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Show FEW VETERANS STILL LIVE Where the Old Ring, Generals ire. Three Former Champions Still in Harness and Limber. Somo' Work, Some Aro Hich, Some Loaf, Some Act, and One Is a Policeman. In the march of time followers of tho ring often wonder what has become of the large army of pugilists who made llstlc history in the days gone by. Very few of the old-time fighters are alive. Those that are in the land of tho living liv-ing are hale and hearty anil doing well. Some havo been prudont and have laid aside something for a rainy day. A number of the scrappers who were favorites ten years ago are still alive, and once In a while their names creep into the columns of the newspapers newspa-pers Of the former champions, pugilists whose names were familiar wherever boxing was regarded as a sport, three are still In harness. They aro George Dixon, Tommy Ryan and Bob Fltzslm-mons. Fltzslm-mons. Dixon was the best of tho feathers, Ryan the master of the welter-weights, and Fltz at the head of tho middle-weight class. Dixon is now in England, doing the best he can meeting meet-ing men who would havo had no chance with him when he was in his prime. Old Pitzsimmons. Fitzsinimons has entered the heavyweight heavy-weight class, while Ryan says ho has acquired the right to be classed as tho peer of the middle-weights. Jack Dempscy, whom the Cornishman defeated de-feated for this title, has passed away. So havo Georgo La Blanche, the Marine, Ma-rine, who once conquered the Nonpareil Nonpa-reil with tho so-called pivot blow; Peter Pe-ter Jackson, who was the best of the big black men In his day; Georgo Godfrey, God-frey, another wonderful colored heavyweight; heavy-weight; Prof. John Donaldson, who once fought John L. Sullivan; Paddy Ryan, whom Sullivan succeeded as the leader of the heavy-weights; Joe Goss and Tom Allen. Mike Donovan is still up and doing and getting along- very well. Despite his age, ' Donovan lias not forgotten' how to put up his hands, and when he is not giving points to" tho Prcsldentof the United States, he attends to ;nls duties as boxlrig Instructor of the New York A. C. Domlnlck McCaffrey is alive and makes his abode in Pittsburg. Pitts-burg. Jake Kilraln, who fought John L. the longest battle of his career, Is In Baltimore. He has a family, and only recently his son Cecil tried to perpetuate per-petuate his illustrious father's name by trying his mettle as a glove artist. Con McVey Rich. Con McVey, who was conspicuous as Jim Corbett's second and trainer about twelve years ago, and who could handle han-dle himself fairly well, graces Broadway Broad-way once in a while. McVey looks prosperous and healthy. Joe Goddard, as game a fighter as ever came to these shores from Australia, Is dead. Steve Taylor, Johnny Dwyer and John Flood, whom Sullivan fought early m his career, have also "cashed in." Buffalo (Martin) Costello, who fought Alec Greggalns over eighty rounds at Coney island twelve years ago, and who made and lost a fortune in Australia, is In New York giving boxing lessons. Greggalns is a prosperous pros-perous San Francisco matchmaker, and Is often heard from. Jim Hall, on whose contest with Fitzslmmons at New Orleans the late Squire Abingdon lost a fortune, is in the United States acting as a trainer of fighters. Jack Fogarty and Johnny Reagan, who were once opponents of Dcmpsey, have survived the latter, and have no trouble trou-ble in keeping tho wolf from the door, Reagan 13 at the head of the Pelican A. C. Fogarty Is in Philadelphia, and during the racing season enjoys a position po-sition as betting commissioner. With Little Fellows. Eddie Pierce, Eugcno Hornbecker and Jack Skelly, who tried to wrest the laurels from Georgo Dixon when the latter was in the zenith of his fame, are living-and are fairly well off. Casper Cas-per Leon, ns well as his erstwhile rival, Jimmy Barry, are on this earth, none the worse- for their campaign in the ring. Tommy While of Chicago, another an-other of Dixon's opponents, Is alive, but Cnl McCarthy, who left the amateur ama-teur ranks to give Dixon the toughest fight of his life, has been dead many years. Jack Everhardt, Billy Ernst, tho Bushwlck Dutchman, and Charllo Kelly, a clever bantam In his time, are heard from once in a while, as are also George Slddons, Billy Dacey and Billy Myers, the Streater Cyclone, who was one of the big six in the memorable fistic carnival at New Orleans In 1892. Mysterious Billy Smith, who was always al-ways considered the best rival of Joe Walcott In the ring, Is somewhere m Oregon In business. Kid Lavlgnc, the former lightweight champion, is now In Paris, teaching the French how to box. One Is a Bull. .Frank Herald is in Philadelphia; Jack Fallon is a policeman- at Coney Island; Jack Burke, who fought Sullivan Sulli-van at Chicago back In the 80s, keeps a public house In Dublin, Ireland, and Duncan McDonald, who also met Sullivan, Sul-livan, Is In Butte, Mont. Once in a' while he acts as referee, and in this capacity he decided against Jim Jeffries Jeff-ries when tho latter met Jack Munroo for the first time. Peter Mahcr Is In the milk business In Philadelphia, while Mike Conley, the Ithaca GJant, resides in Cincinnati, and looks as young as he did fifteen years ago. Steve O'Donnell of Australia, a clever but unfortunate heavy-weight, Is boxing box-ing instructor at Harvard university. Tom Williams, another antipodean, and one-time welter-weight champion of that country, Is an Instructor nt West Baden. Eddie McDonald, once an opponent of Jack Dcmpsey, and a pretty good man with the gloves, la living in Dayton, O. Tommy Trdcey and Tommy West are in Oregon; and Tracey's foster-brother, Dan Creedon, Is In Australia, flirting with Damo Fortune. For-tune. Herbert Sladc is in that country, too, and reports that he has been fortunate. for-tunate. Heal Old Boxers. Billy Edwards, Barney Aaron and Jem Mace, the real veterans of the ring, nre well and able to keep moving, and they do not complain of hard times. Joe Choyriski tries his skill with the gloves occasionally with Indifferent success. Joe Walcott recently issued a challenge to fight again, but it is believed be-lieved that he is out of the hunt. Wilmington Jack Daly has been doing some fighting lately, but Is a policeman. police-man. Jack Burke, who fought Andy Bowen 110 rounds to a draw at New Orleans, Is in the theatrical business. Bowen was killed, in the ring by Lavlgnc. La-vlgnc. Mike Leonard Is said to be a bartender in Brooklyn and in poor health Among the little fellows those who were stars a dozen years ago, Billy Murphy Is still in harness Murphy la In Australia, and puts on the gloves when he Is not following his trade as tailor. . Johnny Murphy of Boston, Patsy O'Leary, Benny Murphy of England, Eng-land, Billy Pllmmer, Oscar Gardner, the Kentucky Rosebud, and Johnny Lavaek are living and faring pretty well. Pllmmer Is in South Africa, Benny Murphy owns a saloon at Con-ney Con-ney Island, the Gardners live In Minneapolis, Min-neapolis, Campbell Is a bookmaker, the Kentucky Rosebud is in Philadelphia, and Griffo is knocking about somewhere some-where In Chicago. Jack McAuliffo makes books In summer nt the race track and is often seen with Brooklyn Jimmy Carrol, another old-timer. Jim Corbett Is doing a vaudeville stunt and prospering. - ( |