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Show BET HIS PILE ON -JNO. L. SULLIVAN The announcement that Jim Wakc-ly, Wakc-ly, the old-time New York sporting man, was dying in New York last week recalled the fact that he was one of the first 'men to back the redoubtable re-doubtable John' L. Sullivan In the palmy days of that noted fighter, and also to call attention to the difference dif-ference in handling pugilists In those days and at the present time. Tihc fighters had to battle for purses subscribed sub-scribed by friends of tho two contestants con-testants or for stakes wagered by sporting men, generally saloon keepers keep-ers or gambling house proprietors, who took a fancy to a fighter and decided to ghc him a lift in the world by staking him for a fight, ft was the usual custom for the backer to pay the hoard and lodging of a fighter fight-er while training and also to stand for the expenses of tho trainer, and to supply the stakes or wager which the man was to pay ovor to the conqueror con-queror If beaten. The backers would generally stand for the expenses out of half "the winnings, although If he were a generous fellow, and In addition ad-dition to the actual sUike money had won a number of wagors. ho would give the pugilist all of tho stake money, mon-ey, feeling satisfied with his winnings, win-nings, from other sources. Of course, if tho fighter lost It was an entirely different story. Then the backer was out not only the stake money ho had put up, but the expense money and the money he lost in outside wagers. The money, as a general thing, all went to the winner. The loser was nover considered, for there was no such thing as a division of the money, so much for the winner and so much for the loser, as came Into fashion with the glove-fighting gamo. Tn arranging a fight a sport-lug sport-lug man did not expect to back a loser. " He was looking for a victory. If hia protege lost, the backer, was 1 all out, and there was nothing to give i the defeated puglliBt. But It was S often the case that when a man lost his victor would, have a. lot of svm- I pathy for him and would give "him 1 n small part of the winnings. If the beaten man was game and put up a 8 stiff fight, then tho spectators would f take up a collection for this benefit. I |