| Show 7 i 1 Bob IN Fitzsimmons THE Always Proved LIFE Love That OF a Winner AH All I A the PUG World Doe Not To recite the ring record of Robert Fitzsimmons would exhaust the patience patience patience pa pa- tience of a barber To pronounce him too old to dare another ring encounter is to invite varying criticism But IlIs it Il itis itis is interesting to recall some of the days when the former forme champion delighted delighted de de- lighted in showing his prowess It is remembered that Fitzsimmons once was a popular card in the old Battery D building on the lake front It was while Fitzsimmons was makIng making making mak mak- ing one of his several triumphant tours of the country that he was billed billed bill bill- ed here to meet all comers in four- four round bouts at the battery A young man whose name shall be Billy Mahone Mahone Mahone Ma- Ma hone for the purpose of this article and who now is a sedate but well- well built Chicago policeman at that time was a fireman in the Grand Pacific hotel hote Youre fit to fight the the Lanky One Oneto Oneto Oneto to a frazzle said Mahones Mahone's critics Oh its it's a shame to bowl over a aman aman aman man like Fitz the way you are going to do it Billy said another Mahone felt so elated that he deliberately deliberately de de- bent a big steel furnace rod lod into a segment of a circle Then he sent out written invitations to about a score of his close friends to drop into the Battery to-night to and see me surprise Fitz And Billy did surprise the conquerIng conquering conquering conquer conquer- ing blacksmith pugilist pugilist but but only for fora a few moments Shaping up at about pounds his body glistening with the sheen of health and the muscles of his chest and arms betraying the suppleness of a champion wrestler Mahone jumped into the ring Twenty howling friends of the fireman fireman fireman fire fire- man were moved to pity the comparatively comparatively looking frail-looking long-legged long and tendril armed Cornishman But of the latter's ring generalship Nothing to it compared to Mahones Mahone's prowess The score of friends made rental mental pictures of the champion fanned by his seconds to bring him back from Queer street that thoroughfare of the pugilistic world in which so many fighters study astronomy Time Time shake shake hands shouted the referee and Mahone led with his left reaching Fitzsimmons' Fitzsimmons chin before the champion could block the blow Cheers and applause the matter with Fitz screamed a critic He looks as if he was going to lose to this big fellow At the end of the round honors were far from easy as the ring writer says Mah Mahone ne had landed five blows to Fitzsimmons Fitzsimmons' one and the face of the champion wore a puzzled look Mahone seemed to be eight feet talland talland tall tall- talland and to be walking on eggs when he stepped into the center of the ring for the second round Heres where I finish this champion he said over his bis shoulder to the men in the box sea seats ls The second round was almost a repetition of the first Mahone con con- his agg aggressive policy and scored several hard Jolts His left jabbed the champion in the chin and Fitzs Fitz's head went Vent back as if a had hit it Go on Fitz Trim him shouted many in the throng right Billy you have him was the burden of the cry of Mahones Mahone's friends But walking in for the third round Fitzsimmons nodded to his anxious backers backers- His smile seemed to say a lot Mahone caught one glance of Fitzs Fitz's real fighting face ace and hi his bin knees appeared to tremble Quicker than the proverbial cat Fitz shot in a right swished a left upper cut and swung his right to the jaw Mahone went to the carpet to dream of firing a stationary stationary sta sta- engine He lIe dreamed a long longtime time time time-so so long that It seemed the th dream would result as did that other and more serious dream in the he battery battery bat bat- tery when Billy Brennan went down and out for eternity before Frank Franl Garrard the militia boxer But Mahone's Mahones Mahones Mahone's Ma Ma- hones hone's twenty friends took him home in a carriage Fitzsimmons might tell as he has told the writer that he proved conclusively conclusively conclusively con con- that all the world does not love a winner The business of starring starring starring star star- ring on the stage was new for pugilistic pugilistic champions right after Fitzsimmons Fitzsimmons Fitzsimmons mons defeated Jack Dempsey at New Orleans Jan 14 1891 Jawn L. L had set a pace in this line Une and some show men almost took the breath from Fitzsimmons when they offered him a week to tb do t. t 1 tving stunt in connection with a production called caned Fashions Billy Woods was engaged engaged en en- as sparring partner and the tb city of Buffalo was billed until there was not an available yard of offence fence uncovered uncovered un un- covered by posters The house was crowded and th tha th manager was himself on becoming another bonanza king Humph what's a trifle like a a. week for Bob when we will break all all' records for houses he asked The announcer announce BiIly Woods and then ten With a few gesticulations gesticulations gesticulations lations he had rehearsed for an hour he shouted Bob FitzsImmons champion middleweight middle middle- weight of the world world- world world-OJ Rah bully bully for Fitz came the roar of applause Conqueror of Jack Dempsey the nonpareil continued the announcer Hisses and cat calls greeted the announcer The expected volleys of tumultuous cheering and noises did not materialize The house was frozen In the box office the manager paused in his count of the money as if stricken with paralysis Fitzsimmons was terrified He did not know what to make male of the t terrible reception But the world loved the loser poor loser poor Jack Dempsey and could not go wild over his conqueror Dempsey Dempsey Dempsey Demp Demp- sey was such an idol that Fitzsimmons proved to be a frost for the eight weeks that his contract called for for for- Chicago Post |
