old-time boxing writers

1913-09-21 The Lexington Herald (Lexington, KY) (page S4)

Great Sport Writers of the Early Days of Boxing Game

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Some of Best Newspaper Men of Europe and America Have Been the "Boys" Who Followed the Celebrities of the Roped Arena.

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(By Jack Skelley in Yonkers Herald.)

In looking back for some thirty years I'm somewhat amazed at the sweeping off of so many noted, able and popular boxing writers, who in their salad days reported and wrote so profusely and proficiently on the fistic battles and champions of the past.

Clever, graphic, hustling, honest, sporting scribes, who never missed a big mill if they had to spend many sleepless nights, put up with all kinds of hardships and traveled many thousands of miles, under all sorts of strenuous conditions to get to a ringside by hook or by crook.

It was no Sunday school picnic in the bare knuckle days to report an important battle. To be chased from one state to another by sheriffs and the police, sleep in barns or any old place; eat whatever they could grab and still be on the alert for every bit of news and more made by the principles of a contest.

Elliott and James.

Sometimes it would be a couple of weeks before a safe battlefield could be found and even then the fight writers were more or less at the mercy of the outlaw mobs that followed up these mills on the turf.

If old Joe Elliott, of the New York Herald, or Ned James, of the Clipper, were alive today they could unfold many gruelling tales of roughing it to and from an important battle. But both these veteran scribes passed away many years ago, after very active, laborious careers. They were really the pioneer boxing journalists of America. "Old Joe," as his friends liked to call him, was a very high class newspaper man, who could write ably on most any subject, but personally he was a great admirer of the manly art and consequently made it his specialty. It was his fad indeed.

Both Elliott and James, with many other American journalists, crossed the Atlantic to report the famous Heenan-Sayers fight in England in 1860, for their respective papers. Ned James especially was a very enthusiastic follower of the ring. He was the recognized fistic authority of his day. He wrote and published many books on boxing that have long been out of print. Among them I remember the lives and battles of John Morrissey, John C. Heenan, Tom Hyer, Yankee Sullivan and numerous others. Poor James went blind long before he died and lived for many years in absolute obscurity up on a farm in Connecticut.

Mark McGuire.

There was old Mark McGuire, of the New York Sun, who died in 1889. Most everybody called him by his pet name, "Toppy." His life was indeed a checkered one. Before the American News Company was established McGuire handled all the newspapers in New York city. He employed some 560 newsboys, among whom were Barney Williams, who became a famous Irish comedian; Judge Dowling, Superintendent of Police Kelso and other men who subsequently attained great prominence. Among his customers were Andrew Jackson, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun and T. A. Benyon. McGuire later ran the "Cayuago" roadhouse, at McComb's Dam, which was a resort for old Commodore Vanderbilt, Robert Bonner and other noted men. Later in life Editor Charles A. Dana, of the Sun, made him the fighting scribe of his paper. "Toppy" never missed an important battle and had a fund of fistic information. He was as honest as the day is long in all fistic writings and doings.

J. B. McCormack.

John B. McCormack, who for many years wrote for the Cincinnati Enquirer and other leading papers under the nom de plume of "Macon," played quite an important part in fistic journalist in his day. In 1880, McCormack matched John L. Sullivan against Prof. John Donaldson. This was Sullivan's first noted battle and he won it with a knockout after twelve rounds. "Macon" reported all the important championship mills for almost the past fifty years. He knew the game from A to Z and was a very prolific writer on his pet subject of boxing. Mr. McCormack passed in after a very active career some seven years ago. His son, George McCormack, who was also a sporting writer, especially on boxing and baseball, died from the white plague about a year ago.

Harry Weldon.

Most every sport knew the genial Harry Weldon who so ably filled the position of sporting editor on the Cincinnati Enquirer for so many years. He was probably the most popular writer of his class in the Middle-West. His sad death a few years ago was not only a great loss to his host of friends in the baseball and pugilistic fields, but a great sorrow. Harry was a kind, whole-souled fellow with a heart as big as an ox.

John Boyle O'Reilly.

This country never had a more brilliant writer on boxing than John Boyle O'Reilly, who at his death was the editor and proprietor of the Boston Pilot. He wrote and published several books on the old game and was already to defend the manly art by his clever pen. He was widely and favorably known throughout the country as a poet and as an all-around literary genius. His name will always be held in honorable regard both because of the work he achieved and because of what his name represented not only to Irishmen, but to Americans in sympathy with the spirit of Home Rule, which is ultimately to triumph in the Emerald Isle. Mr. O'Reilly died in 1890 in Boston.

Nelse Innes.

Speaking of the fistic scribes of Boston, there was Nelse Innes, formerly sporting editor of the Boston Herald, a bright, active, valorous little fellow who made a most gallant fight against consumption until he finally was counted out by old grim death away off on the hot deserts of Arizona. Charles T. Mack, another boxing writer of Boston, better known under the nom de plume of "Bill Blunt," died from the same disease in Cincinnati a few years ago. I also remember Captain A. W. Cooke of the same city who passed in about five years ago.

Peter J. Donahue.

No boxing scribe was better known some twenty years ago in the big metropolis than Peter J. Donahue, the sporting editor of the old Recorder. He wrote snappy, fearless fighting gossip under the signature of "P. Jay." In his younger days he was a fleet foot sprinter of considerable reputation. He wrote fighting for the New York World for many years, but finally went over to the Recorder with Colonel Turner. Donahue was also a very popular referee and matchmaker. He was a thoroughly honest fellow and was indeed very popular with the fans of his day. He also fell a victim to the white plague and passed away before he had reached the prime of his life twenty years ago.

Howard B. Hackett.

Howard B. Hackett was another noted boxing writer of Donahue's time. He was attached to the New York World for many years and covered all the big fights for that paper. I remember him so well at the big fistic carnival at New Orleans, in which Sullivan lost to Corbett, McAuliffe defeated Myers and I met George Dixon. It was at this carnival that Sullivan, McAuliffe and my humble self were dubbed the "Three Fighting Jacks," in 1892. Hackett was certainly a live wire in those days, and I can hardly realize he has passed and gone some fifteen years.

"Big Jim" Kennedy.

There was "big Jim" Kennedy who started out as a pugilistic scribe on the New York Times and afterward ran the Seaside A. C. and other boxing clubs in this section of the country. Kennedy for years was associated with Pat Powers in conducting the big bicycle races at Madison Square Garden and other sporting events. He had many noted fighters under his management and was well known from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts for his fair dealings and many worthy qualifications. Many years ago he ran some walking matches at the big garden with Billy O'Brien, who was also in his day a fighting reporter. Kennedy was only 45 years of age when he dropped dead, a victim of heart disease, in a Brighton Beach train on his way to Manhattan, April 20, 1904. O'Brien passed in many years before him.

Some of the Others.

There was Bayard Braiser of the New York Evening Journal, a very honest and worthy writer of fistic events, and Billy Norr, of the New York World, who, besides writing boxing and baseball was the author of a very realistic, graphic book entitled "Stories of Chinatown," which so interested Hall Caine, the noted English novelist, that he paid many visits to Chinatown to hunt up Norr's unique characters.

Tom Lee (not Chinese), former sporting editor of the Evening World, also passed in quite suddenly. William E. Harding, of the Police Gazette, and "Denver" Smith, a strong and able special fistic writer of the New York World, were others well known.

"Big Tom" Evans traveled over to Chantilly, France, to see the battle between John L. Sullivan and Charley Mitchell, and Bob Turnbull was also at the ringside in France. Turnbull started early in life as a boxer and fought Jack Dempsey and other middleweights. He afterward took to reporting fistic events and became attached to the New York Herald. Later he became interested in the real estate business and died worth a couple of hundred thousand dollars. All these boxing scribes have been swept away and many others I cannot recall, within a few years.

Across the Ocean.

Over in England there has also been quite a sweeping off of the boxing writers. There was George Atkinson, formerly editor of the London Sporting Life. He took a very active interest in the fighting game for many years, but finally joined the church and became a preacher. He died a few years ago. Many of the sports in this part of the country will remember little Ed Plummer, who reported so many skin glove fights for the New York papers. He also refereed many fistic and athletic events for some twenty years in this vicinity. He finally went to England and joined the staff of the Sporting Life, where he did good work until death counted him out some three years ago. I also recall Fred Gallaher, a very capable journalist, who came out to this country with a bunch of Irish and English athletes. Later he made a second trip with Charley Mitchell, then the boxing champion of England. Gallaher was a Dublin man and founded the Dublin Sport, which is still the recognized sporting authority of Ireland. He wrote for many American newspapers, but finally returned to London to write pugilism for several of the leading sporting journals of England and Ireland. Gallaher died suddenly from heart failure in London some four years ago. He had many friends on both sides of the Atlantic and was a very genial, good-natured, companionable man under all conditions and circumstances.

Old grim death has certainly played havoc among the prominent and able boxing writers of the past thirty years. As I look around the press seats nowadays at the ringsides I see but two or three scribes who reported fights in my day. All the others have joined the great majority. Their places are filled by younger men who know little of the hardships, dangers and all night toil of their worthy predecessors. Very few indeed of the leading fighters of the past thirty years have been counted out, but what a sweeping away of the boxing scribes! They were a good, honest, hard-working bunch and their conscientious labors in the interest of the manly art should not be forgotten. They are classed with the champions of their day.

1917-08-21 Pete Herman ND10 Jack Douglas [Tulane Athletic Club, Tulane Arena, New Orleans, LA, USA]

1917-08-22 Evening Tribune (San Diego, CA) (page 9)

HERMAN HAS BOUT ALL HIS OWN WAY

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International News Service

NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 22.--Pete Herman, world's bantamweight champion, tonight won easily from Jack Douglas, champion of the Pacific coast, and sent here by Tom Andrews, of Milwaukee, to beat Herman. Herman knocked Douglas down with the first punch in the first round and then started in to cut him to pieces. He succeeded admirably, Douglas looking like a piece of raw beef at the end.


1917-08-22 Morning Tulsa Daily World (Tulsa, OK) (page 1)

Herman First Boxing Champion to Declare War Against Kaiser

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Special to The World.

NEW ORLEANS, La., Aug. 21.--Pete Herman, bantamweight champion of the world, is the first pugilistic title holder to declare war on the kaiser. At the close of his ten-round bout with Jack Douglas of San Francisco here tonight, it was announced that he had been passed as physically fit by the local selection board, would claim no exemption and was ready to go to war. He said his ten-round bout in Tulsa, Okla., Labor day probably would be his last ring engagement until after the war.

Herman never was in danger during tonight's engagement. He knocked his opponent down in the first round and boxing critics were unanimous in the opinion that the champion had won practically every round.


1917-08-22 The Daily States (New Orleans, LA) (page 11)

Herman Beats Douglas Decisively

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Pacific Coast Boy Outclassed, Takes Fearful Lacing From Champion; Result of Scrap Was Hardly Ever In Doubt.

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BY COL. CLUKE.

Pete Herman, 118-pound title-holder, won perhaps the easiest bout of his career last night at the Tulane Athletic Club. Herman decisively beat Jack Douglas, of San Francisco, in a 10-round no-decision bout. From start to finish, Herman's class stood out, and there was seldom a moment during the entire contest where Douglas had the slightest chance.

Herman showed all of his old-time speed and ability. He hit Douglas with every imaginable blow permissible under the Queensberry code. A half dozen different rounds, the second excepted, found Douglas on the verge of a knockout. Herman, however, was unable to slip over the Morpheus kick.

Prior to the bout, 2 to 1 was freely offered that Douglas would stay the limit. There were few takers. It was next to impossible to wager on Herman at all, the odds rising one time to 5 to 1, the champion would win on points.

Herman Tried to Bump off Douglas.

Herman apparently tried all he knew how to stop Douglas. Except in the second round, in which he stepped around the Coast boxer, the champion showered blow after blow upon Douglas. Pete, however, failed to tap the Westerner's weakest spot, the jaw. In the first round, Herman stung Douglas with a left to the jaw and sat him down. The spectators figured the bout wouldn't go the limit. Douglas, however, was evidently determined to stay 10-rounds, for when in close quarters he held on in the clinches, or at long rang, sprinted from one side to the other of the ring.

Douglas took perhaps the most cleancut lacing any boxer has received in a local ring in several years. Punished about the face, which swelled almost again as large as its original size, Douglas gave a splendid exhibition of gameness.

The Coast boxer apparently suffered a painful injury to his nose in the first round and the better part of the remaining nine stanzas, protected the sore spot. Except for a left-hand punch the Coast fighter rarely hit the champion.

Bout One-Sided; Herman too Classy.

The match was uneven from start to finish and probably staged for the purpose of showing Herman, the first New Orleans champion, to the local fans. It was estimated that the contest drew in the neighborhood of $800. Herman, it was said, had a $1,000 guarantee, win, lose or draw. Herman dropped Douglas in the first chapter and probably figured he could afford to give the spectators a run for their money before bumping off the Western boy. When Pete did cut loose in the fourth and every round thereafter, Douglas fought to better advantage, although he was on the receiving end throughout. One round was a repetition of the other, Douglas taking everything Herman aimed at him, spitting blood and retreating, first across the ring and then in and out of the corners.

The preliminary bouts furnished some tame sport. Probably the best looking preliminary boy hereabouts, Young Wolgast, hit Paddy Callahan a wallop in the jaw and dropped him face downwards on the canvas. The first mill went to Sailor Freeman, Young Connolly sinking for the count from a belt on the jaw.

Young Barrera gave Young Corbett about three inches in height and some twenty pounds in weight. In return he received a clout on the jaw and when he revived the bout was over. Laporte and Young Darcy boxed four rounds, the former winning handily.


1917-08-22 The New Orleans Item (New Orleans, LA) (page 9)

HERMAN PROVES BANTAM TITLE IS IN THE HANDS OF BOXING MARVEL

(By Ham)

New Orleanians' first look at Pete Herman as a champion convinced them that the bantam division is headed by one of the best little battlers that ever reigned over that class.

Pete didn't stop Jack Douglas, as a great many enthusiasts wagered as high as 9 to 5 that he would do, but he gave the California veteran an artistic lacing from the first round to the tenth and had Jack almost to the point of the knockout half a dozen times. In fact, if Pete had followed up with very much vigor in the second and third rounds an advantage he took in the first Douglas would have taken the full count. But Pete had the fight so well in hand that he tempered his conquest with a little mercy, evidently thinking he would stow his opponent away later on. Douglas is game and tough and he recuperated, while Pete loafed just a bit, and the last round found him battling away as best he could, though that never was at any time sufficient to cope with the champion.

Herman Never As Good.

To say that Herman loafed in those early rounds would give the wrong impression. He simply let up after fighting the most aggressive first round that he has ever been known to fight. Early in that round he hung a peach of a left hook on the point of Jack's jaw and sent him down. Jack came up with a forced laugh on his face; he had been taken much by surprise and the punch exacted a lot of his strength. But he made very well of a bad situation, and although Pete hit him scores of times on every spot of his body above the belt he managed to stick.

Herman has used a lot of "stuff" at different times and has shown class ever since "Red" Walsh discovered him shining shoes and elevated him to the ranks of preliminary fighters, but never has he shown quite as much as in that first round. His speed and his cleverness with the gloves fairly bewildered Douglas, who is an old head at the game and has met clever men before. The ringsiders who always have been somewhat lukewarm in regard to Pete could not held but break their reserve and start rooting for the native son. He showed them things in the punch line they didn't know he had.

Has Jack On the Run.

After this round you could have written your own ticket in a wager that Douglas would not be knocked out. Before the fight started 2 to 1 was asked that Jack would stay the limit.

Nor were the fans disappointed when Pete didn't show punch enough to stop Douglas. He had the wallop but when Jack got iinto tight places and was in danger of being rocked to sleep he decided that discretion was the better part of valor and he kept on the run. Two or three times he turned his back to Pete and made away as though he intended to hurdle the ropes. But that was not his intention; he didn't lack courage--he simply adopted that as the only means of frustrating the champion in his knockout designs.

Champion Doesn't "Stall"

Because of the palpable one-sidedness of the match and because it was only a 10-round no-decision affair the "house" was not a very large one for a champion, and especially a native son champion, to draw. Doubtless the promoters were heavy losers on the experiment, which does not speak so very well for Herman as a drawing card. But Herman made himself stronger with his home fans than he ever has been. He did not "lay back," as is the custom of champion when there is nothing for them to gain and as has been Herman's practice in a great many of his fights. On the other hand, he started fighting from the tap of the gong and he never stopped. He carried the fight in every round and the few punches that he did not block or parry he took without wincing or slowing up. Douglas' widely reputed punch had no terror at all to the champion.

Jack no doubt has a pretty good punch but we suspect that Pete took it out of him when he slapped him on the jaw in that first round.

Laporte Defeats Darcy.

There were preliminaries galore--too many. The best was between Al Laporte and Young Darcy. The latter gave Laporte a good time of it for a round or two but Laporte, who is developing into a pretty good boy, overcame the lead and won out in four.

The star performers, next to Herman, were Referee Sam Goldman and Joe Fick. Goldman is demonstrating that it is possible for a referee to please the fans. Fick sang a few songs while men well known in the fight game passed around their hats and took up a collection for the widow of Police Captain Garry Mullen. The collection netted $187.85, $50 of which, it is said, was given by G. D. Bryan, owner of the Bowie race track and part owner of the track now being built at Shrewsbury.


1917-08-22 The Saginaw Daily News (Saginaw, MI) (page 1)

BANTAM CHAMP IS WINNER

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(By Associated Press.)

New Orleans, Aug. 22.--Pete Herman, claimant to the bantamweight championship of the world, never was in danger Tuesday night during his ten round no decision bout here with Jack Douglas of San Francisco. Herman knocked his opponent down during the first round. Boxing critics were unanimous in awarding the fight to Herman.


1917-08-22 The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA) (page S8)

PETE HERMAN SEVERELY PUNISHES DOUGLAS BUT FAILS WITH KNOCKOUT

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Nothing but remarkable stamina saved Jack Douglas, Pacific coast bantam champion, from a knockout at the hands of Pete Herman, world's title holder, in their ten-round bout at the Tulane A. C. Tuesday night. Floored by a left hook to the jaw in the first twenty seconds of the bout, Douglas was on the receiving end of the most severe punishment the whole ten rounds but managed to weather the storm and escape going to the floor a second time.

Intended merely to give Herman an opportunity to show his fistic wares, Douglas served the purpose admirably. A hard hitter with a good left, he was dangerous enough to make Herman careful, but at no time was a match for the champion at boxing. As per agreement no decision was given.

The Times-Picayune's score of the rounds gives Herman all but the seventh, which was even, and in at least half the rounds Herman won so decisively as to make it almost no contest.

OVERLOOKED CHANCE

To onlookers it appeared that Herman might have finished Douglas during either the first or second round of the fight, but he slowed up apparently with the idea of giving the spectators more of a run for their money. Then later on in the scrap, when he wanted to put over a sleep-producing punch, he was unable to connect. Douglas, after the early sessions, learned to block Herman sufficiently to avoid going down. He was groggy again and again but always saved himself from the floor.

Odds at the ringside shifted heavily to Herman. Practically no Douglas money was in sight except that there would be no knockout and Herman backers were forced to lay eight and nine to five on a knockout. Since Douglas lasted, the Douglas backers won these wagers.

Herman started off like a flash. After a few seconds' sparring he shot a heavy left hook to Douglas' jaw, which sat the Californian down for the count of five. The champion backed away and gave his opponent a brief breathing spell and then set upon him like a tiger. He drove Douglas from corner to corner and when the latter clinched, Pete's arms, working like a pivot on Douglas' body, drove him free again.

LOOKS LIKE KNOCKOUT

By the time the first round was two-thirds over it looked like a certain knockout. Douglas had not landed a single solid blow on Herman's face or body and had been hit scores of times. The Californian was bleeding from nose and mouth, his eyes were swelling, he was staggering about the ring.

"Have a heart, Pete," yelled the gallery. "Don't make it a slaughter."

And Herman stopped in his tracks and gave his opponent a few seconds' rest. In fact, Herman did little punishing for the remainder of the round.

Douglas looked mighty bad when he went to his corner, however. He was bleeding profusely from mouth and nose, and was plainly groggy. The minute's rest worked wonders, however, and he came up for the second round fresh enough to catch Herman a stinging left flush on the jaw in the opening exchange. A second left on Herman's jaw stirred the champion to action, however, and a series of in-fighting engagements, in which Douglas was literally slaughtered. Fifteen, twenty, thirty trip-hammer blows to the kidneys and abdomen, with practically no return, and then a left or right hook to the jaw, which sent him staggering away--that is the way Herman handled the clinches. At least twice during the session it appeared Douglas was ripe for the count of ten, but Herman seemed in no hurry. The Californian was sent to his corner, however, with his mouth badly cut and his body hammered to a fiery red. Obviously he had assimilated terrific punishment.

HERMAN HIT TWICE

As the third round opened Douglas caught Herman a hook to the abdomen and later got in a left to the champ's jaw. Pete, however, returned the compliment with a series of staggering lefts and rights to the jaw. Douglas' work was a big improvement over the first two sessions, however, although the round was Herman's by a big margin.

In the fourth Douglas' body seemingly was hammered to a jelly by the champ. Breaking away from in-fighting, Herman took Douglas on in toe to toe slugging matches. Douglas fought with all the vigor and steam he possessed, but the speed of the champ was too much. Pete's lightning blows did their work, and Douglas, bleeding, reeled away. Douglas was bleeding freely at the end of the round.

Douglas showed a good flash in the opening of the fifth round, but Herman sent him rocking away with a left to the jaw. Douglas had to break ground fast to escape punishment. Then Douglas sought to clinch, and the cyclone of Herman's piston-like arms tore him loose and sent him reeling away.

Early in the sixth, another series of in-fighting exchanges--if they could be called exchanges--took place. At times Pete's arms hit as often as thirty times before a return blow came. Douglas got in a few good blows, but was badly beaten up during the round.

Douglas showed to far better advantage in the seventh. He adopted boxing tactics, jabbing with his left and getting away from Herman's rushing shower of blows. Giving Douglas full credit for perhaps a dozen squarely placed blows in the first half of the round, the round could be called even. For in the latter half, Herman again cut him to ribbons with the inevitable tattoo on the abdomen and hooks to the face.

HERMAN WADES IN

Herman waded in at the outset of the eighth round after a knockout. He threw boxing caution to the winds and took the best Douglas could send in the hope of getting over the sleep punch. Douglas covered and Herman resorted to footwork and speed, traveling round and round his opponent, hitting with all his strength at every opening. It was a beautiful exhibition of boxing. In the fifty or sixty seconds of this demonstration, Douglas scarcely laid a glove on the champ. The heavy work had the Californian in a bad way at the end, but still on his feet.

The intermissions seemed to help Douglas wonderfully. No matter how worn he seemed at the end of a round, he came up strong and flashy at the sound of the gong for the next session. The ninth was no exception. He set on Herman like a tiger and sent home numerous hefty punches, but the champion shook them off lightly and countered so viciously that Douglas was soon backing up groggily. Douglas always finished second in these exchanges. Running, dodging, blocking as best he could, saved Douglas from the floor as the round neared the end. He seemed ripe, but still alert enough to escape the fatal blow.

TERRIFIC FIGHTING

Herman sailed in at a terrific pace in the final round and beat his opponent severely, but still the knockout was lacking. In this as in the eighth and ninth, the champion was putting every ounce of strength into the effort. Douglas' stamina, however, survived the storm.

Perhaps in another two or three rounds the knockout would have come. Certainly, human flesh could not have weathered such body punishment much longer.

Herman came out of the fight practically unmarked.

Sammy Goldman was the third man in the ring and he gave a faultless exhibition. Happy Littleton refereed the prelims.

One corking good bout was among the four preliminaries. Al Laporte won a decision over Young Darcy after four rounds of real scrapping. They received hearty applause for their efforts.

Pat Callahan took a "Brodle" the first time he was hit by Young Wolgast and Wolgast gets credit for a "K. O." Young Corbett knocked out Young Barrere in the second round. Sailor Friedman disposed of Young Conley in about half a round. It didn't look like Conley was out, but Friedman obviously outclassed him.

A collection taken up for the Gary Mullen fund netted $187.85.

1915-07-16 Sam Langford W-TKO1 Jack Thompson [National Athletic Club, Denver, CO, USA]

1915-07-17 The Denver Post (Denver, CO) (page 6)

Joe Woodman's Bone-Crushing Tar Baby Uses 32 Seconds of His Valuable Time in Leading Jack Thompson of Denver to a Delicate Lacing at the National Athletic Club--Two Thousand Fans See Langford in Brief Action

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TIME-SAVING DEVICE FOR THAM---HIT 'EM BEFORE THE BELL

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BOSTON TAR BABY WALKS IN RING, SMITES, THEN STROLLS OUT AGAIN

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Jack Thompson Lasts Thirty-Two Seconds With Joe Woodman's Fighting Wonder--Left Hook Puts Dream Sign on Local Dusky Glove Wielder.

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CONCERNING THE LANGFORD-THOMPSON GO

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WINNER--Samuel Langford, the Boston Tar Baby.
TIME OF FIGHT--Thity-two seconds.
THE PUNCH THOMPSON CAUGHT--Left hook to jaw, traveling about four inches.
WEIGHT OF LANGFORD--184 pounds.
WEIGHT OF THOMPSON--201 pounds.
SCENE--National Athletic club.
REFEREE--T. J. McDonnell.
NUMBER OF CLEAN BLOWS STRUCK--Langford, 3, Thompson, 1.
FIGHT STOPPED--When Thompson's seconds threw towel in ring after knockdown.
ATTENDANCE--1,980.

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(By GENE FOWLER.)

The Black Bulwark crouched slightly. Beneath his skin of night the huge muscles played rhythmically, like the loosely knotted flesh of a jaguar gathering for the spring. One arm warded off a left swing, wheeled by another man of dark hide.

Scarcely had the blow been blocked when a writhing mass of sinew crumpled to the canvas-covered floor. A left hook had turned the trick. Half a minute had elapsed since they first met man to man. Two seconds later a new towel fluttered over the ropes. The black hulk left the ring and the cheering crowd caught a flash of his teeth as he smiled. The other man--well, he stumbled, staggered to his corner, whipped and dazed.

That was all!

Who can describe a flash of lightning! Who can tell you "when" and "where" and "what" when a bolt from the clouds rends a tree that has stood a moment before, strong, perfect and straight--a blow that scatters a score of years or more at your feet?

Sudden Ending of Fight Dazes Startled Fans.

The blow that felled Jack Thompson last night at the National Athletic club came so suddenly, so swiftly, so remarkably perfect, that had anyone other than Sam Langford, the bone crusher, sent it home, many would have cried "Fake!"

Sam Langford calls it his "Pumphandle punch." It drew water to Thompson's eyes. For fully ten seconds after it had found its mark not a sound went up from the crowd. It had come so unexpectedly. It had crept in so ruinously. It was as if the gorilla-chested black man had struck every one in the audience between the eyes. But when the new towel sailed over the arena ropes the mass cheered. However, they would have preferred seeing the combat go further. It was too quick, was this Langford method of ending the fray.

Langford entered the ring at ten minutes past 9. He wore his customary green kimono. Thompson entered immediately after and the fighters examined the tape on one another's hands.

Referee T. J. McDonnell was introduced after the fans had greeted each fighter with cheers and whistles. There were nearly 2,000 persons who sat numbly as the gong rang, for that same good-natured, gentlemanly Langford is a terrible thing to see crossing the ring to meet the enemy.

Tar Baby Forces His Man to Start Backing.

They touched gloves. Langford feinted, his shoulders swinging slightly from side to side and his forearms raised against his biceps, his thumbs flicking his nose (one of his ring habits).

Thompson backed, expecting a blow. Then Thompson, following out instructions of his seconds to "get close and hold 'im tight," worked to close range, meanwhile trying to land with his right. Langford blocked two attempts to the ear.

Langford pushed Thompson away easily. Thompson towered above the broad-shouldered "Tham," who worked a right cross on Thompson's neck. It stung Thompson, but did no apparent damage. Thompson led with his left. Langford quickly blocked it and in doing so brought his own left into action, snapping his famous hook to Thompson's chin. The blow couldn't have traveled more than four or five inches. It was delivered without apparent effort.

Thompson flopped, face downward, like a man who had been clubbed on the back of his head. He tossed spasmodically and crawled in paralyzed strides four feet from the spot which had caught his fall. He barely reached his feet at the count of ten. He was unconscious even then, his fighting instinct alone pulling him upright.

Langford Refrained From Rough Tactics.

Langford could have put him down again, but was afraid of hurting him, he afterwards said in his dressing room. Thompson reeled against the ropes on the footlights side of the ring, his arms almost dangling and his belly uncovered. Instead of delivering a cruel whip to the stomach, Langford, gentleman and sportsman that he is, hit Jack flush in the body with his right, declining to use his full power in doing so. At this juncture, Thompson's seconds threw in the towel and the fight was over. Thompson half tumbled thru the ropes.

Langford made approximately $1,000 in those 32 seconds of fighting.

"I'm awful glad they threw in that towel," said Sam as he was being rubbed down by his trainer, Kid Goodman. "When he was hanging on the ropes I could have struck him a terrible blow, but I was afraid of killing him, and I know the people out here want to see the game run on a clean basis.

"I could have let him stay a round or two and boxed with him, but I was paid to come here and fight and I merely did my duty. If I had let him go with me, the people would have said I was stalling. They paid to see me fight and I did all I could. And you never can tell about these fights. It looked easy to knock this boy out, but he was a tough fellow and if I had let him stay, he might have walloped me a few, for he can hit and is by no means a dub. A lot of good men have been knocked out in a round, and our little bout tonight can't be knocked because it lasted only half a minute.

Tham Likes Denver and Fans Hereabouts.

"The people of Denver are most mighty fine persons. They have treated me like a gentleman and some time soon I hope to return to fight any man in the world here. I know I will please them for I like them one and all. I like the air here. Some fighters have said the altitude bothers them here but the only way it bothered me was to give me a terrible big appetite."

In the four round preliminary, Kid Estes, with a rugged system of administering punishment, stowed away Young Mandot of New Orleans in the first round. The semi-windup brought Young Hanlon and Wallace Preston together in a scheduled eight round bout. Hanlon lowered Preston's colors in the third round. Preston showed gameness and also hit hard, but could not stand up under the batterings of Hanlon.

The Langford-Thompson fight was to have gone fifteen rounds. Battling Wells, who meets Jack Torres at the National Athletic club in a fifteen-round go July 30 was introduced.


1915-07-17 Colorado Springs Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO) (page 8)

LANGFORD LANDS K. O. IN 30 SECONDS OF SCHEDULED 15 RDS.

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Boston Tar Baby Makes New World's Record for Quietus

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DENVER, July 16.--Sam Langford, Boston negro heavyweight, knocked out Jack Thompson, a local negro boxer, in the first 30 seconds of their scheduled 15-round bout here tonight. A short right punch to the jaw, preceded by a left poke to the face, sent Thompson down for the count.

In disposing of Thompson in what is considered nearly record time, Langford exceeded his previous fast when he knocked out Matt Dewey at Cheyenne, Wyo., in a bout five years ago in less than two minutes. At that time the Boston heavyweight explained that he "had to catch a train."

After tonight's bout, he explained to those about him that he would not leave here until tomorrow, adding:

"If I had been in a hurry, I think I could have broken the world's knockout record."

Thompson was rushed off his guard at the tap of the gong and did not succeed in landing a blow.

1910-06-24 Abe Attell ND10 Owen Moran [Pacific Athletic Club, Naud Junction, Los Angeles, CA, USA]

1910-06-25 Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, CA) (page 10)

ATTELL DEFEATS MORAN FOR ONCE
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Clearly Outboxes English Rival in Their Ten-Round Bout at Naud Junction
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SCRAP WAS FAST AND FURIOUS
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Britisher Loses No Prestige with Fans by His Great, Though Losing, Showing
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BY JAY DAVIDSON

Longer routes may bring about further dispute regarding the relative merits of Abe Attell and Owen Moran as boxers, but the featherweight champion last night clearly proved that he is the master of the Briton over the ten-round route, as he outboxed his English rival at every round, though not by any great margin, and wound up at the final gong with a margin so distinct and indisputable that there scarcely was any difference in opinion among those who sat at ringside and watched them in their marvelous exhibition of boxing skill. It was the prettiest and fastest boxing bout ever staged in a local ring and kept the fans in a state of excited interest throughout.

Both entered the ring perfectly trained for this fourth test Of their knowledge of the Queensberry art and neither lost any valuable time in fiddling around before getting down to real hard pan. They were at it right from the first jump and kept it up, like stake horses contesting for a derby prize, every minute they were in the ring. The old feud that probably never will be settled by them, growing out of their other tough battles at longer distances, bobbed up in every round, when they would intersperse blows with vindictives and occasionally make faces at each other. When the gong sounded for the end of the final round, Moran turned about and made a sassy face at Abe and twitted him in confidence that at last he had whipped the featherweight champion.

Straight lefts were used with lightning like rapidity throughout the bout, with Attell counting about three to one with these light taps. He started the first round with one and ended with another. Moran toed the scratch and never backed up an inch throughout the bout, but he also found Attell always within reach, even if he could not quite connect at all times.

They steamed up considerably in the second round and began to do some effective slugging, although mostly confining their efforts to jabs in the face and hooks to the head, of which there were an innumerable amount. The old feud showed up for the first time in the second when Abe began to talk to Owen and the latter to heel Abe with his glove in clinches.

The third round started off like real business with both boys swinging rights to body. Moran hooked his left to the head in the breakaway and Abe poked a right to the body and made Moran miss a stiff swing for the head. Abe blocked several leads for the jaw and was caught with a wild right to the ribs, as Moran missed the lead and swung clear around, but Attell offset it with a right and left to the head with jarring force.

The fourth round was faster than the preceding one and both boys did some effective clouting with lefts to the face and head, while Attell used a right uppercut with good effect two or three times as Moran rushed in with right swings. When the gong ended the round the boys were still quarreling and were inclined to overlook the bell.

Abe got onto his stride with a vengeance in the fifth and put over several wallops to head and ribs without return, often making Moran swing wildly and miss. A few left jabs to the face soon had the first claret of the bout flowing from Moran's nose, and this seemed to further anger him, as he charged Abe like a mad bull and put a stiff left to the face and a hard right to the ribs. Abe hooked a hard right to the jaw, the most effective blow of the bout, and followed it up with a right uppercut and a left hook to the jaw, showing at top speed and with his best punch in this round.

Moran opened the sixth with a hard right to the ribs and another stiff left to the face, Abe missing a right swing, but put a left hook to the jaw. Lefts to the face and rights to the ribs flew so fast throughout this round that a moving picture machine would have put on the bum trying to keep tab on them.

Moran rushed at Attell at the start of the seventh and swung his left to the wind, clinching at once. Abe hooked his left to the jaw rather lightly three times and stopped Moran's rush with a right uppercut that landed squarely in the mush and straightened up Moran. Then they began their swinging tactics once more, both showing some pretty hooks and well-timed swings that landed with good effect. Abe uppercut Moran with his right as the gong rang and again they were slow to cut it out.

The eighth round was the slowest of the bout, and neither boxer did much in the line of damaging punches. The ninth started with a renewal of rushing tactics by Moran, and Abe uppercut with his left as he sidestepped a vicious right swing for the head. Moran came close and poked a straight left to the face and switched to the head in quick succession, Abe swinging to the wind and swapping  rights to the head. The final round opened with Attell meeting Moran with a hard right cross to the jaw and a left to the wind. Both landed hard lefts to the jaw and began swinging again, most of the leads being prettily blocked by each. Abe caught Owen backing out of a clinch, and swung right and left to the jaw, but while these blows carried steam behind them, the little Britisher was not seemingly affected by them and rushed in with a hard left to the head as the gong ended the bout. Moran turned and jeered at Abe like a school boy, and both dashed for newspaper row to find out who had won, without result.

CHICO OUTPOINTS AUSTIN

The first preliminary bout was scheduled as a six-round affair between Paul Sikora and Jeff O'Connell, but Sikora failed to pass the required physical examination by the club physicians and was not allowed to go on with the bout. Frankie Sullivan passed the examination and was substituted at the last moment, but the number was moved down the line and Jimmy Austin and Battling Chico were sent in for the curtain raiser at the same distance.

The first round of the Austin-Chico bout went to the credit of Austin, both boys sparring cautiously during the opening session, but in the second Chico began to force the issue and took a good lead with several stiff body punches, one of which, a lead for the wind, staggered Austin and almost put him down. The third round also was in favor of Chico, who continued his aggressive tactics and outboxed and outpointed Austin. Chico used a pretty right cross that he got home a couple of times with good effect and outjabbed Austin in the use of a straight left to the face. Austin improved in the fourth and took a good lead by straightening his left to the face several times, finally drawing the claret, and crossing frequently with his right to the jaw with good effect. The fifth round was the best of the bout up to that time. Both hoys grew confident and indulged in considerable slugging, but in every such instance Chico made Austin back up and stop swapping punches. Chico had a good lead at the gong. The final round was very even, neither doing much in a damaging way. Chico was going at his usual stiff pace, and whenever his blows landed they were of greater effect. Austin was up against a game and clever little slugger and found it impossible to overcome the good lead of his opponent, Chico earning the decision.

McGOVERN STOPS HATTON

Second on the card was Young McGovern, once regarded as a bantam championship possibility, and Berryl Hatton, lately graduated from the amateur ranks. This was McGovern's first appearance in several months. McGovern began using his painful right hook and swing with good effect right off the reel, and showed some of his old-time form, but Hatton was cool headed and clever and boxed cautiously, avoiding any damaging effect of the terrible right. In the second round McGovern finally landed his right, owing to carelessness of Hatton in not keeping a guard against the principal stock in trade of McGovern, and put Berryl down for nine. Following up his advantage, McGovern rushed Hatton to his corner, and after several vain attempts to finish Hatton, put over the same old right to the point of the jaw, and Sergeant Danny Long ordered the bout stopped before Referee Reynolds had counted four.

The semi-windup was the rearranged Paul Sikora-Jeff O'Connell bout, in which Frankie Sullivan was substituted for Sikora because of the failure of Sikora to pass the required physical examination. Sullivan opened the bout with his usual right hooks and swings to the jaw and worked it with good effect during the opening round. He played it so regularly that it looked as if he intended making a short argument of it, and had a good lead at the gong. Sullivan used both hands during the second round and showered straight lefts to the face and right crosses to the head and jaw. O'Connell warmed up to his job too, and got in some stiff punches, but Sullivan proved the cooler of the two in the exciting mixups and materially increased his lead. Frankie began to tire in the third, showing lack of condition, but kept up his aggressive tactics and landed some stiff wallops to the jaw, using an occasional uppercut to good effect. Both were glad the bell rang. Sullivan had O'Connell practically out in the fourth from the effects of continual hooks to the jaw and weariness, but was so tired himself that he could not finish the job. At the gong both were so weary that they could not do any damage at all. O'Connell's exhibition of gameness drew forth great applause. Both boys were slightly less weary in the fifth and did very little damage, although O'Connell woke up for a few seconds and opened up a gash under Sullivan's left eye with a right uppercut. Sullivan finished stronger, however, and had a fair lead at the gong. Sullivan was somewhat refreshed at the start of the sixth and put up a winning finish by adding to his already good lead. He whipped his right over for staggering blows two or three times and clearly had all the better of the milling. He won the decision.

With the preliminary bouts out of the way and everybody in a good humor by reason of the highly interesting bouts, the ringsiders were a bit impatient for the start of the main event. Attell was first in the ring, entering after a delay of about ten minutes, accompanied by Kid Dalton, Battling Swanson and Jockey Mountain, who served as his seconds. Moran followed a few minutes later, with Bad Bill Aldridge, Jeff Perry, Hobo Dougherty and Sam Keller as his seconds.


1910-06-25 The Evening Times (Pawtucket, RI) (page 2)

ATTELL HAS SLIGHT LEAD OVER MORAN

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LOS ANGELES, Cal., June 25.--With District-Attorney Fredericks, Chief of Detectives Browne and half a dozen other officers at the ringside, at the direction of Governor Gillett, enjoying themselves hugely, Abe Attell, featherweight champion, and Owen Moran, the English champion, gave the fastest exhibition of sparring last night that has been seen at Naud Junction this year. A telegram from Capt. Fredericks to Governor Gillett last night stated that there was no fight, but a boxing contest.

Attell won the newspaper decision on points, but it was a very close contest throughout. There was no heavy hitting, but for clean foot work, rapid punching and heady battling, the contest was a great success. It would be only fair to class last night's meeting a draw, although a majority of the fans thought the American had the better of it.


1910-06-25 The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA) (page I6)

ATTELL AHEAD BY LONG LEAD.

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SO FIGHTER IS SAVED FROM A DRAW WITH MORAN.

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Straight Boxing and Clean Hitting at Naud Junction Last Night and the Fans Seemed to Like It--Trace of Bad Blood Between Englishman and Hebrew.

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Abe Attell beat Owen Moran, ten rounds, close decision.
Frankie Sullivan beat Jeff O'Connell, six rounds, snappy battle.
Young McGovern stopped Berryl Hatton, second round.
Battling Chico beat Jimmy Austin, six rounds, boxing only.

It was straight boxing, and clean hitting at Naud Junction last night, and the fans seemed to like it. At any event it was a far better exhibition than has been put up by Uncle Tom's bean eaters for some time.

There is no doubt of one thing. The District Attorney can have little to say in regard to the class of contests staged last night.

As for the men themselves, and their performances, Abe Attell is still the cleverest man in the ring today. With Moran he has a foeman worthy of his glove, and, but for the long lead that he obtained in the early rounds of the fight, would have been forced to content himself with, at least, a draw.

There has been a trace--of course, just a trace--of bad blood between the men for some time. An Englishman and a Hebrew, somehow, get on each others nerves, and stay there.

In the battle last night trouble started in the fourth round, and Eyton was talking to the men as the gong sounded. In the eighth Moran slipped to the floor, and Attell started to help him up. Moran pushed away the gloves and swung for Attell's jaw as he came to his feet, but the shifty champion was not in that immediate neighborhood when the blow arrived.

With the exception of the little family trouble between the two boys the bout was one of the fastest and cleverest ever seen in the Naud Junction ring, and, on Attell's part, comes close to the performance on that Fourth of July afternoon long ago, when Abe and Frankie Neil met in the same ring.

In the first round Attell showed his cleverness and at the tap of the gong retired to his corner without having his hair mussed. The second and third rounds were about even, with little damage done on either side, but with Attell's whips touching up the Irish in Moran's name.

The fourth round was Attell's, and it was here that Moran began to show his temper. Attell's blows were full of steam and ginger, and in the fifth period he showed no let up to the stinging blows that continually peppered the Englishman's nose and cheekbone.

In the sixth, Moran took the honors and whipped one over to Attell's jaw that worried Abe more than he cared to show. The Englishman grinned until Attell walked into him, and the gong sounded with the men waiting at the ropes and Eyton cautioning Moran against letting his temper get away with him.

The seventh and eighth were Attell's periods, but with little damage done.

In the ninth and tenth Moran began to pick up speed. He butted a bit and otherwise misbehaved himself, and was roundly booed at the end of the period. Throughout the round he let Abe have fully as much as he took himself. His blows were mostly swings, and Abe covered well.

In the tenth, Moran found an opening or two and made good use of them.

There was no damage done to either lad during the mixup and Attell's decision was earned wholly on points. The boys should go to Nevada and be given a complete workout over the long route.

The Sullivan-O'Connell go was the best bout on the card, from the standpoint of the fans, and Sullivan earned his decision by clean straight hitting. Be it said for O'Connell, however, that no gamer man has ever shied his castor through the ropes in McCarey's ring.

From the first Sullivan was the aggressor. He is the proud possessor of a good right hand and knows how to use it. His covering was the best part of his work, and O'Connell had a mighty hard time to find an opening in his crossed arms, for every one of Sullivan's blows left him completely protected.

In the second round O'Connell took some of the worst punishment that has been administered in a local ring, and, what is more, took it smiling. At one time he was back on the ropes apparently out, for he had been eating punishment, but he came back grinning, as if nothing had happened.

In the third round he put up a strong battle, but in the fourth was thrown back onto the ropes again. He simply stayed the round on nerve and the ability to stand up under sledge-hammer blows.

The fifth and sixth were fast, with both boys working nicely. Sullivan won by his clean hitting, even outside the two rounds in which O'Connell was almost out.

Young McGovern stopped Berryl Hatton just a Hatton thought he was ready to start.

The first bout, between Jimmy Austin and Battling Chico, went to Chico on points.


1910-06-25 The San Diego Union and Daily Bee (San Diego, CA) (page 10)

ATTELL IS WINNER; LAW NOT VIOLATED

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Hebrew Boxer Gets Newspaper Decision Over Moran; Is Hair-Line Verdict.

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By the Associated Press

Los Angeles, Cal., June 24.--If the specter of Governor Gillett sat at the ringside of the Pacific Athletic club at Naud tonight it witnessed some of the prettiest timed rounds of milling seen on a Los Angeles arena in weeks.

In the main event--a ten round contest between Abe Attell and Owen Moran--the newspaper decision went to Attell. It was a hair line verdict. With two such clever men in the ring the bout could well have come under the designation of a "sparring contest," but there were periods when it approached dangerously near to prize fighting.

Both were strong on their feet at the finish, however, and neither displayed any serious marks of the combat.

The only blood that was shed began flowing from Moran's nose in one of the earlier rounds.

There was much display of ill-temper, too, and twice Moran was hooted for forgetting to stop when the gong sounded the end of a round. At the finish of the tenth the Englishman followed the feather weight champion out of the ring with outstretched hand, but Attell refused to grasp it.

It was in the preliminaries that the crowd saw real damage done. After Jimmie Austin had outpointed Battling Chico in six rounds, Young McGovern stopped Beryl Hatton in two. Frank Sullivan won a decision over Jeff O'Connell at the end of six rounds.

District Attorney Fredericks was present at the ringside. In a statement afterward he declared that there had been no violation of the law and he saw no reason to interfere.

"The provisions of the city ordinance governing limited round contests in this city were fully observed," said the district attorney. "Tonight's events were sparring bouts for points, which are sanctioned by the city authorities, and police officers were present to see that they did not go beyond that."


1910-06-25 The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA) (page 9)

LOS ANGELES FIGHT IS NOT MOLESTED

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Abe Attell and Owen Moran Go Ten Fast Rounds With Abe Having Shade

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[Special Dispatch to The Call]

LOS ANGELES, June 24.--With District Attorney Fredericks at the ringside to see that a prize fight was not held, Abe Attell and Owen Moran boxed 10 of the fastest rounds ever seen at Naud Junction tonight.

If a decision was rendered it should go to Attell, whose marvelous work, both offensive and defensive, proved conclusively that he has not gone back. Moran was the stronger and apparently had several pounds the best of it in weight. But the Britisher's superior strength and constant attack was more than offset by Attell's clever boxing and lightning blows.

Neither man had a scratch on him, although several stiff punches were exchanged. Moran was inclined to rough it and frequently was hooted by the crowd for what appeared to be fouls. After being warned by the referee Moran did not offend again.

Both finished strong, Attell seeming to have a shade in the final round.

One of the preliminary events was stopped by the police when it appeared that one of the boys would be knocked out.

No attempt was made by the district attorney, acting under orders from Governor Gillett, to interfere, either with the main event or the preliminaries.

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.

1896-06-16 George Dixon D-PTS20 Martin Flaherty [West Newton Street Armory, Boston, MA, USA]

1896-06-17 Morning Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 3)

FOR A DRAW.

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Martin Flaherty and Dixon Quit Even.

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Last of Ring Contests in Massachusetts.

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Martin Flaherty of Lowell fought Champion George Dixon to a draw in a 20-round bout, in what was the last of public boxing in this State, last night.

The contest took place at the Suffolk Athletic Club's Armory, about 2500 people being present. It was an interesting encounter, and showed that Flaherty is of very tough stock, and could have stayed probably 20 more rounds.

There was a delay owing to a misunderstanding on the weight, as it was claimed that Flaherty was two pounds heavier than the articles called for. There was quite a wrangle, and Flaherty agreed to forfeit the money he posted. The purse will probably be $1400, divided equally between the two men.

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Dixon had in his corner Frank Steele, Joe Butler and "The Pickaninny." Behind Flaherty were his brother Joe, "Maffit" Flaherty and a friend.

The West End contingent lost a good sum of money on Dixon, as they wagered that George would win in 10 or 12, or at the most 16 rounds. The betting was 2 to 1.

Flaherty looked heavier and bigger in every way than Dixon. The Lowell boy has improved a great deal, for Dixon did not look or fight as if he had gone back any.

On leading and forcing Dixon would have got the decision, but Jimmy Colville, who was referee, judge very fairly when he declared it a draw, for while Dixon scored a great majority of the blows, yet Flaherty was by no means a whipped man.

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From the 16th round Dixon fought at a very fast pace, trying, if possible, to knock his man out.

In the last round Flaherty made a decided stand. Flaherty used his elbow almost all the time, putting it on Dixon whenever the latter led. Dixon's punches were about all for the stomach and Flaherty's short ribs got a merry roasting. Dixon did not use his right once for the jaw, and only a few times for the body, in most instances for the heart region. A few of these were glancing blows.

Flaherty was strong at roughing it, and in mix-up and exchanges used his strength to good advantage. At no time did Dixon seem to have his man measured. He didn't punish him enough for that. Neither were marked a bit. The rounds were about all repetitions of one another, Dixon continually leading for the stomach with a left swing and Flaherty on the defensive.

In the eighth, ninth and tenth Dixon varied this attack by swings for the jaw with the left, and some of these blows on Flaherty's right cheek were powerful and stinging. In the eleventh George went back again to body punching and did not change from those tactics.

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The first bout was between Dave Sullivan and Joe Elms (colored), at 112 pounds. This was a rattling set-to. In the first five rounds Sullivan had slightly the best of the argument, but after that it was in favor of Elms by a good deal.

The end came unexpectedly in the tenth round, when Elms was having a sort of a country fair picnic with Sullivan, knocking him all over the ring. Suddenly, in the thickest of the fray, Sullivan pushed out his right.

It caught on Elms's jaw, and down went the black fellow straight on his head. It was a hard blow and on the right spot. Elms got up in about seven seconds, but he was dazed. Referee Colville sent Joe to his corner and called Davey the winner.

Elms scored a knockdown in the eighth round, and had he fought cleverly from that on would have won easily. His defeat came to him from his own fault, for had he used care in the tenth his would have been an easy win.

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The second bout had as principals "Spike" Sullivan, brother of young Dave of the preceding bout, and Lewis Sullivan of East Boston. This was to be eight rounds at 126 pounds, both being under 126 pounds.

This was a very odd contest. "Spike" was declared the winner in the second round.

In the first round Lewis did the fighting, and scored all but two of the blows. He was wild, though, and not quite steady enough. In the second round "Spike" did some of his funny maneuvres, which tended to rattle Lewis. The exchanges were lively. "Spike" got Lewis over into his corner and banged him hard several times.

After that Lewis seemed to be out of kilter. Then there was another mix-up in Lewis's corner, and before anybody knew it Lewis was on the floor writhing in agony. It was a curious knockout, and hardly anybody saw the cause. "Spike" jolted a right into the stomach and a left up at the chin. Spike was then and there declared a winner.


1896-06-17 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 5)

20 ROUND DRAW.

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Flaherty Held Dixon Off in Bout.

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Colored Man Did Nearly All Leading Right Through.

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He Seemed a Bit Off in Mixing It Up.

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Lowell Man Weighed Too Much Before Battle.

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Long Discussion Before They Went Into the Ring.

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George Dixon, the featherweight champion, and Martin Flaherty of Lowell boxed a 20-round draw at the Suffolk club last night. It was the last boxing contest that will be held in this state for a long time, and those who attended saw one of the best shows ever given in this city.

The surprise was Dixon's failure to defeat Flaherty. The colored boxer was the favorite in betting, odds of 100 to 35 being offered with no takers.

From the very start until the last round Dixon did all the leading. Time and again he tried to get his left over on the jaw, but it went too far or Flaherty stopped it. Nevertheless he landed on the wind repeatedly. Flaherty boxed for a draw and he got it. He did not lead more than half a dozen times.

Flaherty depended on his staying powers to pull him through and to wear Dixon down by repeated clinches.

The contest proved that Dixon needs a good rest before he enters the ring again, as the rushes that have made him famous were missing last night. In every round his admirers were expecting he would let himself out, as he generally does, but they were disappointed.

The boxers were to weigh in at 124 pounds yesterday afternoon at 1.30. Dixon got on the scales and they did not move. Flaherty, however, was one and a half pounds over weight. He weighed later on, it is said, at 124 pounds, and his backer refused to pay the forfeit.

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This caused a long wrangle, and for a time it seemed as though there would be no contest. However, just before 10 o'clock Dixon entered the ring with his second, Joe Butler, Joe Elms and Frank Steele. He was given a good reception, and Flaherty followed him five minutes later and also received recognition from the spectators. He was attended by his brother Joe, Pat Cahill and Moffitt Flaherty.

It took about 10 minutes to get things ready and they shook hands at 10.10. One minute later the bell rang and they stepped to the center of the ring. For half a minute they circled around looking for an opening, and then Dixon led with his left, but fell short, and they clinched. Dixon got in on the wind with his left and another clinch followed.

Dixon tried again with his left a couple of times, but missed and they clinched. Dixon got in his left on the top of Flaherty's head, as the latter ducked, and they locked again. Flaherty rushed but fell short, and another clinch followed.

Flaherty reached Dixon with a left on the face and then led with his left, but missed. Dixon swung his left, but it was wild and they clinched. In fact every exchange throughout the bout ended in a clinch.

Second round--Both were very cautious and were not taking any chances. Dixon tried with his left but missed. He got in a left on the neck and Flaherty countered on the ribs with his right. Dixon landed a left on the face and they got in close, Flaherty getting in a left on the chest. Dixon missed another left and they clinched. The colored boxer, however, landed some good swings with his left on the neck and body before the round closed.

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Third round--Dixon led with his left and fell short, and Flaherty then led but Dixon jumped back out of the way. Dixon got in a left uppercut on the body and landed again on the same place a few seconds later. Both landed on the face together with their lefts, and Dixon then sent his left on the wind, Flaherty countering on the face with his left. Dixon landed on the body and neck with his left, and Flaherty got in a left and right counter on the face and neck. They were clinched when the bell rang.

In the next three rounds Dixon kept up his leading, jumping in at Flaherty, landing his left on the body. Occasionally Dixon would try for the jaw but Flaherty covered that point very well. Clinch followed clinch, and Flaherty sent in several counters on the face when Dixon led.

The seventh round was a little livelier. Flaherty opened by leading, but he fell short. Dixon rushed and they clinched on the ropes. Flaherty then tried roughing it by wrestling, but the referee made him break away. Dixon then jumped in in his old style, and for a time it seemed as if Flaherty would become rattled. He saved himself by clinching and Dixon landed some good left and right swings on the neck and face before the bell rang.

The next round was somewhat lively too. After missing a few times Dixon got in his left on the wind. Soon after they got to close quarters, and both tried to land with right and left. They were too close to do any damage, and it only resulted in a hugging match. After breaking away Dixon rushed in again and Flaherty clinched just as the bell rang.

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The next three rounds were a repetition of the early ones, Dixon doing all the leading, Flaherty being content to guard, clinch or counter, all of which he did in good shape.

The 12th round was a little more lively than the preceding three. Both missed lefts for the face and then Flaherty landed with his left and they clinched. This was followed by a mix up on the ropes, both getting in a few right and left punches on the body and head. Dixon then rushed, Flaherty stepped aside and the colored boxer slipped down near the ropes. In a second Flaherty rushed and stood over him, but the referee ordered him away. Dixon was up in a second and he showed Flaherty's admirers it was only an accident by the way he sailed into his opponent. The bell cut short further proceedings.

From that until the last round each round was a repetition, Dixon leading, Flaherty countering each exchange and ending in a clinch.

Several times they roughed it on the ropes but could not get in any telling blows, being too close.

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In the last round, after Dixon missed a left swing, Flaherty set his admirers in high glee by rushing, landing a left on the jaw. Dixon then landed his left on the wind, and they landed on the face together with their lefts a moment after. Dixon tried a left for the jaw, but it was too far over, Flaherty countering on the jaw with his left.

Dixon landed on the wind with his left, Flaherty countering on the jaw with his left. They got in close and both exchanged several lefts and rights together on the neck and jaw with honors even. They shook hands and the referee called it a draw.

Two preliminary bouts preceded the main event. Joe Elms, the colored boxer of Chelsea, and Dave Sullivan of South Boston were to box 12 rounds at 112 pounds. They had a good contest, and Elms was having the better of it as it neared the finish, when a right-hand cross counter on the jaw in the 10th round cut short his aspirations to the winner's end of the purse. Mike Sears challenged the winner, and can get backing to meet him for $500.

The second bout was between "Spike" Sullivan, brother of the winner in the first bout, and Lewis Sullivan of East Boston. It only lasted two rounds, "Spike" landing some stiff body punches that sent Lewis down and he was unable to continue.


1896-06-17 The Boston Herald (Boston, MA) (page 12)

DRAW, 20 ROUNDS

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Dixon and Flaherty Come Out on Even Terms.

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Not Much of a Fight from a Fighting Standpoint.

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Flaherty on the Defensive Almost All the Time.

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The Weighing-In Gives Rise to a Disagreement.

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Sullivan Whips Sullivan, Sullivan Whips Elms.

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A draw was the decision of Referee Colville in the glove contest between Champion George Dixon and Martin Flaherty at the Suffolk Athletic Club last evening. This was after they had boxed 20 rounds, none of which could be designated as exciting or particularly interesting. They were altogether too scientific. Flaherty acted almost entirely upon the defensive, occasionally making a break. Neither achieved very much, and taken altogether it was a tame exhibition. Flaherty secures credit for making a draw, only Griffo and Cal McCarthy having been able to do it with Dixon for the distance. Neither was hurt, and they could have gone twice the limit of the journey.

A great kick occurred over the weighing in. Flaherty was overweight on the scales on which he stood with Dixon, but 50 minutes later he weighed under the stipulated 124 pounds on the scales at the club. It is claimed that the first scales were doctored. A lawsuit will result over the $500 forfeit put up by the men for weight.

There were about 2000 people present, and the show did not close until 11:30 P. M.

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The opening round was marked by frequent attempts to land by each, with no result. The blows were ducked, and they invariably came to a clinch. Dixon rushed continually in the third, but Flaherty met him about every time with a left glancing blow on the left ear. The next was marked by determined efforts on the part of Dixon to get in, but Flaherty was wary, and had a splendid guard.

The Lowell man rested easy in the fifth, but once tried a right chopper for a knock-out, but it missed. Dixon did all the work, and Flaherty was inclined to use his forearm. Once it was put into Dixon's throat so palpably that the spectators hissed.

In the sixth, Dixon got in his double left blow, stomach and face. Later he got in two lefts on the body. He did all the work, Flaherty being very much on the defensive.

Flaherty did some hot mixing when Dixon came into him in the seventh, and roughed the champion on the ropes. Once he landed a left on the ear, and twice he buried his right in the stomach. It was a pretty "go."

Flaherty slipped down in the 10th, and Dixon generously helped him to his feet. The champion did the forcing, as usual, but some of his blows landed cleanly. In the next, however, Dixon scored two fair left-facers, the first of the night. It was Dixon's round.

The 12th was the hottest up to date. Dixon cut the pace, and Flaherty met it. On a rush, Dixon slipped down, and was helped up by Flaherty. After that came the best punch of all. Flaherty crossed his right over hard, and the blow landed on Dixon's left ear solidly. It was a soaker.

The 15th was full of excitement, for the men fought hard and fast. Flaherty continually used his left forearm on Dixon's throat. Several times he planted right body blows. The little champion didn't seem to mind, but rushed all the time, landing when he could.

Flaherty showed a "mouse" under the left eye in the 16th, in which Dixon did the forcing.

The remainder of the rounds were repetitions of those preceding, and but for the reputation of the men the crowd would have walked out. The 20th and last round ended in a rattling mix on the ropes. A draw was declared, and this seemed to suit everybody.

Joe Elms of Chelsea and Dave Sullivan of South Boston, 112 pounds, 12 rounds.

This was an Indian "scrap," full of tough, rugged work. Elms had the better of it at the start off, but Sullivan got his temper up in the 5th, and fought like a young tiger, but without judgment. Both went down in this round, but Sullivan almost fought himself out.

In the sixth Elms dropped Sullivan to his knees with a right-hand cross. Sullivan got up and went looking for more, although weak. Elms, who was experienced, let the "kid" fight himself out as much as he wanted.

Elms started the ninth at a racing clip, and shook his man from top to bottom twice with right cross-counters. Sullivan withstood them, however, and in a mix-up and a wrestle both went down. The end seemed near for Sullivan, who was weak in his legs.

Elms looked like a sure winner, and in the 10th round he caught Sullivan with a right on the "point," which seemed almost to settle it. But Sullivan was tough and dead game. He closed in, and by one of the luckiest punches in the history of the ring, he got in a short right-arm jolt on the jaw, and Elms fell forward on his face on the floor. Time, 1m. 55s. That settled it.

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Lewis Sullivan of East Boston and "Spike" Sullivan of South Boston, 126 pounds, eight rounds.

This was short. Lewis Sullivan went to work at the sound of the gong, and placed a left on the jaw with the first lead. Later, he landed right upper-cuts and it looked as if he was going to have it all his own way.

But in the second round the scene shifted. "Spike" chased his opponent, and, getting him into a corner, flicked him cleverly with a light right upper-cut. Lewis Sullivan fell down, and was declared a loser. The round lasted 1m. 37s.

It was the softest knock-out of the year. The blow was so light that it seemed as if it could not have hurt, and yet it did the business.


1896-06-17 The Lowell Daily Sun (Lowell, MA) (page 1)

FOUGHT A DRAW

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Martin Flaherty the Equal of Champion Dixon.

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FAREWELL BOXING EXHIBITION A SUCCESSFUL EVENT.

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Lowell Man Surprises Even His Admirers.

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Either George Dixon has been greatly overrated or Martin Flaherty has been underrated by the followers of the art of boxing in New England for of the 2500 people who visited the grand wind up of boxing in New England at the Suffolk club in Boston last evening a large majority were confident that at least Dixon would outclass Martin while many thought the dusky champion would have a cinch on his Lowell opponent.

Round 1--Flaherty reached the face lightly with the left. A clinch ensued and both roughed. The referee cautioned the men and they proceeded. Dixon's left was stopped and Flaherty made a hard drive on the ribs. Dixon laughed loudly when he landed in the wind and was scored upon with a light right-hand just as the gong rang.

Round 2--Flaherty met Dixon's rush with a sharp uppercut on the breast; Flaherty ducked cleverly from a left swing and shot his right in quickly on the chin. Once more Dixon essayed the left, but was stopped. Dixon rushed Flaherty, clinched and a lot of short arm work was done by both. Dixon's left swing for the body landed on Martin's arm.

Round 3--Flaherty forced Dixon back with a vicious rush and a moment later landed the left lightly on the face. Flaherty landed with a sharp left on the ear. Dixon had not yet landed a clean score. The champion's rushes were met with stiff rights on the ribs, and whatever honors there were perched on the Lowell man's banner.

Round 4--Dixon opened with a long, low swing for the body, but was stopped. Dixon, after some sparring, rushed and swung wide around the neck. Flaherty tried to land the right, but failed to connect. Martin avoided a hot rush by a splendid duck and a moment later they came to close quarters and clinched. Dixon drove hard for the wind with his left, scoring lightly.

Round 5--Both came together with a rush, Flaherty scoring a rib-roaster, Dixon's left reaching the face. Flaherty missed a right chop and a clinch followed. Dixon's right connected with the rib, Flaherty again reaching Dixon's "ten" ear. Toward the end of the round they came together in a clinch, and the Lowell man was censured for sending his forearm across Dixon's throat.

Round 6--Dixon swung for the stomach, pushed Flaherty away and landed his famous "one-two" and wind on face, the men clinching. Dixon scored with the left in the wind, tried to chop and then clinched. Flaherty seemed content to let Dixon do the bulk of the work, and depended on countering to offset the champion's rushes.

Round 7--Dixon jumped from his corner and led with the left, Flaherty working his right up to the chin. Martin rushed Dixon to the ropes, where a hot mix-up took place, but nothing serious occurred. Flaherty a moment later scored lightly twice with the left and received a hard swing in return. Honors even.

Round 8--Both seemed strong and refreshed by the minute's rest. Dixon, as usual, opened with a rush, but Flaherty avoided nicely. In a clinch both fought viciously at short range, and the crowd, not understanding that the men were boxing while one hand was free, shouted disapproval.

Round 9--Dixon tried with the left, Flaherty landing the right lightly in the wind. In a clinch the Lowell man scored with the left. Dixon's swing, just as the bell rang, went wide, and yet there was no winner in sight.

Round 10--Both led lefts and in avoiding Flaherty slipped, his opponent, man-fashion, lifting him up. Flaherty drove the right in the wind. The balance of the round was spent in sparring.

Round 11-Dixon's swing for the body was stopped. Flaherty led with the right, Dixon retreating to the ropes. Dixon scored clearly on the nose with the left a moment later. Flaherty played hard with the right, but neither seemed to do effective work.

Round 12--Flaherty began the round by rushing Dixon to the ropes. A minute followed in which each fired hot shot on the head of his adversary, but bringing no result. Flaherty chopped the champion hard with the right, and when the gong rang both were hard at it in ding-dong fashion.

Round 13--Flaherty met a rush with a light drive on the ribs, Dixon scoring with the left. A clinch and a rally in which honors were even ensued. Once more the gong found the men hard at it. No choice.

Round 14--Flaherty along about the middle of the round scored a double left lead and forced Dixon to the ropes. Beyond this there was nothing of moment done.

Round 15--The gong had hardly been rung when they got together. This round was one of the fastest so far. Dixon rushed, as was his custom, but the sturdy Lowellite met him blow for blow, and the winner was as far away as ever.

Round 16--Flaherty's right went solidly into the wind and Dixon clinched. Dixon landed a left uppercut and light sparring closed the round.

Round 17--Again nothing effective was done in the three minutes. Each worked in his own way to win, but their cleverness offset any damaging effect intended punches could do had they landed.

Round 18--Dixon placed the right in the stomach. Flaherty drove the right viciously for the ribs and forced Dixon back. Infighting followed and closed the round.

Round 19--The work throughout was very even, and there was not an effective blow delivered.

Round 20--Flaherty led the left for the chin and rushed Dixon to the ropes where give-and-take work was indulged in. Dixon slipped into a stiff uppercut and clinched. The bell sounded as the men were fighting terrifically.