Show FINE FULLDRESS FIGHT Corbetts First Battle With Sullivan p > WAS WITHOUT GLOVES TOO Corbett Had a Hunch He Was the Better Man Exhibition Fight With John L Led H Gentleman Jim to Try for the Heavyweight Championship James J Corbett once heavyweight champion of the world was fIrst revealed re-vealed to himself In the Baldwon theater the-ater in San Francisco This was in 1SSG and Corbett at the time was a mere amateur boxer though no one in hIs class in San Francisco or anywhere else along the coast dared question his ability He could outbox and outpoint many of the professionals who lingered about the city and he was advised togo to-go Into the business by Paddy Ryan and other lighters of national repute Cor bett at that time was under 20 years of ago and with youth and activity on his side in addition to the excellent raining rain-ing he had received he was a formidable formid-able man for any of the top notchers to meet I SULLIVAN SEES CORBETT Finally John L Sullivan blew along and while standing In one of the local athletic club gymnasiums one day he was attracted by the work of Corbatt He had never heard of Jim before but when told who the young man was old Joint Ij remarked that some day If he continued In tho game he would be the champion CORBETT LICKED SOME Sullivan went away shortly afterward and In the meantimeJIm Corbett made wonderful progress at the game So good was he that be easily disposed of such men as Jack Burke Jake Kllraln and Joo Cboynskl I So that when Sullivan Sul-livan who was then the champion of the world returned to San Francisco In 1S9L he found that Corbett had not disappointed dis-appointed his expectations It was then that Sullivan thought Corbetts work something marvelous when he showed the champion how he could stand perfectly per-fectly still and Jump several feet backward back-ward JOHN WOULD SHOW An entertainment was about to be given In San Francisco then that was to be a colossal affair Il was a benefit bene-fit for the people of the city and wits to be given In the old Baldwin theater As Jolt Ij Sullivan was there at the time it was rightly assumed that he would be the best drawing card for the show that was to be part of the doings to raise funds Of course when approached ap-proached In regard to thc matter Sullivan Sulli-van readily acquiesced In anything find everything that was suggested and lie quickly agreed to give an exhibition boxing contest with anybody that the promoters could secure to meet him JOHN SELECTED CORBETT Then a search was Instituted for a man to pit against the big champion heavyweight It appeared Impossible to get a man who would meet Sullivan Sulli-van though there were several prizefighters prize-fighters In the city Finally the plan for the boxing exhibition was about to be abandoned when Sullivan said he would take It upon himself to secure a good boxer for the nights doings He immediately sought out Corbett and the latter agreed to go on and do the best he could with thc champion Sullivan assured him that the battlo would be the friendliest sort of an affair and certainly cer-tainly would not In the least reflect upon up-on Corbttt as a fighter All was In readiness on the night for the entertainment entertain-ment IN EVENING DRESS Both Sullivan and1 Corbett appeared clad In the finest of evening dress even to the stiff white shirts They were to go ten rounds as fast as they could with their bare hands It was to be a plain boxing contest for points and gloves would be unnecessnry Neither did they require a referee for the bout Five judges were selected who sat In the front row of the theater one ot these a clergyman A PLEASING SIGHT At a given signal the two great exponents ex-ponents of the art de llstlana advanced toward each other rapidly and shook hands Each wore a am lie and the crowds In attendance cheered madly at sight of the two magnificent specimens of manhood as they lifted their shifty hands t 11 oppose one another for points only The battle had been advertised as a fulldrtas affair and there was a preponderance of ladles present at thc exhibition The men sparred carefully for a time and the sight was must gratifying to the sporting men in the audience Both were In the finest possible condition then and words of admiration were heard In the pit where many of San Franciscos society ladles sat CORBETT GREW CONFIDENT As the contest aged Corbelt who had gained confidence from the fact that he had very cleverly eluded the leads of the mountain oC muscle before him started to hand a little heavily on the champion He administered open handed slaps to the big fellow that t resounded through the length and breadth of the theater Sullivan endured this far around a-round or so when it became evident that he was losing his temper Corbett only smiled and continued to land at will on the great fighter but finally Sullivan Sul-livan rushed ready for him and h lloored the Callfornlnn lIe stepped back to allow Corbett to rise and when thelat ter stopped to brush his suit he was surprised with a terrific Jolt that sent him again to the floor This time he arose more cautiously but the smile still lingered on his face A FIGHT FOR FAIR When they mixed again It 1 was plain that a fight for blood was on Both men began towlng viciously for each other and Sullivan received several Jolts that staggered him When this sort of thing had lasted for about half a round ilte Judges stepped upon the stage and the contest was over They frilled to award the decision at all which probably was just mini well since none of them were competent to Judge of tho worlc of the fighters After this affair Corbett announced that hq jvaa the bolter man and he forthwith went Into hard training Sullivan Sul-livan went to New York where he was followed a few days later by a telegram Inviting him to fight with Corbett He was the champion but said he barred none Anyhow Corbett had already made a reputation r by getting away with some of the better fighters of the day and really had the call on Sullivan Everybody knows what happened In the twentyoneround fight at New Orleans Or-leans in 1SD2 And that is how James J Corbett first discovered that he might Justly make the fight for the worlds championship |