OCR Text |
Show IhHiL s-k T nof 1 ti -if 1L J T 59 Ik JW Spectactular Fighter Who Dominated the Ring for Ten Years Came Back Pi liC JLdl&L JL llOIIlOfl OT IPITI VliirP for the Third Time When Near the Age of Forty and Revived Clean Sport ft J VA O -XJLA 1T1.UVV (finpyiiglit, 1910f In- the New York Herald Co. All rights rc8Crvea.) "" . n-lihdrcw, tho best irtn Morr,,e?n mie flS "Joe i S 'ffi'M" McCool In Vela (,e.f.ei?n' vear Coburn was fWlhP"icm" Mncc. then Kht Ta's title for the second SW 5r,d Tl o unsportsmanlike fthJ"L or his backers, broke VbTnd left Mace with tho gy&ffie" Wommld for- t Wt to him. which he had won Jariff Msrsden. and when he heat ittt In 1866, Mace retired. Sse of the big flchts then shifted tojo America, where for several S Cedflve bottles and countcr-jctaed countcr-jctaed the issue of the cham-b. cham-b. Several so-called championship Tui mm wrangles; others were t than conflicts between rowdy m armed with knives and pistols, onplci of the two varieties were IffBiHwIn's "victory" over "Joe" iDlE55, and "Hike" McCool's over "Tom" Allen In 1SC0. r.blSiff. 'Jem" Mace came out of iKsent and obtained a match with the best available boxer in ifan ring. I a in tntliuElastic gathering that It fjkl train out of New Or-i Or-i Hir 10, 1S70. bound for the spot k damplonshlp of the world was ke&d once more. Not since the rational conte3t between Hee- Ie had the pugilistic world ifully toward a promised glrcn proof so notably of i possibility of Hftinp the oach. "Jem" Mace, laller-of laller-of the manly science de-s de-s masters. Mendoza and ome to America and had rlth "Tom ' Alien for 52500 title every way the veteran of He was thirty-nine vears li lie had been an Itinerant wxlnc. Before his two "Tom" Kins, in U62. ha incut In the "ring for seven 3 fought thrice as mamas mam-as any other man who i within the "squared cir-ult cir-ult had Included England, 11a and America. And now. oxer's prime, ivlth an es-ionornblo es-ionornblo record, he volun ire the ancient traditions Iter a period of confusion r one more honest test of ie fittest opponent to dis-flglitcr. dis-flglitcr. Born in Birming-ne Birming-ne liad the advantage of years. His career In the busy and successful, in-n in-n fights before Ills dopar-ind dopar-ind and four In this coun- with "Mike" McCoot near Preceding year liad been mob and he had lost" the leading all the way; but iouatlon ror another trial iad ended with the wlth-nomuml wlth-nomuml champion and Alii Al-ii actual possession of the tteh of open ground some .Kcnnen-illc. La., where 'rtched near the river. The nlch Included many well ollowers from all parls of w from abroad, army of-m'mbers of-m'mbers or the Chicago range,! In orderly manner train on a dummy cn-f!?r?ard cn-f!?r?ard I by Ruftw Hunt. Is," " scncrnl handshak- itconded by "Jim" Cuslck &n-a-i Allen by "Joe" Mnnan Thurston. SiH.n0111 ,n;-n showc " riJT( ,ot, l0,,S anJ admw . Relators dwelt admiringly upon the won-f won-f h?nSCXePiailowcd himself M 1W j "vealed none havJ k? and flabby 101,3 B fA fen,ncd in one rfsht SW Y- Ills Wpeord ridges, his pose hampions.hlp. And with roverlnUy",,,lhful- confident rarae to thQ cc,,irr at iC5 m K,nS dsht years be-oo?cLhaard' be-oo?cLhaard' ans"lar. pow-ln pow-ln hU as3lv,5 ad fonnld-itia fonnld-itia isn 1,:5, Pounds. II a 4 S , unusually y all "" , Ir lackiid the Vt a"0, Proportions of .feif win 1 hi, or , POPlHon and mZjTt J3 to the sun. R M f littlr i event, tho ffc? of 'lbeClL,"or.ar,jl ,01i, 4BhWclai,n ri fHr an distant jMfrfrntly "gyjrP"! which they rn to evn. 1, """Jvinfr his mTkncfs Tv,i.n,npn 1 lon or Btoh " "rild or?c.-. af'Vi,ncing V, to i , .! with which $W& fa! lifcsncd .!ou?h Oodles. In KL A"en ffl51"1 s Say: 'f l ynn,e or re- lently, as the gladiators feinted and rtY Cd ''! lhch; Preliminary clash, Con. fcs"lfvinP?atoSCtrtl,e ,cacr "PtaCtors icsiiijing: to tiic keen intere;L nrnnc,i by the skilful exhibition Then Tkh characteristic suddenness. Mace move In with a. quick shuffle and swept Tver a stinging- loft to the right eve , nB, Allen's r,ulck drive with surd judgment and repeated the blow to the nose bo-fore bo-fore springing bade. Allen's retaliatory 1 swings, passed him harmlessly, and he ' was once more at his chosen distance, balanced, bal-anced, tense for any move. The slower i Allen now showed a disposition to even scoreB and broke In a rush, driving right and left. "Jem' warded holh blows aggressively. met the charge with a , sidestep, .smashed a 1 straight left to the ribs that stopped Allen dead in mid- : career. and got : away with his cus- ; tomary grin. f "Tom," it was evident, had no preconceived pre-conceived plan of : campaign, and hav- Ing been checked, r c 1 1 li a c 1; unon pranced hither and yon. eliiHlvo and fast, blocking or ducking "Tom's" rather wild attempts until Allen, holding to his task doggedly, slammed through a tremendous loft to the ribs, ".lem" was stepping In at the Instant sind the sledge hammer met hun full wiih crushing force. He pave, but met tho Issun in masterly stylo, Icuplng back at top speed with left to thv right eye and rieht to the mouth. Id', was in for It. now. Allen rained a, torrent of jabs and jolts, keeping his man always within distance and finally swinging a jarring left to the neck. Mace cut him on the mouth at the same time and with mutual Impulse they stepped apart, llnd-lug llnd-lug the mill too hot. Real Teat to Come. It had been a terrific round, but ther? was more to come, hlach man felt that the real test, usuallv developed much later in a battle, lay under their hands, and that the struggle for the lead, which Is so hard to reverse If once lost, must he decided before the next truce. Alien was the llrst to resumo hostilities, rushing rush-ing with a vicious left swing. Mace blocked it and broke ground when "Tom" lashed out a hooking drive that caught 1 "Jem" painfully on the lower part of the body. Instantly Maco's seconds wore forward for-ward with, cries of "Foul!" There was no doubt that the blow had fallen inches below the belt and the referee hesitated. But Mace, in common with all the spectators, spec-tators, knew that It was unintentional, and he rushed across the ring with protesting pro-testing hand before the word could be given. He refused vehemently to accept a decision on uuy such ground, dismissed his seconds sharply and returned to tho to I ho echo for his sportsmanship. Allen center, while the crowd applauded him expressed his regret and they fell to once more. "Jem" went Into action with a rush, leaping In and getting one. two to either check. Allen pounded him soverely to the ribs and as Mace broke pushed after him, whaling a smashing right swing and catching "Jem" high to the side of the head. This blow, which he seemed able to get over "Jem's" guard with good success, suc-cess, lost Its effectiveness through poor aim. It was Allen's best move and he repeated It at. Intervals throughout the battle. If he could have brought It down he would have battered "Jem's" face to a pulp. As It was. he punished his own knuckles on the veteran's hard head with little inconvenience to Mace. After a brief short arm rally they stood apart again before whirling back with renewed vigor. Mom" now tightened his speed Jm the last notch and threw himself into tho fray at whirlwind pace in a bold, aggressive aggres-sive effort to bring the wearing round to a close. Allen slammed at him, but he blocked the blow hnrd and stung his left to inc cheek. Again Allen pounded at him. The veteran, with a dazzling display dis-play of science, held himself safo with his right and let out repeatedly with his left, playing It like a whiplash across "Tom's" face. Six times in as many econdP ho got. through that slashing left ;uid when he was through Allen:? face was sliced to ribbons. The last delivery, which had all or the wonderful fighter's weight behind it- caught "Tom" full over the left eye, whirling him back off his balnnce. The blc fellow stood a minute, weaving and waving his arms, then foil, ending one of the most brilliant and difficult dif-ficult rounds In which Mace had over taken part. ,,,,, Both men wore exhausted by their extended ex-tended struggle and caino slowly to the center for tno third round. Allen had suffered fearfully about the face. Ills right eve was almost gone, his left was. little belter and he was covered with gashes Mace wns marked on the head and welted and swollen about th bod--Thcv sparred a moment, when "Jem" leaped in with a hard drivo to "Tom's" left cvo. Allen footed nw.ty fast and Maco " carried by his own impetus, was vank'-d off his feet and drooped. Tho 'fourth session was eoually brief, both pnan-lng for wind until Mace shimmed otif two to nose and moulh ami fell. Somewhat restored by the lull in t'n waring nm-e th men came together for more real work In tho fifth round. Allen esnr-cinNv seemed strong and anxious to regnin the unn"r bund. II o led off hnnd-llv hnnd-llv with his left, grazing "Mom's" ribs as the other sidestepped and countered with n neatly placer), smaoking blow to the Viw Mace then f-hnnged his ground nnd Hrcied. blocking two more tentative bits, until' he found his angle nnd leaned forward for-ward with a reaping drive to the iiosp. "Tom" timed him perfcetly nnd iunashiMl a Irco-endou leM-haml-v. Hut once rnraln his aim was bad and whsit mlcrb' linve been a settler to the far struck Holld'lv agninst the left shoulder, doing f,c. harm though II .Ma.-e su nning Wk across the ring like a manikin . on wirCS' Wanted to Take Heed. "Jem" had here a convincing demonstration demon-stration of what Tiilght well hanpen to him If Allen should chance to place such n shot where it would count and developed devel-oped a sudden airnln of caution. Ho held off at r.afo range for some mlmitcs, feinting feint-ing and sparring and drawing "Tom" nto several futile rus hep. A Ion drove twice nt the body, but ".lorn" kept off it til. a they circled, be ciept past, another an-other hard drive nnd planted a stinging VimV flush to Illie none- As hi -ame on with U'hV " ratlin of blows In usual at vie h tripped on his own spikes and felt heavily, but was up again Instantly, refusing lii "lid tho round. Allen nwaro or his adversary's nw tendency ten-dency to play safe, now went determined ly on the offensive and charged, reaping it stiff one to tho ribs. Mace turned In from it. look a. rammlng short arm to tho face and clipped prettily below the left eye. '"Pom" pounded him ..hard to the body and pressed on, milling and forcing "Jem" back. Finding himself once morn on retreat, which was not to his advantage. advant-age. 'Mom" sought, as before to check the other's advance by ducking nnd closing. This time ho was successful and the two every minute until one or,tho other could do no more. Ills seconds whispered ring wisdom, ex'ultmg over his last blow and counseling a. crafty game until he could got through another of the same kind. But Allen would have none of It. lie would go on at his best pace to tho point where ho could go no farther. If he had not bea.ten Maco when the limit was reached than he himself was beaten.. It was with this brave, dogged spirit The hig fellow, putting all Ms falling energies together, came after Maco with a rush. i . : : : i ! T the sparring once. more, hopeful of drawing Mace within range. "Jem" met him in some rapid, light exchanges, pressing craftily on. Allen was awake to I1I3 chance, and lashed out sharply with right and left, tapping the veteran. Mace ducked the vollev. worked in and shot his famous one "two to the left eyo and chin, like a compopund flash of lightning. Those among the watchers who had seen him In former days knew that it was Indeed the spectacular "Jem" Mace of old as he went through this maneuver. If there was ono thing more than another In Mace's stvle that marked liim a master It was his ability to" get through a double smash and get away again in the space of a wink. He had not lost his cunning and "Tom" Allen could only wonder dazedly, up many another boxer had done, how and whence the blows had come. . , . But "Tom's chief concern was to make some adequate reply, and he rushed again, whirling his pqwerrul arms. He bore upon "Jem." beat down his guard with a crushing leTt pound and thrashed out a right swing that caught Mace high on the head and sent him staggering. stag-gering. The veteran was equal to tho crisis. As Allen came on. set upon more work. "Jem" duelled, ran in unexperst-edly, unexperst-edly, caught "Tom" skilfully about the body, planted a neat back heel and hurled the heavier man over for a ciusn-ing ciusn-ing full-length fall, while the crowd broke Into wild cheering. Going a Fast Clip. The old champion's visitation? had had a roseate effect upon the nroad face or Allen, who came to the scratch for the second round witli "JemV signature written all over him. "Tom" was plalnlj minded to change the state of affairs and pulled a serious frown as lie flung up ills guard. Mace was as chipper as a sparrow and twice as active He approached ap-proached his man. feinted rap Idly at half a dozen points, got Allen twisted up in a desperate error: to rollow li m and stepped awny laughing. "Tom" shook his head at levity so ill-placed and stole slowly artcr his man. Thev sparred at a rast clip well out of distance. Allen on the mo e and. "Jem" circling him d keeping- awaj. Changing his ground sharply with a swift side step. "Jem" whipped l ogh a smacking left to the mouth, but took a heavy counter to the left cheek that had steam behind It It was Alien s flist fair chance to get the feel nt h s ; man at the end of his fists and he liked t well, jamming In o where ?U-M to Have been with right tor repeaters. But "Jem" was away, and llKht rallying was again In order. As they Sirred "Tom" thought better oT his earlier irritation and they chaffed each other merrily as the hands flow and the session warmed. Allen suddenly brought up h 'l11 and hurled himself Into a charge, slamming slam-ming right nnd left. Mace was off a id awav but "Tom" pursued tenacious!, warding two swings and launch ng n left drive that "Jem" Just stopped. Again Allen let go his left, go ting over the veteran's guard and planting "ently.. the nock with a force that drove t e lighter man c car away. Mace had 110 Intention of lighting on the l"! came right back, meeting Aliens 1 ush knee lo knee, flashing through his one, Two to the noso and the. mouth drawliw back, smashing in again to chest nnrt ribs He was a thought too bell.gerant and threw himself beyond rc.;ovcry by the last blow- Allen was quick to take the chanco and hooked arouiu ;'hnrt shoulder Jolt to the side of the head that sol things dancing for Mace. "Tom rorecu on. riusv - driving right and left lo the body am slamming with a wicked left n tlia. Mace shrunk around In clever style. Allen was still on tho move and let go another an-other left, bringing his Puard over too far. in a flash Maco had popped In. t M"--mldarm of tho swing and a wild, Jnm-n Jnm-n ng right to the race, while he smashed a terrific left clip lo the right eye. It was , tv fighting in the mlxup. both lmHiiir for th. bodv .il d-adly range and Liming 10 'lbs. Allen fin?, lo ran n uppercut through but lashed a stiff drive lo the body as Mace somewhat winded, tried lo Jump awn; behind a slashing cut to ho iiose. Allen now went upon the warpath i h a vengeance and came nftcr Ma :e haul, swinging and driving a? "Jem footed awav dcspcratclv. When the big fello.v wVsim"Pwm.nd up in this manner he was too strong -and too determined lo ?lop except at great risk", and the veteran contented himVlf will, blocking and dodging until nt a favorite Instant he ran In low and sought to gr p. But Ton would not have it so. He brought both fists down on his man, Jnmmod : him awav and landed hard on the side r of the head. Mace was forced, willy nllly Into sharp resistance, and ns Allen came on no sprang to meet him with ""rtnen fury, slashing one. two to either Hide of "Tom's face and drawing crimson plentl- fU?illl Allen wnnled I rouble and still h kepi coming, driving Mace from stand I lo stand with wicked swIiibs. Jem ft clinched, trampling and struggling across tho ring and falling together near the ropes. Mace on top. "Tom's" right eye was now gone and he was battered beyond human semblance. He was also .having trouble with his hands, which had reached nothing more vital than Mace's head and. what were nearly as unsatisfactory to counter upon, his ribs. "Jem's" Immunity from face treatment was not by any means duo entirely to Allen's faulty aim. for the veteran most warily and consistently guarded his face, fearing blindness more than any amount of punishment about the body. , . The sixth round was opened In fast style bv Allen, who led off light and left. Mace breaking before him. "Tom" rol-lowed rol-lowed him toward his corner, when. "Jem suddenly circled and swept In with a snappy double smash to the face. Allen caught him prettily with telling rib searchers before he could get away, ana seemed at last to have made Mace feel tho effects of such artillery fire, for the veteran winced and hopped hastily out of range. Then, as "Tom" came on, milling. "Jem" dodged through with a wicked spank, to the left check, drew down swlftlv and closed. Allen, who wa.s In no pleasant Vrame or mind from the treatment he hall endured. lost his temper tem-per for a socond and seized "Jem" about the thighs in a wrestle. "Foul!" was again claimed by "Jem's" backers, but the rcreree merely declared the round at an end and ordered tho men lo prococd Both were ready ror trouble when the seventh round was called. Betting, which had started at A to .1 on Mace, had gono to i to 1. which was a ralr measure of tho situation. Allen's hope now was to get in a rew or his terrific wallops before Mace's attentions to his face had progressed pro-gressed too far. The veteran's purpoao was to bring the affair to a speedy conclusion. con-clusion. Tliey clashed fiercely. Joining in a hard short-arm rally for a space and giving and inking some body punishment. pun-ishment. Then Mace lashed out swiftly with one. two to the face, getting his right home to the left eye. Falling away the men sparred at distance, "Jem" circling cir-cling his man and choosing his ground. As Allen sent a crashing right to the ribs, tho veteran got in again with the double smash, landing hard to the chest and the right eye. "Tom" fought back at him desperately, des-perately, driving right and left high, Maco deliberately aided his adversary's faulty aim by lowering his bend In the way of the blown nnd "Tom's" flsts rattled harmlessly, harm-lessly, to his own Inconvonlence. 'Mem" swept nt) under tho heavy delivery with n pretty left uppercut that smnshed wickedly wick-edly lo the nose. Allen, unable lo make any Impression in his attempts a I the head, now tried for the body, lashing out repeatedly. Maco blocked him. stopned a hard right In midair mid-air nnd whirled In with his lashing loft twice to right eve, ;uid throat. "Tom." outfought at every poinr. leaped upon his man and tried to bear him to the ground- Mace twisted in his grasp, flung an arm around his neck and l.nmmercd him with t oniric Jolts to tho body. Allen Al-len rought his right arm ireo nnd improved im-proved the opportunity to popppr "Jem" about tho race. There was little advantage ad-vantage for either In audi work and thev fell together. Furious Pace. Both men wore badly winded and tired under the pace they had maintained ami opened the eighth round with a sparring bout, each waiting for the other lo tako tho initiative. Mar after studying tho other's condition, decided that his elfforts must now be concentrated upon the left eye, the right being satisfactorily closed. As Allen led oft with a right swing to tho side of the head the veteran came back with a snappy ljf I drive lo that lert eye nnd got away again to observe the effect. It was not qullo lo his liking, and he. slammed in again with tin-double tin-double rnltle, Just In tltno to catch a jolting hook lo the ribs. He flung at tho face, but Allen met him again, and Mace, to nave himself, hooked his right arm ns before about "Tours" nuck nnd battered at the face. Allen wrapped the smaller man In his powerful grip and by a de.spcrale heave tore him oT tho ground and threw him, falling upon him heavily. There was more sparring at the opening of the next session. Mnce having yielded to the promptings of cnutlou In deciding not to give away a chance when he had the tide flowing his own way. Allen rushed nnd Mace stepped back as ir about lo break sharply, then ducked under a Bwlng. came up and threw his right and left with great force to tho mouth. Allen Al-len checked and stnggoicd and "Join"' swept on triumphantly, Hulling with his left. But "Tom" Was still dnngerous. As Mnee enmo In. sidestepping for a de-cblvo de-cblvo blow, he gnvo Just, such a careless opening as lost him his second fight with King, when that crnfiy fighter turned defeat Into victory. Allen saw it, nnd put all his remaining strength behind n right drive. If It had been fair lo tho middle of tho fnce "Jem'' might once morn have, paid the penalty of over-confidence. over-confidence. But. it wxik high, as all Allen's Al-len's upper wuk had been, and rammed homo squarely upon tho forehead, The. Impact wan terrific. Mace was lifted acrocs tho ground as by tho swinging arm of a calupaull, to crumple up against the ropes. The crowd gavo Allen the tribute duo hin gallant cfTort to stave ofi the Impending Im-pending outcome, but when Mncc picked himself up, though none too briskly, there were few who sav any further chance for "Tom." ITo was exhausted, terribly beaton and almosc blind. Maco, on the contrary, had undergone littlo surface punishment, nnd, save for weariness and some trouble with his wind, might continue con-tinue at this rate for hours. Allen himself felt tho situation. Ho was not tho one to enter upon a protracted pro-tracted struggle. He had no desire lo Jlght a waiting battle, lo shift and dally along In the Bendlgo-Caunt manner, taking tak-ing to grass when in danger and hoping for a. slip or an error on the part of j his rival. He was best at hard, straight I fighting, exerting overy ounco of power that Allen threw himself into the tenth round, into one more trial against tho Incomparable Incom-parable science and generalship of Mace. He entered It aware that if he fought as he had been righting the end was near; but that was his method and he only, one he understood. As lie advanced Mace camo to meet' him. fresh and smil-? ing, and opened the' session by getting' over his man's guard with a clean, cutting smack to the right eye. The blow had an effect ' upon which he had . scarcely counted, for It aotcd nulto an effectively ns a lancer, and Allen found himself temporarily with restored sight. The big fellow, pulling all his falling energies together, came after Maco with a rush. Tlit veteran gave beforo him and then stepped in with the double hit to tho left cheek and away again, Allen flailed at him, pounded on his guard, strove to reach him. but Mace out-jockeyed out-jockeyed him at every attempt, blocked his desperate swings and finally rushed upon tho offence himself. Allen could not hold him hack. Mace was all over 1 him, slashed him heavily under the loft H eye. walked around him. popped Into th face, circled him again and Jabbed him 1 repeatedly In tho ribs. Allen, slashing out at random, got a. hard swing to thn head, but It scarcely shook 'Mem." irho was now far In the Jenl nnd had tho fight wholly in his nands. AHer a brief breath- ll ing spell they Joined again and Allen ll landed once more to tho head. Mace re- H sponded hy blocking "Tom" steadily and. neatly with his right while he swept IH through his dreaded left three times to tho face and left cyo. Allen, already, IH grealy weakened by his wounds, was cut afresh and rotrcatcd to his corner, where JJ his attendants sponged him. Mace also took the opportunity for refreshment and came to the center ready for a whirlwind IH Allen was now tottering and the sped- ieht way was the most merciful. Mac IH easily stopped the faltering drive ventured IH by "Tom" and whipped terrific lefts to IH the nose, eye and jaw. Allen reeled, but IH seemed about to recover when tho vo.t-eran vo.t-eran stepped in and closed with him. and they went down together. The shock, in Allen's condition, was as effective as fl knockout, and "Tom" was unable to rise from his second's knee when time was called again. "Joe" Cohurn then tosaed up the sponge In token of surrender an-i "Jem" Mace once more steDned Into the aH 1 leadership of tho sport, while the crowd cheered both conqueror and conquered. Mace appeared once more In the rlnsr the following year, when ho fought a twelve-round draw with "Joe" Cohurn. but forty was an age which found out even such a man as he and final retire- i meat followed. He Is still alive, hale and hearty at scvemv-nlne.. Allen afterward regained the champion- IH ship bv defeating "Mike" McCool. and re- I tired with It. He died in 1004. |