

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About 1500 Attend and Cheer On Their Favorites.

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Ever since Mike Harris got a decision over Joe Walcott in a limited round bout in New York city last year, the colored boxer has been anxious to again meet his conqueror.

The opportunity was given him last night and he proved to his friends that he was Harris' master. Harris made many friends and admirers when he boxed little Jack Green in this city last fall, and they expected him to make a good showing against Wolcott. The sporting people who had seen both men perform, however, were sanguine that the Boston man would be the winner.

The bout originally was to be eight rounds, but Harris thought so well of his chances that he had it increased to 10. He saw the Walcott-Tracy contest, and in some ways tried to imitate the latter, but he was not quick enough. He appeared nervous at the start, and it was plainly evident that he was not very confident.

Walcott, on the other hand, was full of confidence, and he forced the bout from the start, and there was little doubt of the outcome after the first round.

Both men had trained faithfully for a month, and were in fine condition. They both weighed in under the limit, 140 pounds. About 1500 people were present at the casino when the first bout began at 8.45.

Boyle O'Reilly, who was to meet Al Allen of New York, refused to go on, as Allen was too much overweight. Harry Dally, the bantam from Australia, took his place. Despite the fact that Allen was several pounds heavier and had the advantage of three weeks' training, Dally stood him off for six rounds, and it was declared a draw.

There was some delay in securing a referee, as Johnny Eckhardt could not come over from New York to act. There was only one man available that both parties were agreeable to have act, John Kelleher, and, under the circumstances in order to have the bout take place, he agreed to officiate.
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It was 9.40 when Walcott jumped through the ropes of the ring in which he has won many contests, that used by the Dixon company on the road. It is different from other rings, being of an octagon shape and about 18 feet in circumference.

Walcott had as seconds Tom O'Rourke, Maurice Kelly and Jack Havlin. Two minutes later Harris made his appearance, accompanied by Charley White, Howie Hodgekins and Jack Levi. The timekeepers were then selected, Dan Murphy acting for the club, Mike Bradley for Walcott and J. Potter for Harris. The gloves weighed eight ounces and were quickly adjusted, after which the men shook hands.

A minute later the bell rang and they went to the center. Harris had the advantage in height and reach. They lost no time in getting together, and Harris landed his right on the ear for a starter and they clinched. Walcott then landed his left on the face and uppercut with his right in the wind. Harris missed a left lead and went over on his face.

They clinched again, and after breaking away Walcott jabbed Harris twice with his left on the face and sent his right on the ribs. Walcott forced the boxing and Harris slipped to the floor several times to avoid his rushes. Just before time was called Walcott landed a hard right on the ribs and Harris dropped to the floor.
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In the second round Harris landed twice on the face and ribs with his right. In a clinch Harris slipped to the floor. Harris then rushed and they clinched again, after which both landed right cross counters on the jaw.

Walcott then sent his left on the face, and right on the jaw, Harris countering on the neck with his right. Walcott landed several left jabs on the face without a return and then Harris surprised everyone by landing three right handers on the neck and jaw. Walcott rushed and landing a hard left jab on the face forced Harris to the floor. He took his full time resting on one knee. Walcott then landed his right on the ear, and they clinched on the ropes. As time was called Walcott landed several left jabs and upper cuts on the face and wind.
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Third round--Harris landed his right on the wind and Walcott rushed, landing three left jabs on the face and wind and they clinched. Harris then landed his right on the ribs hard and countered with it on the face a second later. Another clinch followed and Harris landed his right on the wind.

Walcott then landed his right on the ribs twice, forcing Harris to the floor. He stayed there nine seconds and on getting up clinched. After breaking away Walcott landed two hard left jabs on the wind and a left uppercut on the face.
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Fourth Round--Harris landed his left on the face and a clinch followed. Walcott then landed with both hands on the face and jaw, Harris countering on the jaw with his right. Walcott jabbed with his left, and Harris swung his right on the ribs and they clinched.

Walcott then landed swings on the face and jaw with both hands, forcing Harris to the floor. After getting up they got together in a hot mix-up in the center of the ring, both doing some good boxing at short range with honors even. Walcott forced the boxing then, and landed with both hands without a return.
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Fifth Round--Harris jabbed with his left in the face, Walcott countering on the ribs with his right. Walcott then forced Harris to the ropes, landing some left jabs on the wind and face, and Harris dropped to the floor to escape his rushes. Walcott had it all his own way during the rest of the round, forcing Harris around the ring, landing with both hands without being countered in return until time was called.
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It was a foregone conclusion that Walcott would soon win and the sixth round was the last. Walcott landed a succession of rights on the face and jaw without a return and Harris slipped to the floor. He remained on one knee nine seconds and getting up clinched.

After breaking away Walcott cornered him, and landing with both hands forced Harris to the floor. He took his full time on the floor and clinched when he got up. After breaking away Walcott landed right and left swings on the face and jaw forcing Harris to the floor. He did not get up in 10 seconds, and Walcott was given the decision.


1894-06-23 The Boston Herald (Boston, MA) (page 2)

WALCOTT WON IN SIX ROUNDS.

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After Several Knockdowns Harris Was Knocked Out.

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The Sympathy of the Crowd at the Casino Was with the White Man, but Sympathy Didn't Count.

Joe Walcott won against Mike Harris of New York last night at the Casino in the sixth round. It was as conclusive as the falling of a house, and now the sports who saw the fight are wondering how Harris ever got the decision against the colored pugilist, which is chronicled in the rolls of scrapping history.

It was a hot fight, on a hot night, in the hottest hall in Boston. Every mother's son who was present--and there was a lot of them-stripped to the shirt sleeve stage, took his hat off, and panted for a breath of air.

The crowd had to wait some, as Riley, one of the artists in the curtain raiser, backed out at the last moment, and some little time was taken up finding Australian Harry Dally, a genial punching bag, the expansiveness of whose smile was in an inverse ratio to his skill as a fighter. He was never in it as a boxer, but managed to stay six rounds in the ring with Al Allen of New York, earning a drawn decision.

When the two stars appeared, each with a portentous array of seconds, the crowd was enthusiastic, if somewhat roasted. Walcott had a following in the crowd, which gave him a "hand," but Harris, stranger as he was, had a much larger faction to cheer him on. In the opening rounds, before he lost his grip, his every lead was greeted with a cheer, while Walcott's blows, though 10 times as numerous and twice as heavy, met with scarcely a notice. Toward the last, Harris hardly got in a return, and then was never effective. The sports then, with true sporting loyalty, gave the colored brother the long delayed expressions of approval.

The fight was an ideal one as an exhibition in a tenderly attuned moral community. There was not a drop of blood, no marks or discolorations, each man boxing fairly and with conspicuous regard for the rules of the ring.

There was some delay in finding a referee, two men failing to show up as agreed. Mr. J. H. Kelerher of the B. A. A. finally agreed to act, and made an excellent officials.

It was 9:45 o'clock when Walcott took his seat in the ring. Tom O'Rourke, Jack Havlin and Morris Kelley looked out for the colored man's interests. Harris was esquired by the irrepressible Charlie White of New York and "Hotbox" Howie Hodgkins of this city. Mike Harris kept time for Walcott, J. Potter performed a similar service for Harris, and Dan Murphy kept tabs on the clock for the club.

Harris was the first to lead. A clinch followed, with some infighting. Walcott appeared to be a trifle too anxious and was wild with his swings. After considerable sparring Walcott finally landed good and hard on the New Yorker's jaw and Harris went to the floor, taking the full time limit. Walcott later on planted his right near Harris' heart and the blow made Harris a bit shaky.

In the second round Walcott forced the fighting and Harris went down. Walcott's next play was to score on Harris' jaw with a stiff left round arm blow, and a second later was in again on Harris' left ear. Harris took his medicine gamely, and sent his right over on Walcott's jaw. Walcott resumed his rushing tactics and Harris went down. The round ended with Harris on the ropes, Walcott scoring a stiff uppercut. Harris seemed to lack generalship.

In the third round both men worked for the body, Walcott scoring three times to Harris' one. Harris planted his left squarely on Walcott's jaw, but the colored man only grinned. Harris used his right to good advantage, and got in a full arm swing on Walcott's wind. This roused the colored man's ire and once more he resorted to rushing, and Harris went to the floor. Walcott scored with his right on the body and left full in the face. The round was in Walcott's favor and it was only a question of time when he would win.

Walcott started out in the fourth round to finish his man, but Harris got in a left that staggered Walcott. It was only for an instant, however, as Walcott came back like a race horse, using his left and right on Harris' jaw with telling effect. Harris could not withstand the onslaught and went down. A hot rally at close quarters followed, Harris doing his share of the work. Walcott then went in and rained blow after blow on Harris' face and body, and had the New Yorker going at the end of the round.

Walcott followed up his advantage in the fifth round, and followed Harris all over the ring. After scoring a body blow and one in the face, Walcott got in a neat uppercut, and Harris was again on the boards. Once more Walcott tried hard for a knockout. He caught Harris full on the jaw with his left. Harris went down and the bell saved him.

The end came in the sixth. Walcott outfought Harris at every point, and soon had the New Yorker dazed. Walcott's stiff body punches had the desired effect, and finally Walcott sent in both hands for Harris' jaw, and Harris dropped to the floor like a log. Harris struggled gamely to his knees, but could not get on his feet, and fell forward on the floor at the end of the 10 seconds.


1894-06-23 The Boston Post (Boston, MA) (page 3)

WALCOTT AGAIN.

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Colored Boy Wins Quickly Over Mike Harris.

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BOUT LASTED ONLY SIX ROUNDS

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A Contest Free From Brutality, but All in Walcott's Favor From the Beginning---Joe Put Mike Down Many Times.

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Joe Walcott defeated Mike Harris of New York in six rounds at the Casino last evening in a battle for welterweight honors.

The result was expected, for Walcott's victory over clever, nimble and agile Tom Tracey stamped him as a wonderful boxer.

The contest was to be of six rounds duration and the stipulated weight was 140 pounds. Both weighed under that and there was only a half pound difference in weight in Harris's favor, Joe tipping the scales at 138 pounds.

From the beginning to the end Walcott had things his own way, and after the first round it was a question of how long it would take Walcott to dispose of his man.

The bout was fast from the very start and neither man did any lagging. There were a good many strong blows struck.

It was a clean exhibition, entirely free from brutality and without any spilling of blood. In fact it was as clean a bout as was ever seen in this city. There was no police interference.

Harris had an advantage in height, but hardly any in reach. He adopted a peculiar way in position, with left leg away out and right leg far back, with body resting on hind leg. This position was probably used to steady himself against Walcott's onslaughts.

Joe was strong as an ox. He tried to win as quickly as he could, having no fear of the result.

He played a great deal on Harris's body, and that is how he won. The New York boy's abdominal region was visited about forty times with furious and powerful punches, delivered from Walcott's left hand. Joe usually swings a great deal with both hands for the jaw, trying to vanquish his man with one well-directed blow.

Last night he didn't box that way. He didn't try for the jaw at all. All of his attention was directed towards Harris's stomach.

THE END.

The end came in the middle of the sixth round. Harris tried to respond to Walcott's fierce scrimmages, but gave it up as a bad job after the first couple of rounds, when he got all the worst of the mix-ups.

The decision was not gained through any horrible knock-out blow. The end came soon after a terrible punch with the left in Harris's stomach. There were no disgusting details, and no staggering or reeling around the ring.

The gentleman selected to referee could not appear. Much stress was brought to bear on John A. Keliher of the B. A. A., and he finally, though rather reluctantly, consented to officiate.

In every round Walcott showed what a powerful man he is. He forced the pace. In every round Mike went down a couple of times. Three or four times he dropped to the floor on slight opportunities and gained time.

He never had a chance to win, and for one supposed to be a good boxer, used poor tactics. Walcott had a habit of rushing his man with his head down. He never tried to upper cut his man at all.

Harris had good seconds, who did their best to have him win. In his corner were Charley White, Howie Hodgkins and Z. Levy. Over in the opposite corner behind Walcott were Tom O'Rourke, Jack Havlin and Morris Kelley.

Dan Murphy, for the club, Mike Bradley for Walcott, and J. Potter for Harris, were the timers.

In the preliminary, Harry Dally and Al Allen of New York were the principals. Dally was very comical, grinning in a ludicrous and mirth-provoking way when he succeeded in avoiding any of Allen's leads. Allen did all the work. The spectators sympathized with Dally, who, however, was not in condition to go to Allen and mix it up. The referee declared the contest a draw.

1899-06-23 Joe Walcott W-PTS20 Dan Creedon [Broadway Athletic Club, New York, NY, USA]

1899-06-24 New-York Tribune (New York, NY) (page 2)

"JOE" WALCOTT GOT THE DECISION AT THE BROADWAY ATHLETIC CLUB.

"Joe" Walcott, "Tom" O'Rourke's coal-black protégé, received the decision over "Dan" Creedon after fighting twenty hard and fast rounds at the Broadway Athletic Club house last night. O'Rourke, who is one of the principal owners of the Lenox Athletic Club, where the "fake" bout between "Mike" Morrissey and Peter Maher took place on Tuesday night, was second for Walcott. O'Rourke was hissed many times in the evening.

The preliminary contest between "Harry" Fisher and "Tim" Hurley was stopped by the referee in the third round. Hurley was in too weak a condition to continue longer.


1899-06-24 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, NY) (page 3)

WALCOTT WINS AGAIN.

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Receives the Decision Over Creedon in Twenty Rounds.

A couple of months ago, when Dan Creedon of Australia was put out by Joe Walcott, the Barbadoes negro, he declared that his defeat was a fluke, resulting from carelessness, owing to over confidence on his part. He asked for a return match and stated his willingness to wager $1,000 that he could turn the tables.

Walcott agreed to meet him again and the contest took place at the Broadway Athletic Club last evening, but again Creedon was able to do no better than land second place. Walcott held him well in hand from the start and had his eye cut and nose bleeding early in the battle. The negro reached the head repeatedly with short left and right swings, but was blocked cleverly on most of his attempts for the body, Creedon's weak spot. Dan sent home some hard right drives to Walcott's body and left jabs to the face. Many times he succeeded in crossing his right to the jaw, but his blows carried no steam behind them and Walcott simply grinned and fought him back fiercely at close quarters. Walcott received the decision at the end of the twenty rounds.

In the preliminary bout Jim Hurley of Susquehanna and Harry Fisher of Brooklyn met for ten rounds at catch weights. Fisher punished his opponent severely, three times in the second round sending him to the floor with left and right swings on the head. The Susquehanna boy was game and came up for the third, weak but determined. He was no match for Fisher, who landed repeatedly on the jaw, Hurley at last going to the floor. He would have been up at the count, but the referee saw that he was practically beaten and stopped further hostilities and awarded the decision to Fisher.


1899-06-24 The Morning Telegraph (New York, NY) (page 1)

WALCOTT AGAIN WHIPS CREEDON

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But the Australian Stayed to the End of the Twentieth Round.

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HE EXHIBITED GREAT COURAGE

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He Was Very Tired at Times and His Blows Had No Effect on the Negro.

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It doubtless affords Dan Creedon some satisfaction to know that he remained in the ring twenty consecutive rounds with the "Black Demon," Joe Walcott. The Australian proved to his friends (and few boxers have more friends than Dan Creedon) that Walcott could not put him to sleep in a round. The once great middleweight also furnished proof that his courage is as great as ever.

In doing that, however, Creedon showed conclusively that his day is past. The speed, stamina and hitting power that once made him prominent have departed, and while the spirit is willing the flesh is weak.

Few of the 4,000 persons who packed the Broadway Athletic Club last night expected Creedon to last more than a few rounds, but he came up round after round, battered, bleeding and nearly exhausted. It seemed impossible that he could elude the sledge hammer blows of the inky-skinned demon, who, grinning and malevolent, danced about the worried Caucasian.

Occasionally the white man rallied and retaliated for the stinging punishment inflicted, but the effect of his blows was but to make his opponent grin the wider.

Creedon's Blows Lacked Steam.

Although Creedon landed several times on the point of the jaw, the negro was not in distress at any time, and won in a canter.

On the other hand, Creedon caught a shower of left and righthanders every round, and was in sore distress several times during the bout.

Walcott weighed 143 and Creedon not less than 160. The Australian also had six inches the best of it in the matter of height. In the face of these disadvantages, Walcott made an aggressive fight from gong to gong.

The conditions of the bout were a clean break, which prohibited hitting on the breakaway. Walcott did not break the rule, although he was continually hissed by the crowd. The negro hit with one arm free, which was allowable.

Phil Dwyer is said to have wagered $2,000 on Creedon with O'Rourke, which seems questionable.

Creedon Started Cautiously.

Creedon showed his utmost caution in the first round, and kept well out of danger. Walcott bored in with his usual vigor, but failed to do any damage.

Creedon surprised the spectators in the second by giving Walcott as hard a punching as the negro has received since he was trimmed by "Kid" Lavigne. Creedon sent a straight left to the face, and a right to the body with telling effect.

Walcott was sent in to rush matters in the third, and he landed a right that puffed the Australian's left eye, also getting in a jab that cut Creedon's mouth.

Creedon seemed tired at the beginning of the fourth, but he fought hard, although getting some damaging body blows, and one righthander on the face that did him no good.

Walcott was also the aggressor in the fifth, and while he had the better of the early part of the round, Creedon rallied towards the close and landed a right on the jaw that made the negro see stars.

The sixth round was tame, Creedon playing for wind, and holding Walcott safely off.

Walcott landed several lefthanders on Creedon's neck in the seventh, but without much effect, the Australian appearing to grow more confident.

Creedon Drew Blood.

Creedon brought blood to Wolcott's mouth in the eighth with a series of left jabs. The negro was still very aggressive and forced the pace.

The ninth was a hot one, Wolcott setting a fast pace. He got to the body and face with frequency, and Creedon fought back viciously, getting in a number of hard wallops.

Creedon was apparently in distress in the tenth, and was pounded hard from start to finish.

The Australian improved some in the eleventh, and he also got through the twelfth in fairly good style, but the thirteenth was unlucky for the Australian, who got peppered hard on the jaw.

Creedon was very tired in the fourteenth, and while he sent one good right to the jaw, he got a varied assortment of discouraging punches.

The Australian showed surprisingly strong in the fifteenth, and he landed one right hook on the jaw that temporarily checked the negro's rushes.

Creedon seemed to have gotten his second wind in the sixteenth, and he also did well in the seventeenth, although Wolcott outpointed him. The Australian was a punching bag in the eighteenth, and was in bad shape at the close.

Creedon's face was a spectacle in the nineteenth, nose, lips and eyes being puffed, but he fought courageously, as he did again in the twentieth and last round. Referee White's decision went to Wolcott, who had won from start to finish.

Tim Hurley's Brief Amusement.

Tim Hurley, of Susquehanna, Pa., had a most enjoyable time for one round, thumping Harry Fischer, of Brooklyn. TOm liked the sport so well that he started to repeat in the second. Fischer began to retaliate and before the round ended Hurley had twice measured his length on the ring floor. He was saved by the bell. In the third round Hurley was floored twice more, and the second time was counted out, although not unconscious.

  CHARLES F. MATHISON.

1899-06-24 The New York Herald (New York, NY) (page 10)

WALCOTT AGAIN DEFEATS CREEDON

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Colored Demon Given the Decision After Twenty Rounds of Vicious Fighting

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BOTH MEN BADLY DAMAGED.

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Australian Surprised His Friends by Staying the Limit and Giving Blow for Blow.

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WINNER USED FOUL METHODS

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For the second time during their careers as pugilists "Joe" Walcott defeated "Dan" Creedon, at the Broadway Athletic Club, last night. At their first meeting Walcott put the Australian to sleep in almost record breaking time, but last night the colored boy only won out on points. Creedon fought a very plucky battle and made Walcott work hard to secure the winner's share of the purse. The Australian used good generalship, but at no time during the battle could his hitting power compare with Walcott's. Creedon received a terrible thumping. The crowd was with the white man, and several times remonstrated with the referee for allowing the negro to use unfair methods.

Creedon was given an ovation when he entered the ring. It was evident that the sympathies of the crowd were with him. The Australian stripped for action trained to the hour. Walcott also looked well. Creedon was seconded by "Kid" Lavigne, "Sam" Fitzpatrick and "Bennie" Murphy. Walcott's advisers were "Tom" O'Rourke and "Bob" Armstrong. It was announced that Creedon weighed 159 pounds and Walcott 141 pounds.

WALCOTT TAKES THE LEAD.

Both men smiled when they shook hands. Walcott sent the left lightly to the jaw. He rushed again and landed with the left on the body, and received a right hand counter on the jaw in return. Then Creedon jabbed the colored boy hard with the left heavily on the nose and followed with a right on the jaw that shook Walcott up. O'Rourke protested against the length of the round, claiming it was over three minutes.

Creedon was the aggressor in the second round, landing the left on the body. He followed this with a right on the jaw, and received a left hand swing on the jaw that staggered him. Creedon kept forcing the fighting, and outpointed Walcott, sending "Joe's" head back again and again with straight left hand jabs.

Creedon cut out the pace in the third round, scoring with the left, jab fashion, on the mouth. They clinched, and on the breakaway Creedon scored heavily with the right over the heart, and received a hard left hand smash in the jaw in return. After that Walcott was the aggressor.

In the fourth round honors were rather easy, both scoring effectively. Once Creedon swung hard on "Joe's" jaw, making the latter stagger.

Walcott appeared fresher and more confident than his adversary in the fifth, but during the closing moments of the round the Australian took quite a brace, and elicited applause by landing twice heavily with the left on the jaw and once with the right on the body.

Creedon was the first to show up in the sixth. They were both rather tired, and as a consequence the round was tame, as compared with the preceding one. In the seventh Creedon came up quite strong. Both rushed and tried to land with lefts, but fell short. Then Creedon landed a terrific left on the jaw, staggering his man. He quickly followed with another on the same point, causing Walcott to carom toward the ropes. Encouraged by his success Creedon tried to score again with the left, but miscalculated the distance, and Walcott smashed him hard on his damaged optic. As the bell rang Creedon scored heavily with the right on the jaw.

Creedon was weak in the eighth round. On the other hand, Walcott was all over his man hard. The fighting in the ninth was very spirited, with honors easy.

Many spirited exchanges were had in the tenth, with Walcott showing the better work. Each drew blood from the nose with left handers. Walcott was easily the better man in the eleventh round, outpointing Creedon almost at will, but failing to score a knockout, although he tried hard to do so. The colored boy inflicted a hard body thumping to Creedon in the twelfth and had the Australian distressed when the round closed.

In the thirteenth round Walcott cut Creedon's nose badly and had the Australian very tired, but could not finish him. Creedon only landed one hard blow. It was the same thing over in the fourteenth. Creedon made a better showing in the fifteenth, scoring several times with the left on the body and jaw.

The sixteenth round saw Creedon entirely on the defensive and Walcott again thumping him vigorously on face and body. The seventeenth opened with a sharp rally at short range, during which each man scored good blows. But after that Walcott did all the leading. Once he fell while chasing Creedon around the ring trying to accomplish a knockout. Creedon made quite a flash in the eighteenth, but it was only for a moment, and then Walcott pounded him unmercifully.

The nineteenth round worked the enthusiasm of the spectators up to a high pitch. Creedon was aggressive for a time and scored many good blows, but Walcott offset this advantage later by inflicting hard punishment to his plucky opponent. Creedon's face was covered with blood and bruises when the round ended. In the twentieth Walcott again demonstrated his superiority, although Creedon exchanged blows pretty well several times. The referee declared Walcott the winner on points.


1899-06-24 The New York Times (New York, NY) (page 8)

WALCOTT DEFEATS CREEDON.

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The Colored Boxer Wins the Right to Challenge "Kid" McCoy.

Joe Walcott, the colored boxer from Barbados, and Dan Creedon of Australia fought twenty savage rounds at the Broadway Athletic Club last night to decide which of the pair should have the right to challenge Kid McCoy. Walcott won the decision awarded by Referee Johnny White fairly, but he had a harder task before him than when he met Creedon at the Lenox Athletic Club some months ago. On that occasion he knocked him out in one punch, but last night Creedon was with the colored boxer from start to finish and surprised the audience by putting up a much better fight than he was thought capable of.

Creedon weighed 159 pounds and Walcott 142, but the latter is a compact mass of muscle, while Creedon is of much larger frame and not so quick in his movements. The fighting was all Walcott's from the beginning, his opponent being almost always on the defensive. Some hard right-hand swings were sent by Creedon to Walcott's jaw, but none of them even dazed the colored man. On the other hand, Creedon's face and body were a veritable punching bag for his ebony-hued opponent, and at the call of time in the twentieth round Creedon's face was a mass of bruises. The men agreed to box with clean breakaways, but several times Walcott transgressed the rule.

Tom O'Rourke, who was in Walcott's corner, was hooted and hissed by the crowd and reminded by cat-calls of the Morrissey-Maher fiasco at the Lenox Athletic Club on Tuesday night.


1899-06-24 The Sun (New York, NY) (page 5)

CREEDON STAYS THE LIMIT.

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WALCOTT FAILS TO KNOCK HIM OUT IN TWENTY ROUNDS.

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The Boston Pugilist Does the Bulk of the Work and Earns the Decision--The Australian Receives a Hard Beating with Gameness--Harry Fisher Defeats Hurley.

A couple of months ago Dan Creedon of Australia was knocked out by Joe Walcott of Boston in less than one round at the Lenox A. C. Last night at the Broadway A. C. Creedon stayed the limit of twenty rounds, although he was outpointed and got a hard walloping. The men fought with an agreement to break clean, but in all other respects to battle under Marquis of Queensberry rules. In several instances Walcott was hooted by the crowd, which packed the building, because he used a free hand in the clinches, but he did not break the rules. Creedon fought with care and improved skill, but he was slower than his lighter antagonist, who did all the aggressive work, and in several rounds landed four blows to one by the Australian.

Tim Hurley of Susquehanna and Harry Fisher of Brooklyn met in the preliminary bout of ten rounds at 158 pounds. Hurley was the pace setter in the first round, but Fisher was as strong as a bull. In the second round he slugged Hurley to the floor three times, the latter being saved by the bell. In the third round Fisher bored in with wicked swings, which soon beat Hurley into a helpless condition. He could not get up after ten seconds had been counted, and Fisher was declared the winner. The time of the round was 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

The betting was 2½ to 1 on Walcott, with very little Creedon money floating around. When the Australian got into the ring he was loudly applauded. He was accompanied by Sam Fitzpatrick, Kid Lavigne and Benny Murphy. Walcott's seconds were Tom O'Rourke, Bob Armstrong and Kid Broad. The conditions were twenty rounds at catchweights. Creedon weighed 160 pounds and Walcott 143 pounds. John White was the referee. Before the fight began "Mysterious" Billy Smith was introduced, with the announcement that he would positively box McKeever at this club on next Friday night.

The crowd was clearly in sympathy with Creedon. As soon as the gong sounded Walcott began to cut out the pace. He got a left to the neck, but Creedon was careful not to let the colored man get too close. Creedon, at long range, landed a couple of stiff lefts on the mouth and then blocked a series of swings. Before the round ended by fifteen seconds O'Rourke said that time was up, but Considine, the official timer, said "No."

Creedon continued to fight at long range in the second round, although Walcott was on top of him with vicious blows. Creedon finally got in several sharp lefts to the head and a couple of rights to the body, which set the crowd wild. He kept up this fine work to the bell. Creedon shot a hot left into Walcott's face as the third round began, whereupon Joe rushed and swung viciously for the head. Dan blocked nearly all the blows, but Walcott kept coming until he reached the Australian's neck with a hard wallop. Joe soon brought the blood from the mouth and fought so vigorously that Creedon was on the defensive when time was up.

Creedon was puffing when he came up for the fourth round. As Walcott rushed he received a heavy right in the body, but Joe never faltered and kept up his fierce attack. A right-hander raised a lump under Creedon's left eye, but he quickly sent his right to the jaw with enough force to make Joe stop a moment. After that Walcott hustled, but the Australian kept well away. Walcott did some hitting in the clinches in the fifth round, and the crowd yelled "Foul!" Creedon worked his left in the face, but Walcott stuck to him and ripped in the smashes incessantly. Creedon landed a couple of staggering right-handers, one of them on the breakaway, but Joe was powerful enough to take them and continue his boring tactics.

Walcott opened the sixth round with a rush, as usual. He landed a couple of lefts on the mouth, Creedon paying some attention to his stomach. Creedon was slow on his feet and did not put the force into the blows like his opponent. In the seventh round Walcott ran into a straight left. Creedon then sent a great right over to the neck and Walcott backed to the ropes. He came right back, however, and whipped his left solidly to the cheek bone. Creedon's right eye was slightly cut when he went to his corner. Walcott's attack in the eighth round was even more vigorous than before. Creedon met him with well-placed lefts, which made Joe bleed at the mouth a bit. Creedon was solely on the defensive in the last minute and did some effective blocking.

Walcott landed terrific punches on the head in the ninth round, but Creedon mixed it and practically held his own. The Australian was forced to fight, as Walcott hustled and swung at him with relentless energy. Walcott's nose was bleeding in the tenth round, but he resumed his onslaught without delay. He made Creedon stagger with a couple of heavy wallops on the jaw and also brought the blood from Dan's nose. Creedon was in trouble at the end. Because of his slowness Dan lost two fine opportunities in the eleventh round to inflict damage when Walcott was in the act of losing his balance in getting away. Walcott did the leading until he was straightened up with a left jolt on the chin. Creedon was on the defensive all through the twelfth round. Walcott was hissed and hooted because he continued to hit in the clinches. The crowd was ordered to keep quiet, whereupon there was another outburst.

Creedon met his man with sharp lefts in the thirteenth round, but the blows were not heavy enough to keep the colored pugilist off. Walcott did all the leading and the Australian received a pretty severe beating. Two heavy blows on Creedon's face made his nose bleed again in the fourteenth round. Walcott went at him like a tiger after that and the Australian was in visible distress. His case appeared to be hopeless, especially as Walcott hit him almost at will all through the round. Walcott tried to finish his job in the fifteenth round, but Creedon was still strong, and with several great counters he stood Joe off to the gong. One of Dan's blows evidently hurt Walcott, but the former was too tired to follow it up. Creedon's face was badly puffed and bruised when the sixteenth round began, and Walcott proceeded to punch it with regularity. Creedon did very little fighting, except in the way of countering and clinching.

The crowd did more howling in the seventeenth round because Walcott hit in the clinches. The latter chased his man around the ring until he slipped down of his own accord, the crowd yelling with delight. Creedon finally stood his ground and staggered Joe with a swing on the head.

Creedon was nothing more than a punching bag in the eighteenth round. He received an awful thumping, but was game. Walcott worked like a beaver in the nineteenth round, but Creedon had plenty of fight in him, and with a great brace he made the colored man get away in the last half minute. The crowd hooted Walcott again for his free hand work, and also because he landed a couple of blows on the breakaway.

In the last round Creedon braced up and gave blow for blow. It was a red-hot finish and the crowd was wild with excitement. Walcott got the decision, to which he was justly entitled, but half of the crowd yelled in disapproval. Mindful of the Morrissey-Maher fiasco, the crowd had fun at O'Rourke's expense at different periods by yelling, "How about Morrissey?" O'Rourke only laughed.


1899-06-24 The World (New York, NY) (page 3)

JOE WALCOTT WHIPPED DAN CREEDON AGAIN.

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Could Not Put Him Out, but Had Him Bested from the Beginning of the Second Round.

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CREEDON GAME ALL THROUGH.

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Tried to the Last to Land a Knockout, Knowing It Was His Only Chance to Win.

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Joe Walcott, the pugilistic freak from the Barbadoes, beat Dan Creedon at the Broadway A. C. last night before an enthusiastic, howling crowd of Creedon followers.

At no time during the twenty rounds of fighting did Creedon look like a winner, but on several occasions the negro had him going. Walcott could not knock him out, and the old Australian stood the beating well and was game to the end.

Creedon was greeted with vociferous applause when he entered the ring, followed by Kid Lavigne. The crowd cheered him again and again as he sat in his corner waiting for Walcott to appear. When the negro came and stripped he seemed a dwarf beside the big-chested Creedon and weighed seventeen pounds less. At the beginning of the first round Creedon was cautious and sparred carefully. He dreaded the awful punch that layed him out in the first round of their last fight at the Lenox Club. As the negro came in, with both arms flying about his head, Dan stepped nimbly aside and skipped around the ring. He stood his ground in the second and stood Joe off with straight rights and lefts. The negro smiled at the punches and continued to bore in, only to be sent back each time with a left. After a few rounds Creedon began to tire, and in the seventh Walcott cut his eye and bled his nose. A moment or two later Dan brought the blood from Joe's mouth with a right-hand punch, and the crowd whooped and yelled.

Walcott tried a dozen times to get his right over on the jaw while clinched, but Creedon's shoulder or glove was always in the way. At each blow that the negro struck in the clinches the crowd groaned, hissed and cried foul. There were no fouls committed, however, and every blow that either struck was perfectly fair.

In the eleventh round, as the negro rushed in, Dan swung an uppercut that caught Joe fairly on the chin. It dazed him and took more steam out of him than all the blows delivered during the fight. That punch lost its effect in a few minutes and the little negro began his rushing tactics again, always fighting at close quarters and wearing Creedon out with jabs and short swings on the jaw. Occasionally by a desperate effort, Dan would land a good one, but they were too far apart to help him.

In the last two rounds Joe landed on the face hard and often. Creedon was bleeding at eye, mouth and nose, while Walcott was comparatively fresh and unmarked. Amid the hisses and groans of the Creedon followers, who knew what the decision should be, the referee gave the fight to Walcott.

Harry Fisher, of Brooklyn, knocked out Tim Hurley, of Susquehanna, Pa., after three rounds of fierce fighting in the preliminary. Hurley knocked Fisher about as he chose in the first round, but in the second Harry knocked him down three times and in the third three times more. On the last down he was counted out.


1899-07-15 The National Police Gazette (New York, NY) (page 10)

CREEDON STAYED LIMIT AND FOUGHT

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But Walcott Bested Him and Earned the Decision.

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BETTING IN NEGRO'S FAVOR.

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Hard Fighting, in Which the Colored Chap Was Always the Aggressor.

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"Dan" Creedon's career as a pugilist seems to have passed beyond the period of usefulness. In his fight with "Joe" Walcott at the Broadway Athletic Club on June 23, he demonstrated that the quality of gameness was not lacking, but in every other essential qualification in fistic ability there was an apparent deficiency. He seems to have lost all his old-time cleverness, he is less agile, his blows lack force and an almost total pugilistic disintegration has occurred. It was the second time he and Walcott met, the latter having put Creedon down in one round in the Lenox Club some weeks ago. Creedon claimed that he did not have time to get into his stride and asked for a return match. Creedon did far better than in their previous meeting and made Walcott fight his hardest to earn the decision at the end of twenty rounds. Walcott was a 2 to 1 favorite with the betting men. The decision was a good one, but many shouts of disapproval were heard from all parts of the house when the verdict was announced. Although Walcott at all times fought fair and within the rules, the crowd yelled "Foul!" every time the men came together and Creedon was getting the worst of it at close quarters.

The negro was the aggressor throughout the bout. Creedon put up the fight of his life. He could not beat the negro off, and several times it seemed that the end was in sight, so persistently did the latter keep crowding him, but a friendly bell always came to the rescue. Queensberry rules, with a clean break, was the way they agreed to box. Creedon came to the scratch with a sickly grin on his face, evidently having in mind that fearful punch that put him out of business in the Lenox Club. Both sparred carefully for a moment, and Walcott poked a left into the wind. He tried with a right at the same time, but Creedon was under him. A moment later Walcott came again, but met a crashing right to the heart. The crowd manifested its sympathy and let loose with full lung power for the white man. This only made Walcott smile and try again.

Creedon seemed surprised that he still was in the ring, and came up for the second round with more confidence. He did some leading and landed with such effect as to jar his opponent and get the crowd in good humor. Creedon also had the better of the third, using his right on the body and the left on the face with terrific force. Both men were willing in the fourth and came together with a crash, Creedon getting home with the right to the body and Walcott ripping over a right that barely missed. Creedon kept up his left hooks to the jaw, but it only made Walcott smile and display two rows of teeth that looked like vegetable dishes. Creedon went to his corner badly winded from the fast pace.

When the fifth opened Creedon essayed several leads, but fell all over himself in the attempts, and "Joe" had no trouble in getting out of the way. Walcott kept trying to reach the jaw with the right, but "Dan" kept that part of his anatomy well guarded. Creedon brightened up in the sixth and seventh. He pounded the colored boy in the body and shot the left to the face time and again, and gave the crowd another chance. Matters took a turn in the ninth, as Walcott got into action and had the Australian to the bad at the end of the round.

Again in the tenth it looked like a finish, but again the bell got in its friendly work for Creedon. Although badly winded, "Dan" fairly held his own in the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth, and in the fifteenth he put a corking right to the jaw that electrified the crowd. Walcott got into full action again in the sixteenth and seventeenth. In the latter round he landed a left fairly on the jaw that dazed Creedon and followed it with a right that did not improve the Australian's condition.

The last three rounds were full of fighting; Walcott always was after his man. Creedon fought back with desperation and saved himself by clever footwork when it became too hot for him. He managed to stay the limit, much to the surprise and satisfaction of the crowd.

A rattling give and take affair took place in the opening bout, between "Tim" Hurley of Susquehanna, Pa., and Harry Fisher of Brooklyn, middleweights. It was fast and furious in the first round, with Hurley the aggressor. Hurley tired in the second from the fast work, and Fisher began to locate the jaw with both hands. He put Hurley down three times, and had him all out at bell time. Hurley came up willing in the third, but he didn't have one chance in a hundred. The referee permitted it to go on, however, and Fisher was forced to complete the job, which he did in the third round.

Tom O'Rourke, manager of Joe Walcott

1922-12-10 The Evening Telegram (New York, NY) (page 8)

FIGHTERS I HAVE HANDLED

As told to George B. Underwood

By World famous Managers, Trainers and Seconds

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Joe Walcott, the Giant Killer, as Seen by Tom O'Rourke, Who Discovered and Campaigned Him--Big or Small, They All Looked the Same to the Barbadoes Demon--Settled Debt with Choynski for Dixon.

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(Copyrighted by G. B. Underwood.)

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This is the seventh article of the series on famous figures of the ring as related to America's leading writer of boxing by world's famous managers, trainers and handlers. In previous installments Tom O'Rourke told Mr. Underwood of George Dixon, Joe Humphries of Terry McGovern, Dan McKettrick of Willie Lewis, Jimmy Johnson of Jem Driscoll, Ike Dorgan of Frank Moran and Sam Wallach of Leach Cross. O'Rourke today gives Mr. Underwood his second contribution, telling of Joe Walcott, the Barbadoes Demon. Fistiana greatly is enriched by these personal and intimate glimpses of the ring's greatest heroes. These articles appear in this paper every Sunday.

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If you had asked any of the great fighters of the old Horton law days, from middleweight up to heavyweight, who was the last man in the world they would like to see in the corner opposite them, it is 100 to 1 that, if they answered truthfully, nine out of ten would reply, Joe Walcott.

Walcott, never more than a welterweight and generally fighting as a lightweight, was the most feared fighter of his time. Under rough and tumble conditions he could whip any man in the world, and under Marquis of Queensberry rules most of them.

I have seen all of the great heavyweights of the last fifty years. There is not one who I would be afraid to send Joe Walcott up against, or one who Joe himself wouldn't fall all over himself to get a crack at. I do not bar Jim Jeffries, either. In fact, Jeffries himself once came to me and said:--

"Tom, I see you are challenging all the heavyweights in behalf of Walcott. Don't include me in that list. It would take me at least ten rounds to size the fellow up rightly and know how to fight him. Even then I would have my troubles with him. He's built like a gorilla and can give and take almost as much punishment as one of them."

You must remember that little Walcott knocked out Joe Choynski in seven rounds shortly after Choynski had fought Jeffries a fierce twenty round draw.

Jeffries said that Choynski hit him the hardest blow he ever was struck, the punch driving the teeth on both jaws through his lips. Jim would have changed his opinion if he had fought Walcott. Joe could hit twice as hard and fast as Choynski.

Proof of the respect and fear with which Walcott was held by the heavyweights of his time was the way they avoided him. I posted a certified cheque for $5,000 with a New York newspaper as a forfeit for Walcott to fight Jim Corbett and Kid McCoy on the same night, allowing Walcott one-half hour's rest in between bouts, Corbett and McCoy to toss up to see which would first tackle the Barbadoes Demon.

Both ignored the offer, despite it would give each a chance to make a big wad of needed money. Corbett came to me later and tried to laugh it off, saying:--

"Why, of course, you didn't mean it, Tom. I understand what it was--great publicity. Why, I would make a monkey out of your gorilla man, and you know it!"

"I know it, eh?" I replied. "What I do know is that money talks and that I have a certified cheque for $5,000 posted with a reputable newspaper guaranteeing that Walcott will whip both you and McCoy on the same night, and I know that neither you nor McCoy can be pulled in the ring with Walcott with a team of horses!"

Rolls Maher in Mud.

They rightly called Joe Walcott the Barbadoes Demon. Joe was only five feet one inch in height, but he was about as broad as he was tall and his gorilla-like arms hung down almost to his knees. He had the reach of a towering six footer and could hit like no man I ever have seen before or since his time, not even excepting Fitzsimmons or Peter Maher.

Walcott, by the way, once rolled Peter Maher all over Coney Island Boulevard. This is how it happened:--

Soon after I brought Walcott to New York I sent him down to Coney Island to help train George Dixon for Little Chocolate's fight with Fred Johnson, the English featherweight champion. Maher came into Dixon's training quarters one day. Joe was curled up on the floor by the fire just like a dog. Maher looked in the door and seeing Joe with his queer bullet shaped head and great arms stretched out there, turned with a grin to me and said:--

"Bedad, Tom, I've a mind to poke him an' see if he's got a tail!"

"Keep away from him, Peter," I warned, "or he'll smear that Irish face of yours all over the map!"

Mind you Walcott was asleep and hadn't heard a word of it. A few days later Maher and his sparring partner encountered Dixon and Walcott on the road. Peter was in high glee and after joshing with Dixon told George he was going to find out whether or not Walcott had a tail hidden under the back of his shirt.

Peter grabbed Joe. Joe grabbed Peter. The next place Peter found himself was on his back in the middle of a puddle, with his own sparring partner on top of him.

Walcott had cross-buttocked Maher down and rolled him in the mud and then had grabbed his sparring partner and flopped him on top of Peter.

Right now, when old Peter tells of it he will exclaim:--

"Begorrah, that naygur Walcott wasn't a man at all--at all! Shure, he was a divil!"

The first time I ever heard of Walcott he was a cook on one of the coast line boats between Boston and the Barbadoes. I had Dixon on a theatrical tour and we were showing in Miner's Theatre on the Bowery. One night George said to me:--

"Tom, there's another little coon up Boston way who can whip his weight in wildcats. He's a cook on one of the coast liners. I saw him at one of the smokers down East and he knocked a fellow twice as big as himself clean over the ropes. My friends tell me he is going to enter next week's amateur boxing and wrestling tournament in Mechanics Building, Boston. You'd better run down and bring him back with you. It'll be worth your while."

I told Dixon I would run down to Boston and look the fellow over, anyway. So the next Thursday I went to Boston to see the final competitions in the amateur tournament.

Walcott Cleans Up.

Walcott was entered in both lightweight and middleweight boxing events and in the lightweight wrestling championship as well.

In the lightweight boxing championship, Walcott fought three men and knocked them all cold. He disposed of two of his middleweight opponents by the knockout route, and then fought a fellow named Kelly in the final to what the judges called a draw. In my mind Walcott was a clear winner.

In between his six boxing bouts he took part in three wrestling bouts and won them all. Joe came out of Mechanics Building that night amateur lightweight champion boxer and wrestler, and with a tie for the middleweight boxing championship as well.

Yes, you're right, I came with him. I knew a good fighter when I saw one, and you bet I was quick to take Walcott under my wing.

Well, I brought Walcott on to New York and made him a member of my Dixon show. He was green and unschooled in boxing, so while I was teaching him the fundamentals of boxing I kept him wrestling nightly with the show, meeting all comers. I boxed regularly with Walcott at the start, just as I had with Dixon, and what he knew of the manly art he learned from me.

While we were in New York the city was plastered with posters telling of a show Jack McAuliffe, the lightweight champion, was to take part in at Madison Square Garden. McAuliffe agreed to meet any three men the public would select and forfeit $500 to any or all whom he failed to stop inside of three rounds.

Walcott, in his strolls around the Bowery, noticed one of the posters. The day of the Garden bouts he came to me and asked if he could go on early at Miner's that night and get away. When I asked him what for, he replied:--

"There's a fellow named McAuliffe who is going to give $500 to any man that stays three rounds. I want to get that $500."

"Don't you want to stay with this show, Joe?" I asked.

He replied that he did.

"Well," I replied, "we want only winners at this show. Don't go fooling around McAuliffe or you'll lose to him and lose your job, too."

"Mister O'Rourke," he replied, "there ain't no man in the world who can knock me out in three rounds!"

That's how confident Walcott was when he first started in the game. I would have let him fight McAuliffe, only I was a mighty good friend of Jack's and didn't want to crab his game. We were making good with the show and there was plenty of money in sight without interfering with McAuliffe.

Later, Jack came down to Miner's to see our show, and after seeing Walcott in action acknowledged to me that Walcott could kill him. Jack said he himself could whip any man of his weight in the world, but that Walcott was more of a gorilla than he was a man.

A Stalking Horse.

To show you how cagey McAuliffe was, let me tell you how he sidetracked Austin Gibbons. Gibbons had fought McAuliffe in a short bout once and given Jack a tough go. Jack didn't want to meet Austin again. McAuliffe then was tied up with Judge Murphy, the power behind the throne at the Palace A. C., of Coney Island. The public wanted McAuliffe to take on Gibbons there. McAuliffe said he was willing, but that Gibbons first must meet Joe Walcott. The rather unsuspecting Gibbons agreed to a match with Walcott, and Joe knocked him out in three rounds.

Then when Gibbons' supporters again tried to arrange a McAuliffe-Gibbons bout McAuliffe sneeringly exclaimed:--

"What! Me, the lightweight champion, fight a man whom O'Rourke's green coon knocked out in three rounds? Nothing doing! Let Gibbons go out and make a reputation and earn the right to fight me!"

After the Gibbons-Walcott fight Joe accompanied us on the road with the Dixon show. We hit a town in Pennsylvania. Our posters advertised that Dixon agreed to stop any one or forfeit $50.

When the show opened that night a big, brawny 190 pound miner stepped on the stage to answer Dixon's challenge.

I told him Dixon was only a bantam and that our offer stood only for men of his weight.

The miner replied that our advertising poster did not stipulate any weight and called for us to make good our advertisement. He was a local favorite and the house was with him, loudly declaring Dixon must make good.

I stepped to the front of the stage and started in telling the crowd that it wasn't right to compel the bantamweight champion to risk injury at the hands of a heavyweight, but the crowd howled me down. I raised my hand for silence and then declared:--

"All right, Dixon will fight him! But first let your man go on with another little colored fellow here with our show. He only weighs 130 pounds, but he will fight your man. If you man beats this chap then your big fellow can fight Dixon."

"Don't go on with the dub!" yelled some of the crowd to their representative. "Fight the champion, Dixon, or no one!"

Finally, after a long confab and upon my firm insistence that the heavyweight fight Walcott first the heavyweight sneeringly consented to go on with Walcott.

"Those white folks think I'm a dub, eh?" muttered Walcott as we were putting on the gloves. "I'll show 'em!"

He certainly did "show 'em." Joe walked right out of his corner and buried the big fellow under a swirling shower of lefts and rights. One of Joe's rights thudded home to the jaw in the first minute's fighting and knocked the fellow out for a good half hour.

"Well, I'm glad I didn't fight Dixon," groaned the big miner, after we finally brought him around. "If I had fought the champion he probably would have killed me!"

The one big thing the public goes wrong in as regards professional boxing is that, like that Pennsylvania miner, they generally figure on the name rather than the man. That is why a champion almost invariably enters the ring a heavy favorite.

Great Fight with Lavigne.

Probably the most talked of fight in the history of American boxing was Walcott's famous go with Kid Lavigne at Maspeth, L. I. Lavigne, lightweight champion at the time, finally agreed to a match with Walcott provided the weights be 133 pounds at three P. M. The agreement was that Walcott should stop Lavigne inside fifteen rounds or forfeit the purse.

While Joe could shave down to the lightweight limit and still be strong at that time he could not reduce to 133 pounds without suffering from stomach cramps. Three times, when he was training for Lavigne, we had to go out and carry Joe home off the road because of his collapsing with the cramps.

Walcott and Lavigne weighed in for their fight in the Turkish baths at the corner of Broome street and the Bowery. Walcott weighed 131½ pounds and Lavigne 132½ pounds.

There is no need rehearsing that fight to you or your readers. Who hasn't heard of it--the fiercest, bloodiest, closest waged combat in the history of the roped square? Both Lavigne and Walcott fought like wildcats from the opening gong. They were both game as bulldogs and could hit like triphammers and withstand all kinds of punishment.

At the end of the sixth round little Dixon, who was assisting me in seconding Walcott, told Joe that he wasn't giving everything he had, but he better do it or he would lose our money. "If you don't knock him out quickly," warned George, "you're liable to get the cramps and he'll whip you!"

"I can lick him any time I want," boasted Walcott. "I'll cut loose and knock him out in a round or so."

But when Walcott came to his corner at the end of the seventh he was seized with the cramps. They attacked him so bad that he couldn't sit down, but stood up and grasped the ring ropes while we kneaded and massaged him.

During the last eight rounds of the Lavigne fight Walcott suffered continually with those cramps. Those who attended the mill thought his standing up between rounds was mere braggadocio. They little knew what agony Joe really was in.

That was the big reason why Lavigne was on his feet at the end of the fifteenth round. The white boy put up a wonderful battle, and I don't want to take any credit away from him. But if Walcott had not been seized with those cramps Joe would have stopped Lavigne inside the distance.

When I started talking of Walcott I told you how he knocked out Joe Choynski in seven rounds not very long after Choynski had gone twenty rounds to a draw with Jeffries. I was eight years arranging that match between Walcott and Choynski.

How It All Started.

It all started the night of the Dixon-Skelly match during the three day carnival attending the Sullivan-Corbett fight at New Orleans, in 1892.

Choynski then was managed by Parson Davies, a very close and intimate friend of mine. Skelly offered Joe $75 to second him against Dixon. Choynski induced Davies to come to me and asked if I would have any objections to Choynski going behind Skelly against my man Dixon. I replied that I had not, for Dixon would annihilate Skelly, no matter who was in Jack's corner, and I was glad that Choynski had the chance to pick up $75.

Well, when Dixon and Skelly came to ring centre for instructions from Mr. Duffy, the referee, that night, Choynski, in a voice that could plainly be heard throughout the hall, grabbed the referee by the arm and said:--

"Mr. Duffy, you'll have to watch this fellow, Dixon, closely, tonight, for he's a very foul fighter!"

Dixon almost turned white at that utterly unwarranted accusation. Stepping up to Choynski he asked:--

"Joe, did you ever see me fight?"

"No," Choynski grudgingly acknowledged.

"No, you never have seen me fight," responded Little Chocolate, "and you, nor no one else, ever has seen me foul. There is not a foul against me in all my record. Yet you step up before this hostile Southern audience, who already has protested against a negro like myself meeting a white man, and further inflame them against me by making me out as a foul fighter!

"Jack Skelly himself has seen me fight many times. He knows my record fully. I know Jack Skelly is man enough and honest enough for him to truthfully tell whether by act or reputation I am a foul fighter."

And to Skelly's credit Jack truthfully declared:--

"Mr. Duffy, my opponent is as clean a boxer as there is in the ring!"

I was boiling with rage at Choynski's accusation. Holding myself in as best I could, I told Choynski:--

"Choynski, you came crawling to me and asked if I had any objections to letting you second Skelly, so you could make $75. I told you, all right! and that I was glad to have you. Now in return for it you try to inflame this Southern crowd against this little negro boy.

"Let me tell you, Choynski, I'm going to make you pay for this! I've got another little coon named Walcott under my wing and he's going to fight you and give you the worst beating you ever had. Unless you deliberately lay down and quit he'll play with you as a cat would with a mouse before he knocks you out. You'll regret this baiting of Dixon to your dying day when Walcott gets through with you!"

It was eight long years before I could inveigle Choynski into the ring with Walcott, however. Parson Davies naturally steered him clear of the match. The Parson knew fighters well enough to know what Walcott would do to Choynski. Finally, however, Davies broke with Choynski and Joe lost the advice and instructions of that splendid handler of fighters. I had an interest in the Broadway A.C. here in New York and I offered Choynski a match with Walcott and he accepted it. That, mind you, was eight years after the episode at New Orleans.

Settling the Debt.

Choynski came on here from California to train for Walcott. The betting was 5 to 1, with Choynski favorite. The talent couldn't see what chance little Walcott had against the man who fought Jim Jeffries a fierce twenty round draw.

I took one bet from Al Smith, the well known sporting man of that time, of $1,000 to $200. Walcott weighed 135 pounds and Choynski 175 pounds, you must remember.

Well, in the first round Walcott knocked Choynski down seven times. Each time Referee Charlie White gave Choynski the benefit of the count. It was shortly after the McCoy-Choynski fight, in which Choynski's supporters claimed that White had given Choynski a fast count. Old Good Eye gave Choynski no chance to claim a quick count in the Walcott match. He dragged out the count each time.

Every time that Walcott would floor Choynski in the first round of that fight, John L. Sullivan, who was seconding the Californian, would tumble down off the ring platform, thinking the fight was over, and start for the dressing room. John L. had to jump down, turn around and jump back again almost a dozen times before Walcott finally knocked Choynski out in the seventh round.

Joe Walcott paid Joe Choynski back in full that night for the trick Choynski attempted to pull on poor little Dixon in New Orleans eight years before.

The only man approaching Walcott's weight who could give Joe a real fight when Joe was right was Mysterious Billy Smith, a real fighter and one of the great champions of the ring. Joe beat Billy frequently, but the battles always were close and fiercely fought.

Before one of their fights, Smith sent word to Joe that he was going to bite his ears off.

"Never mind, Joe," I joshed, when he told me of it, "if he bites your ears off he will be disqualified and lose the fight anyway."

"Huh!" snorted Joe. "Ah druver lose all the fights in the worl', Mister O'Rourke, than to lose mah ears!"

Under the greatest fighting physique any man ever boasted Walcott had the brain and feelings of a child. Physically and anatomically speaking, however, what a fighter, what a truly wonderful fighter he really was! There never was a man of his poundage his equal and I doubt if there ever will be.

1903-06-18 Joe Walcott D-PTS20 Young Peter Jackson [Balanee Box, Portland, OR, USA]

1903-06-19 Morning Oregonian (Portland, OR) (page 11)

FIGHT CALLED DRAW
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Joe Walcott Escapes Losing His Title.
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FIERCE BATTLE FOR 20 ROUNDS
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Young Peter Jackson Makes a Game Try for Welterweight Championship, but Lacks a Knockout Punch.
----

Joe Walcott, the world's champion welterweight, came nearer losing his title in his battle last night with Young Peter Jackson than he has since he gained the title. For 20 rounds both men fought one of the fiercest and gamest battles ever seen in Portland, and while Referee Jim Neil called the fight a draw at the end of the 20 rounds, the last five rounds were largely in favor of Jackson.

The fight was for the welterweight championship of the world, and if Al Herford, Peter's manager, had his way, and the fight had gone 25 rounds instead of 20, there would have been a new welterweight champion this morning. Walcott fought his usual clever and masterful battle. During the earlier rounds his ducking, leading, blocking and ring generalship made Peter look as slow as a carthorse compared with him. But Peter was fighting under instructions, which were "bore in all the time; take what's coming, but always keep covered." And how closely he followed these instructions showed as the battle waged. And it was a battle, for round after round the two black pugilists clashed, smashed and walloped each other until it looked as if both fighters would fall from sheer exhaustion. But they did not. At the sound of the gong, which brought them to their feet, Joe and Peter were at each other, with Walcott ripping rights and lefts to the body and head and Jackson jabbing a straight left to the face, and then in the clinches working both hands like pistons on a donkey-engine.

Fighters Go a Fast Pace.

Not a one of that great crowd present, after Peter and Joe got mixing it, ever dreamed that the fight would go to the limit. It seemed, at the pace they were fighting after Walcott had sent Jackson to the canvas in the second round with a right swing that nipped Peter on the cauliflower ear, that one or the other of the boxers must take a peep into pugilistic dreamland, where the fighter, like in a dream, wakes to half-consciousness to hear his master receiving the plaudits and cheers of the crowd. But the fight grew faster and faster as the great bell over in the official timekeeper's corner tolled off the rounds. And with each round Jackson began to unlimber. He seemed to grow stronger. He straightened out of his smothered pose and started after the champion and kept after him until he had Walcott holding in the clinches in the last two rounds. As Jackson grew strong, Walcott, while he lost none of his skill at ducking, his blows seemed to lack steam, and his judgment of distance became less accurate. It was Jackson's straight left that kept reaching Walcott's face that was beating the champion. He realized it as well as the crowd, which, during the earlier stages of the fight, was with the Black Demon from Boston. But when Jackson's stinging left repeatedly found lodgment against Walcott's jaw and face, his right smashing into Joe's wind, or ripping an upper cut which sent Walcott's head back with a snap, the tide of favor turned, until in the 18th round the crowd was yelling like mad and howling, "Jackson! Jackson!" Jackson tried manfully to deliver what the crowd wanted--a knockout punch--and it was only because of Walcott's ability to stall that saved him.

Walcott Grows Serious.

Of course, Walcott doesn't think he was anywhere near beaten. His seconds share his opinion, but it was noticed that the laugh was no longer tripping merrily from the lips of the Barbadoes Wonder. There was no longer the ready jibe and witticism; instead, the black from Boston was serious--as serious as a miser counting his hoarded wealth. The yawn and the assumed air of sleepiness had also disappeared, and on his ebon face there was an expression of anxiety and consternation. He was fighting to save his title, and no longer to hear the laugh of the crowd. All this time Jackson, like a mole working under ground, was wearing his antagonist down. In the 19th round a series of lefts to the face, and a number of herculean uppercuts had the champion wobbling and rocking like an old-fashioned cradle. At that Walcott was at all times dangerous, and, although badly weakened, there was a knockout punch lingering in those brown arms. Jackson knew this, and he never became careless; in fact, all through the rough journey both men fought hard, but carefully.

There was the usual delay in getting the men in the ring, and even after they were in the arena there was a short parley about the number of rounds. Herford wanted the men to fight 25 rounds, but Walcott would not consent, and they finally settled on 20 rounds. The men were brought to the center of the ring and introduced. Dixie Kid was introduced, and offered to fight any man in the world at 145 pounds. Jackson and Billie Woods are matched, and the fight will be pulled off in San Francisco.

--------

MEMSIC WINS PRELIMINARY.
----
Snailham's Seconds Throw Up the Sponge--Ah Wing Boxes.

The crowd as usual was on hand early and as the hour for starting the mill rolled around there were the usual calls for the fighters, Ah Wing and Ed Wiley. At 8:45 Ah Wing with his queue stuck in the rear of his tights, was first to show. The crowd yelled him a loud welcome, and the cousin of Wu Ting Fang smiled in return. Wiley is Wing's sparring partner, and the round exhibition pleased the crowd hugely. The Chinese was clever and demonstrated that he knew something of the boxing game. In the third round both boxers gave a fine exhibition of light slugging. In the fourth and last round Wiley allowed the chink to wallop him and gave a show how the knock-out is delivered.

It was 9 o'clock when Mike Memsic, followed by his seconds, entered the ring. Dick Memsic, his brother, and Joe Cotton were in his corner. Snailham followed shortly and he was looked after by Fred Newhouse and Mike Sullivan. Billie McClain, Dixie Kid's manager, officiated as referee. The boys were a trim-looking pair and looked to be in fine condition. It was Dick's initial appearance and he showed himself a bit of a master of the game. Snailham had only a right that he tried frequently, and missed just as often, for the wind. Memsic's straight left jab soon had the Californian in distress. In the second round Memsic used both hands effectively and just before the bell Memsic sent Snailham down with a right to the jaw. Just as he got to his feet the gong sounded.

Memsic tried to finish the battle in the third round, but his blows, while they punished greatly, lacked steam. Snailham was the gamest kid that has boxed in Portland for days. He gave away at least five pounds and certainly was a glutton for punishment. The crowd liked the Bay City kid's gameness and cheered him roundly when he landed a stiff punch. Snailham came back strong in the sixth round, and he had a shade the better of the argument. Snailham's ankle went to the bad early and he limped painfully, but in spite of this and the beating he got he kept coming back for more until about one minute and a half of the ninth round, when his seconds threw up the sponge. His ankle as much as anything helped make him quit. The fight was awarded to Memsic, who is a good, clever boy.

1899-05-08 Joe Walcott W-TKO10 Charley Johnson [Ariel Athletic Club, Athens, PA, USA]

1899-05-09 The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, PA) (page 4)

JOHNSON GIVES IT UP
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Makes a Game Stand Against Walcott and Takes a Fierce Gruelling
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QUITS IN THE ELEVENTH
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Sadly Out of Condition, He Is Unable to Withstand the Terrific Onslaughts of the Black
--------

Charley Johnson quit in the eleventh round of what was to have been a fifteen-round go with Joe Walcott, at the Ariel Club, at Athens, last night, and yet there was not a person in the house who would have questioned either his gameness or the wisdom of his action. It is not extravagant to say that he withstood more downright punishment--punishment that the effects of which will probably make themselves manifest later on--than any boxer who has performed here in years. There was not a moment of the time from the time the men shook hands until the close of the bout, that Johnson had a chance to win. Except in willingness, he did not appear to be in the same class as Walcott. The latter took the initiative and was the aggressor throughout. He ripped his left into Johnson's short ribs with fearful effect, and in the rushes, which were numerous, he landed the same left about Johnson's dial, and on more than one occasion had him on the edge of Queer street. In every tactic of the game the black manifested that he was Johnson's master.

* * *

In the first four rounds Johnson made a fairly good showing, which conveyed the impression that he was playing a waiting game, and that he might furnish a surprise party to the "Barbados Demon" later on. But the surprise party never materialized. In the eighth round Johnson did start to mix it up, but he soon desisted. Walcott, fighting with the ferocity that sobriquet implies, rushed Johnson to the ropes, and with two swinging left handers about the face sent him to the floor, where he stayed the limit. Walcott caught him with a hard right on the jaw, but on the next attempt missed him. If that punch had landed the fight would have ended there and then.

* * *

Johnson was perceptibly groggy when he came up for the ninth round, but he managed to stay through the next two rounds, notwithstanding the punishment which he was compelled to stand without being able to give anything in return. In the eleventh Walcott started to rush matters from the sound of the gong. Landing that terrible left of his on the wind, he brought a right across on the jaw, and Johnson went to the floor. He struggled to his feet. The spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak, and realizing that it was useless to continue, he turned to Referee Fogarty, and said that he was all out. When Johnson walked off the stage, after having been brought around by his seconds, he was given a round of applause for his gameness.

* * *

The preliminary was between Sam Bolan, of New York, and Harry Warren, of this city. The local boy was strong, game and willing, but was outclassed in science by the New Yorker, who is another colored protege of Tom O'Rourke's. He made a good, game fight, but in the ninth round he was punched into retirement. Taking it altogether, it was a rattling good show--one that will be sure to act as a plugger for those which may follow it.


1899-05-09 The Philadelphia Record (Philadelphia, PA) (page 11)

WALCOTT WHIPS JOHNSON
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Negro Makes the White Man Quit in the Tenth Round.
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WAS CLEARLY THE BETTER MAN
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Sam Bolan Knocks Out Harry Warren in Nine Rounds in a One-Sided Contest at the Ariel Club Opening.
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Joe Walcott, the Barbadoes negro, made Charley Johnson, of this city, quit in the tenth round of what was to have been a 15-round fight at the Ariel Athletic Club, Athens, Delaware County, last evening. Johnson was knocked down and badly dazed in the eighth round, but gamely got up as Referee Fogarty counted "nine," and stood Walcott off in spite of his fierce efforts to land a decisive blow. Johnson fought wholly on the defensive from start to finish, forcing the negro to do most of the work. This is not Johnson's usual style of battle, but his poor condition evidently prompted him to take no chances. Walcott was in fine shape, his black skin shining like polished mahogany and standing out in strong contrast to the sickly white of Johnson's complexion.

Walcott went at Johnson in the first round like a whirlwind, forcing him to the ropes and hammering away at him with left and right, as though bent on winning the fight in record time. Johnson blocked the blows as best he could, but was finally sent to his knees under the ropes. He was up in a second, and the balance of the round was not so fast. Walcott in every clinch proved that he was the stronger man of the two, and when infighting was resorted to proved himself also the faster boxer. Johnson got home with one on the colored man's mouth, however, which started the blood.

Johnson landed his first clean blow in the second round, when he met Walcott flush in the face with his left. It was the sort of a "heel" blow for which Johnson is famous, being delivered with the open glove. Walcott landed one on Johnson's kidneys which did him no good, and then the balance of the round was spent in cautious work, Walcott feeling for an opening, while it was evident that Johnson was willing to wait all night, if necessary.

Nothing occurred in the third round. In the fourth Walcott landed a left in the face--the second of a double blow, and also pushed Johnson so far over the ropes that Charley's right leg slipped off the platform, skinning his shin.

Walcott fought hard in the fifth, but could not get close to Johnson, always finding Charley's left sticking out to head him off. Joe cut loose with some stiff left-hand swings and also crossed Johnson with his right, but the blows never landed just right, Charley stopping all he could not block or duck. Johnson got back with one pretty good punch, but was strongly on the defensive.

In the seventh Walcott tried to uppercut Johnson, but was blocked. Then he went to work on Johnson's ribs and beat a tattoo that Charley will remember for many a day. That vicious right which has put to sleep so many aspirants for pugilistic fame was again and again driven into the white man's body as only Walcott can drive it, and whenever Charley forgot to watch out the same wicked right shot up to the face. Johnson took the blows gamely and stopped all he could.

But this sort of work aroused Johnson's ire, and he came up for the eighth round looking mad. That was what Walcott wanted, and about the second time Johnson met Joe in a rally he got a left in the face that dazed him, and a fraction of a second later went down from a right on the jaw.

Johnson was down nine seconds and was groggy when he got up, but he staved off Walcott's rushed for about a minute, and then the bell gave him a minute's rest.

The ninth was uneventful, but in the tenth the hard work and lack of condition began to tell, and after making a last effort to fight back, Johnson sank down as though exhausted, and when he got up said to Referee Fogarty: "I can't go no farther."

"Do you want to quit?" said Fogarty.

"What's the use. I'm all beat up," said Johnson, and with that Walcott was declared the winner. He was clearly the better man.

The preliminary was a ten-round bout between Sam Bolan of New York, and Harry Warren (Nathan Strauss), of Philadelphia, the men weighing about 130 pounds each. Bolan is an experienced fighter, while Warren is not only new to the business, being quite young, but is wofully deficient in knowledge of the game. His splendid condition kept him in the right for eight rounds, but he was knocked out in the ninth, after once being down long enough for the referee to count ten.

Warren stopped most of Bolan's blows with his face, but gamely came back for more for round after round--and got it, too. Warren made the mistake of fighting wholly for the head, when body blows would have been much more effective.

The New Yorkers outclassed the local men in each contest, and won comparatively easy victories. About 900 spectators were present, in spite of the stormy weather.

It was announced that Joe Butler and Ed Dunkhorst would box fifteen rounds in the Ariel Club arena on May 22.

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.
--------

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
--------

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.
--------
(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.