i did qualify it by saying a sense of but maybe his strong belief in his ability would have been a bit better.The descriptions he gives of the events, not just the fights, are for myself the most interesting part of articles. they really do paint a great picture of the times and give the reader a true apprecation of what it was like in the era.an interesting point is that in 1912 corbett started writing his column for the paper and they were printed on the same page most of the time and i would have loved to have been in the office when they were putting that page together if those two were in the room at the time.granberry wrote:I have to disagree with your word arrogance,robert.snell1 wrote:the one thing this "Ghost Writer" did not omit is the sense of arrogance of the ability which comes over in the articles which i find Ok myself. when you get the full set you will see what i mean on this
He may have been the best middleweight who ever lived.
He certainly was one of the very best in that weight class.
tommy Ryan
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
Re: comment
"it sufficed for me to make my bow to the critical fans of "the big town" who think that no fighter has ever any right to appear In the ring without their consent."
"then, as now the big .news associations had their headquarters In New York and had started giving three times as much publicity to any New York bout as to one of. as great or greater importance In some other part of the country. I don't know. why. It Is that every dinky little scrap In New York gets a few lines over the press associations wires when much more Important bouts elsewhere must beg for notice. "
I have met my share of obnoxious people from New York.
The big TV networks in the US are all located in New York, and the pompousness of the members of the New York news media is something to behold.
"then, as now the big .news associations had their headquarters In New York and had started giving three times as much publicity to any New York bout as to one of. as great or greater importance In some other part of the country. I don't know. why. It Is that every dinky little scrap In New York gets a few lines over the press associations wires when much more Important bouts elsewhere must beg for notice. "
I have met my share of obnoxious people from New York.
The big TV networks in the US are all located in New York, and the pompousness of the members of the New York news media is something to behold.
-
robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
part 24
Part 24 1912-02-11
Ryan Invades The Middle East
MY FIGHTS IN 'HOT SPRINGS Were with "Australian Billy McCarthy and Charley Johnson of Indianapolis. Neither proved a very formidable opponent.
My fight with McCarthy took place February 23d, 1899. and lasted a little over eleven rounds. McCarthy had, won quite a reputation and his showing in the few bouts' he had had in this country indicated that he had some ability as a ring star.
I took no chances and trained carefully. We weighed about 150 pounds each and were both In the best of condition. The attendance was about 1,000. but there was little betting. McCarthy's backers were not certain enough of their man to bet that he would win unless given big odds and the Australians showing had been such that my friends were unwilling to give the odds of 2 to 1 that were demanded.
As is usual in a carefully fought battle the first round was nothing more than a, "feeling out," so that each man could size up the other. I led a
couple of lefts to the face and discovered that McCarthy's defense was not Impenetrable. After the second round I was never troubled by the Australian. I kept on playing the straight left to the face and a short right to the body with good success.McCarthy gradually tired from his Own efforts to land his blows and from the effect of my punches and went down for the count in the twelfth round.
The Hot Springs promoters then asked me to meet Charley Johnson in an open-air bout at Whittington park. This bout, which took place March 1st. 1899, drew about 1,300 spectators and for several rounds they saw a good fight. Johnson had won his reputation in the Middle West and had fought many of the best middleweights in that section of the country.
Again, as in the McCarthy bout, I measured my opponent in the first round and. according to my estimate, he did not size up as very dangerous. In the second, I let him do most of the forcing as I wanted to see what he had when on the offensive. I did not have much trouble in eluding his rushes and when he pressed hard I gave him a straight left to the face that kept him at a safe distance.
Johnson continued his aggressive work In the third round but was unable to land effectively. According to a description in a newspaper, “he cut wide circles through the air with his wild swings while the elusive Ryan ducked and countered with snappy lefts and right hooks to the body."
"This play to the body." Continued the newspaper account, "plainly had their effect on the Indianapolis boy and he was glad when the bell announced the end of the round. It did not take an expert to see that the Syracusan was the better man of the two."
I saw no necessity for using up my own strength to try and tire out my strong opponent so let him continue his tactics and met all his rushes with short blows to the face or body. In the eighth round Johnson went down three times from body blows and on the third occasion Referee Jake Holtman counted, him out.
Mv next ring appearance took place at Cincinnati and my opponent was Paddy Purtell. I would hate to call that affair a fight and it was very unsatisfactory all around. Purtell simply would not fight. Every time I led or feinted for him he would jump away across the ring. If he had only tried to counter my leads I would have given the spectators the worth of their money, but when a man refuses to allow his opponent to get near enough to land a blow it is pretty hard to put up a ring exhibition. Finally, in the fourth round, I did land one clout and Purtell laid down flat.
I was then matched to fight Jimmy Ryan at Hot Springs, but he refused to go on with me.The bout drew a house ofonly $800, and though my opponent was offered $500 Of this amount he refused to enter the ring with me.
Following this I went to St Louis where I was matched to fight Bob Douglas Before the West End A.C. he did not prove a tough adversary and the bout went five easy rounds . This bout took place. March I8th, 1899.
Chicago promoters then got after me to give my former pupil, Billy Stifft, another match. I was agreeable as satisfactory financial Inducements were offered. The largest auditorium in the State was secured at Davenport and arrangements were made to seat 4,000 spectators, Big excursions carried the fight fans from Chicago.
The bout took place on April 19th, 1899. The only betting on this bout was 4 to 3 that Stifft would not stay the full twenty rounds. In the first round a couple of lefts to the face cut Stiftt's eye and It bled rather profusely. He was tougher however, than when I had fought him before. His ring experience had given him some idea of generalship.
Though Stifft was strong, I gradually wore him down. In the sixteenth round I sent him to the floor for the count of nine and from that time
on he was playing for time and, only object was to stick the limit which he succeeded.
Referee Malachy Hogan gave me the decision. I had several bouts with Stifft and know fully well his ability To take a lot of punishment. Knocking him out was no easy contract at any time, though in later bouts I turned the trick.
The Davenport bout ended my boxing that spring. Promoters made all sorts of offers, but when it came to signing articles and putting up hard
cash as guarantees things always happened to break off the bouts. As a result. I rested all that summer and did not enter the ring- again
until the following fall.
In the next article Mr. Ryan will tell
of his bouts with Jack Moffat and "The
Harlem Coffee Cooler."
Ryan Invades The Middle East
MY FIGHTS IN 'HOT SPRINGS Were with "Australian Billy McCarthy and Charley Johnson of Indianapolis. Neither proved a very formidable opponent.
My fight with McCarthy took place February 23d, 1899. and lasted a little over eleven rounds. McCarthy had, won quite a reputation and his showing in the few bouts' he had had in this country indicated that he had some ability as a ring star.
I took no chances and trained carefully. We weighed about 150 pounds each and were both In the best of condition. The attendance was about 1,000. but there was little betting. McCarthy's backers were not certain enough of their man to bet that he would win unless given big odds and the Australians showing had been such that my friends were unwilling to give the odds of 2 to 1 that were demanded.
As is usual in a carefully fought battle the first round was nothing more than a, "feeling out," so that each man could size up the other. I led a
couple of lefts to the face and discovered that McCarthy's defense was not Impenetrable. After the second round I was never troubled by the Australian. I kept on playing the straight left to the face and a short right to the body with good success.McCarthy gradually tired from his Own efforts to land his blows and from the effect of my punches and went down for the count in the twelfth round.
The Hot Springs promoters then asked me to meet Charley Johnson in an open-air bout at Whittington park. This bout, which took place March 1st. 1899, drew about 1,300 spectators and for several rounds they saw a good fight. Johnson had won his reputation in the Middle West and had fought many of the best middleweights in that section of the country.
Again, as in the McCarthy bout, I measured my opponent in the first round and. according to my estimate, he did not size up as very dangerous. In the second, I let him do most of the forcing as I wanted to see what he had when on the offensive. I did not have much trouble in eluding his rushes and when he pressed hard I gave him a straight left to the face that kept him at a safe distance.
Johnson continued his aggressive work In the third round but was unable to land effectively. According to a description in a newspaper, “he cut wide circles through the air with his wild swings while the elusive Ryan ducked and countered with snappy lefts and right hooks to the body."
"This play to the body." Continued the newspaper account, "plainly had their effect on the Indianapolis boy and he was glad when the bell announced the end of the round. It did not take an expert to see that the Syracusan was the better man of the two."
I saw no necessity for using up my own strength to try and tire out my strong opponent so let him continue his tactics and met all his rushes with short blows to the face or body. In the eighth round Johnson went down three times from body blows and on the third occasion Referee Jake Holtman counted, him out.
Mv next ring appearance took place at Cincinnati and my opponent was Paddy Purtell. I would hate to call that affair a fight and it was very unsatisfactory all around. Purtell simply would not fight. Every time I led or feinted for him he would jump away across the ring. If he had only tried to counter my leads I would have given the spectators the worth of their money, but when a man refuses to allow his opponent to get near enough to land a blow it is pretty hard to put up a ring exhibition. Finally, in the fourth round, I did land one clout and Purtell laid down flat.
I was then matched to fight Jimmy Ryan at Hot Springs, but he refused to go on with me.The bout drew a house ofonly $800, and though my opponent was offered $500 Of this amount he refused to enter the ring with me.
Following this I went to St Louis where I was matched to fight Bob Douglas Before the West End A.C. he did not prove a tough adversary and the bout went five easy rounds . This bout took place. March I8th, 1899.
Chicago promoters then got after me to give my former pupil, Billy Stifft, another match. I was agreeable as satisfactory financial Inducements were offered. The largest auditorium in the State was secured at Davenport and arrangements were made to seat 4,000 spectators, Big excursions carried the fight fans from Chicago.
The bout took place on April 19th, 1899. The only betting on this bout was 4 to 3 that Stifft would not stay the full twenty rounds. In the first round a couple of lefts to the face cut Stiftt's eye and It bled rather profusely. He was tougher however, than when I had fought him before. His ring experience had given him some idea of generalship.
Though Stifft was strong, I gradually wore him down. In the sixteenth round I sent him to the floor for the count of nine and from that time
on he was playing for time and, only object was to stick the limit which he succeeded.
Referee Malachy Hogan gave me the decision. I had several bouts with Stifft and know fully well his ability To take a lot of punishment. Knocking him out was no easy contract at any time, though in later bouts I turned the trick.
The Davenport bout ended my boxing that spring. Promoters made all sorts of offers, but when it came to signing articles and putting up hard
cash as guarantees things always happened to break off the bouts. As a result. I rested all that summer and did not enter the ring- again
until the following fall.
In the next article Mr. Ryan will tell
of his bouts with Jack Moffat and "The
Harlem Coffee Cooler."
As is usual in a carefully fought battle the first round was nothing more than a, "feeling out," so that each man could size up the other. I led a
couple of lefts to the face and discovered that McCarthy's defense was not Impenetrable. After the second round I was never troubled by the Australian. I kept on playing the straight left to the face and a short right to the body with good success.McCarthy gradually tired from his Own efforts to land his blows and from the effect of my punches and went down for the count in the twelfth round.
The Hot Springs promoters then asked me to meet Charley Johnson in an open-air bout at Whittington park. This bout, which took place March 1st. 1899, drew about 1,300 spectators and for several rounds they saw a good fight. Johnson had won his reputation in the Middle West and had fought many of the best middleweights in that section of the country.
Again, as in the McCarthy bout, I measured my opponent in the first round and. according to my estimate, he did not size up as very dangerous. In the second, I let him do most of the forcing as I wanted to see what he had when on the offensive. I did not have much trouble in eluding his rushes and when he pressed hard I gave him a straight left to the face that kept him at a safe distance. "
couple of lefts to the face and discovered that McCarthy's defense was not Impenetrable. After the second round I was never troubled by the Australian. I kept on playing the straight left to the face and a short right to the body with good success.McCarthy gradually tired from his Own efforts to land his blows and from the effect of my punches and went down for the count in the twelfth round.
The Hot Springs promoters then asked me to meet Charley Johnson in an open-air bout at Whittington park. This bout, which took place March 1st. 1899, drew about 1,300 spectators and for several rounds they saw a good fight. Johnson had won his reputation in the Middle West and had fought many of the best middleweights in that section of the country.
Again, as in the McCarthy bout, I measured my opponent in the first round and. according to my estimate, he did not size up as very dangerous. In the second, I let him do most of the forcing as I wanted to see what he had when on the offensive. I did not have much trouble in eluding his rushes and when he pressed hard I gave him a straight left to the face that kept him at a safe distance. "
-
robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
part 25
Part 25
XXV—RYAN'S BATTLE WITH MOFFAT.
My first fight in the fall was with Jack Moffat, who claimed to be a welterweight and who had won a number of hard fights in the middle west.His home was in Chicago and the Windy City had a good opinion of his pugilistic ability. I had spent the whole summer in training other fighters and In traveling around, but was in good physical condition. The rest had done me the world of good and when I received the offer from the promoters for the match with Moffat I promptly accepted. I found Moffat to be strong and willing, able to take an immense amount of punishment, but not very clever.
For thirteen rounds the fight was a good one. But after that my opponent tired quickly and only his gameness allowed him to stay the full
bout of twenty rounds. The betting was 3 to despite the fact that Moffat had won some hard Bouts. Even at these big odds, there was not much money wagered on the contest.
Early in the fight I floored Moffat with a right to the head. He was plainly dazed after that blow But kept boring in at all times endeavoring to land some ponderous which I was able to sidestep. In the thirteenth round, I had him Again in trouble. I had been jabbing him in all the previous rounds and his body and face showed the effects of my blows. In the thirteenth, I gave him a hard right to the body and hooked the left to the jaw, sending Moffat down for the count of nine.
He was is plainly all in and many of the big crowd began to get up and leave for they thought that the fight was over. For my part, I did not expect to see Moffat get to his feet again. He did, however. and by clinching and running, he managed to last the round. Some good attention by his seconds brought back a bit of his fast waning strength in the intermission and he was able to last out the fourteenth, though I gave him awful punishment and did my best to land a knockout punch.
From the fifteenth round to the end, Moffat's only object was to stay twenty rounds with the champion. He clinched at every opportunity and when I tried to corner him he would break into a run. I soon saw his object and I must say that he had my sympathy. I thought that I had punished him enough and saw no harm in letting him gain the object of his ambition, to stay the limit. I let up a bit and Moffat, by his clinching and running tactics, managed to be on his feet for the last bell, though his left eye was entirely closed and he was badly marked. He had to be assisted from the ring. I naturally received the referee’s decision.
It was at this fight that I had my first experience with a woman reporter. They were novelties in those days, but since then I have met them by the scores and they are just as energetic in digging up a story as the men. In one Boston City I met a young woman who was sporting editor of a large daily and she talked learnedly of ”hooks”, “straight lefts” and other blows as any man I ever met. Better still she didn’t get her facts mixed when it came to writing the story. But to get back to the Dubuque reporter. She to had evidently been assigned by her paper write a
woman's impressions of the fight. unfortunately, I have lost the clipping of her article but, as I remember it, she didn't seem to be greatly frightened by what she saw. She sat at the ringside throughout the twenty rounds and wrote a very creditable account of the battle.
Womanlike, her sympathy was with the loser. While she gave me credit for being the cleverest lighter in the world, she admitted that her sympathy was with Moffat and she had hoped that one of his swings would land a lucky knockout. I have often -wondered how she managed to make her comparison of my boxing with the other ring stars so that she could term me the "cleverest of all." But I suppose that is a
"reporter's license " and I notice that even the men have no objection to taking advantage of it.
Following this fight, Moffat went to California, where he made on excellent reputation among the middle weights. He defeated Al Neil, who was touted on the Pacific coast as a coming champion. In a bout with George Gardner Moffat had the misfortune to throw his shoulder out of joint and had to retire from the ring.
My services were again in great demand by the various club promoters. Practically every day 1 had an offer of: some kind or another. They were not offering- any "$30.000, win, lose or draw for the champion" in those days and some of the offers made me were for as low as $100 for my end and the highest was for only $1,500 to the winner. Joe Choynski of Chicago, who afterwards won a reputation in the heavyweight ranks, was one of the men to challenge me and I agreed to meet him at 158 pounds.
Bob Fitzsimmons talked of trying to get back Into the middleweight ranks and I offered to meet him at 154 pounds. Denver promoters sent an offer for a bout with Jock McDonough, and as the financial inducements were satisfactory I agreed to the match, the date to be settled after I had taken care of some of my Eastern engagements.
Jack Root, another man afterwards in the heavyweight rank sent a challenge And I named terms to meet him. The Coney island Sporting Club Was however the first Club to make an offer that appealed to me and it was for a fight with Frank Craig.
XXV—RYAN'S BATTLE WITH MOFFAT.
My first fight in the fall was with Jack Moffat, who claimed to be a welterweight and who had won a number of hard fights in the middle west.His home was in Chicago and the Windy City had a good opinion of his pugilistic ability. I had spent the whole summer in training other fighters and In traveling around, but was in good physical condition. The rest had done me the world of good and when I received the offer from the promoters for the match with Moffat I promptly accepted. I found Moffat to be strong and willing, able to take an immense amount of punishment, but not very clever.
For thirteen rounds the fight was a good one. But after that my opponent tired quickly and only his gameness allowed him to stay the full
bout of twenty rounds. The betting was 3 to despite the fact that Moffat had won some hard Bouts. Even at these big odds, there was not much money wagered on the contest.
Early in the fight I floored Moffat with a right to the head. He was plainly dazed after that blow But kept boring in at all times endeavoring to land some ponderous which I was able to sidestep. In the thirteenth round, I had him Again in trouble. I had been jabbing him in all the previous rounds and his body and face showed the effects of my blows. In the thirteenth, I gave him a hard right to the body and hooked the left to the jaw, sending Moffat down for the count of nine.
He was is plainly all in and many of the big crowd began to get up and leave for they thought that the fight was over. For my part, I did not expect to see Moffat get to his feet again. He did, however. and by clinching and running, he managed to last the round. Some good attention by his seconds brought back a bit of his fast waning strength in the intermission and he was able to last out the fourteenth, though I gave him awful punishment and did my best to land a knockout punch.
From the fifteenth round to the end, Moffat's only object was to stay twenty rounds with the champion. He clinched at every opportunity and when I tried to corner him he would break into a run. I soon saw his object and I must say that he had my sympathy. I thought that I had punished him enough and saw no harm in letting him gain the object of his ambition, to stay the limit. I let up a bit and Moffat, by his clinching and running tactics, managed to be on his feet for the last bell, though his left eye was entirely closed and he was badly marked. He had to be assisted from the ring. I naturally received the referee’s decision.
It was at this fight that I had my first experience with a woman reporter. They were novelties in those days, but since then I have met them by the scores and they are just as energetic in digging up a story as the men. In one Boston City I met a young woman who was sporting editor of a large daily and she talked learnedly of ”hooks”, “straight lefts” and other blows as any man I ever met. Better still she didn’t get her facts mixed when it came to writing the story. But to get back to the Dubuque reporter. She to had evidently been assigned by her paper write a
woman's impressions of the fight. unfortunately, I have lost the clipping of her article but, as I remember it, she didn't seem to be greatly frightened by what she saw. She sat at the ringside throughout the twenty rounds and wrote a very creditable account of the battle.
Womanlike, her sympathy was with the loser. While she gave me credit for being the cleverest lighter in the world, she admitted that her sympathy was with Moffat and she had hoped that one of his swings would land a lucky knockout. I have often -wondered how she managed to make her comparison of my boxing with the other ring stars so that she could term me the "cleverest of all." But I suppose that is a
"reporter's license " and I notice that even the men have no objection to taking advantage of it.
Following this fight, Moffat went to California, where he made on excellent reputation among the middle weights. He defeated Al Neil, who was touted on the Pacific coast as a coming champion. In a bout with George Gardner Moffat had the misfortune to throw his shoulder out of joint and had to retire from the ring.
My services were again in great demand by the various club promoters. Practically every day 1 had an offer of: some kind or another. They were not offering- any "$30.000, win, lose or draw for the champion" in those days and some of the offers made me were for as low as $100 for my end and the highest was for only $1,500 to the winner. Joe Choynski of Chicago, who afterwards won a reputation in the heavyweight ranks, was one of the men to challenge me and I agreed to meet him at 158 pounds.
Bob Fitzsimmons talked of trying to get back Into the middleweight ranks and I offered to meet him at 154 pounds. Denver promoters sent an offer for a bout with Jock McDonough, and as the financial inducements were satisfactory I agreed to the match, the date to be settled after I had taken care of some of my Eastern engagements.
Jack Root, another man afterwards in the heavyweight rank sent a challenge And I named terms to meet him. The Coney island Sporting Club Was however the first Club to make an offer that appealed to me and it was for a fight with Frank Craig.
-
robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
part 26
part 26 1912-02-25
RYAN DEFEATS THE COFFEE COOLER
FRANK CRAIG was one of the unique characters of the ring. .He had gained the name of "The Harlem Coffee Cooler" while participating
in minor bouts In New York city. His success had not been phenomenal and somehow or other he managed to get across the Atlantic. The next
thing we heard of him was that he was fighting in Liverpool, England. He was a negro, but there Is not the racial objection to negroes In England that there Is in this country.
Craig won his bout In Liverpool and soon became the pugilistic rage in that country. He had many bouts In London and was finally recognized as the middleweight champion of England. Craig was in England several years and In that time he acquired. In addition to the championship, a wife, a valet and a fine Cockney accent .
He returned to the United States in state. He did not believe in cheap traveling when he had the money, and Craig had Just closed a long contract in the English music halls at $500 a week, a big salary at that time. But,as he put it. he was anxious to "got mixin again" and as there were no middleweights in England who could give him a battle he determined to return to his native land and meet me, I was the recognized American champion and had also beaten the best that had been sent from Australia.. As Craig was the English champion, the Coney Island Sporting club, Which staged the battle advertised it “For the middle weight championship of the world”.
Ted Pritchard, Jem Smith and the best of the other English middleweights had gone down to defeat before the Harlem Negro. Readers of these articles know what my own record had been. By defeating Bonner I had won the American championship. I wish to call particular attention to these facts, as they make plain how I came to be the middleweight champion of the world.
The articles called for a 20-round bout for the world's championship for purse of $6,000 and a side bet or $2,500. George Siler was referee and the bout was attended by a crowd that was estimated at close to 7,000. The weight was 158 pounds ringside, but a few hours before the fight Craig- came to me and asked if he could weigh in then and be able to eat something, For he was afraid that he would be weak making the weight at the ringside. As our money had been posted and the articles signed, I thought that this was rather a strange time for such a request and refused it. In the second round, Craig put hisfamous right swing to my head, flooring me for the count of nine andalmost knocking me out. I determined to be extra careful of that right after that.
The second round was the only one in which Craig ever had the upper hand. I slowly wore him down and In the tenth round, with thirty seconds more to go the referee stopped the bout and gave me the decision, as Craig was all In and unable to continue.
In view of the fact that. Frank Craig was the only Negro I ever fought, I would like to make some explanation of my reason for lighting him and my refusal to meet any other Negro. William Brady was then acting as my manager and, while in England, he had posted a big forfeit for me to fight Craig. I was not aware of this until Brady returned. I did not want to to lose his forfeit and I did want to become the middleweight champion of the world. Hence, I fought Craig but he was the first and last Negro I met In the ring.
Craig was a hard hitter and had long reach. He had won most of his English bouts With a good right swing, the same kind of a blow which floored me In the second round. The betting was at 2 to 1, though a few bets were made at 100 to 35, with me as the favorite. A large amount
of money changed hands on this night for New York always did want a champion and the fans of that city were then, as they are now, always
ready to back heavily any man who was thought to have a chance for ring title. Even though Craig had theCockney accent and the English ways, he was a New Yorker and that was enough for the fans of the big town and they dug down deep to back him.
Just before we entered the ring, Craig came to me and asked wanted, to bet the loser's end of the purse, $1.000. 1 agreed so the fight
was on a winner-take-all basis and I earned $8,500 for the battle. It was one of the largest purses I drew down in my entire ring career.
My claim to the world's middleweight championship was now established and I defended It against all comers who could make the middleweight limit.
I next gave my attention to some of the other challenges that I had received. I agreed to fight Jack McDonough in Denver on September
29th, 1899, and was then to come back to Chicago and fight Joe Choynski on Oct 6th. Another Chicago club was to stage a bout between Jack Root and myself soon after the Chicago affair.
I arrived in Denver on September 28th and was so sick that I was unable to fight and my physician ordered me to take a long rest. As a result, I had to call of all three of the bouts I have just mentioned. "Kid" McCoy was substituted as the opponent for Choynskl and the other club got an opponent for Root.
I went to the Pacific coast and had charge, of the training of Jim Jeffries, afterward heavyweight champion of the world, but of that work I will have more to say in a future article. It was five months before I returned to the ring and my next bout took place at Hot Springs, where I had
been spending a few weeks.
In the next article his bouts with George Lawler and Kid McCoy
RYAN DEFEATS THE COFFEE COOLER
FRANK CRAIG was one of the unique characters of the ring. .He had gained the name of "The Harlem Coffee Cooler" while participating
in minor bouts In New York city. His success had not been phenomenal and somehow or other he managed to get across the Atlantic. The next
thing we heard of him was that he was fighting in Liverpool, England. He was a negro, but there Is not the racial objection to negroes In England that there Is in this country.
Craig won his bout In Liverpool and soon became the pugilistic rage in that country. He had many bouts In London and was finally recognized as the middleweight champion of England. Craig was in England several years and In that time he acquired. In addition to the championship, a wife, a valet and a fine Cockney accent .
He returned to the United States in state. He did not believe in cheap traveling when he had the money, and Craig had Just closed a long contract in the English music halls at $500 a week, a big salary at that time. But,as he put it. he was anxious to "got mixin again" and as there were no middleweights in England who could give him a battle he determined to return to his native land and meet me, I was the recognized American champion and had also beaten the best that had been sent from Australia.. As Craig was the English champion, the Coney Island Sporting club, Which staged the battle advertised it “For the middle weight championship of the world”.
Ted Pritchard, Jem Smith and the best of the other English middleweights had gone down to defeat before the Harlem Negro. Readers of these articles know what my own record had been. By defeating Bonner I had won the American championship. I wish to call particular attention to these facts, as they make plain how I came to be the middleweight champion of the world.
The articles called for a 20-round bout for the world's championship for purse of $6,000 and a side bet or $2,500. George Siler was referee and the bout was attended by a crowd that was estimated at close to 7,000. The weight was 158 pounds ringside, but a few hours before the fight Craig- came to me and asked if he could weigh in then and be able to eat something, For he was afraid that he would be weak making the weight at the ringside. As our money had been posted and the articles signed, I thought that this was rather a strange time for such a request and refused it. In the second round, Craig put hisfamous right swing to my head, flooring me for the count of nine andalmost knocking me out. I determined to be extra careful of that right after that.
The second round was the only one in which Craig ever had the upper hand. I slowly wore him down and In the tenth round, with thirty seconds more to go the referee stopped the bout and gave me the decision, as Craig was all In and unable to continue.
In view of the fact that. Frank Craig was the only Negro I ever fought, I would like to make some explanation of my reason for lighting him and my refusal to meet any other Negro. William Brady was then acting as my manager and, while in England, he had posted a big forfeit for me to fight Craig. I was not aware of this until Brady returned. I did not want to to lose his forfeit and I did want to become the middleweight champion of the world. Hence, I fought Craig but he was the first and last Negro I met In the ring.
Craig was a hard hitter and had long reach. He had won most of his English bouts With a good right swing, the same kind of a blow which floored me In the second round. The betting was at 2 to 1, though a few bets were made at 100 to 35, with me as the favorite. A large amount
of money changed hands on this night for New York always did want a champion and the fans of that city were then, as they are now, always
ready to back heavily any man who was thought to have a chance for ring title. Even though Craig had theCockney accent and the English ways, he was a New Yorker and that was enough for the fans of the big town and they dug down deep to back him.
Just before we entered the ring, Craig came to me and asked wanted, to bet the loser's end of the purse, $1.000. 1 agreed so the fight
was on a winner-take-all basis and I earned $8,500 for the battle. It was one of the largest purses I drew down in my entire ring career.
My claim to the world's middleweight championship was now established and I defended It against all comers who could make the middleweight limit.
I next gave my attention to some of the other challenges that I had received. I agreed to fight Jack McDonough in Denver on September
29th, 1899, and was then to come back to Chicago and fight Joe Choynski on Oct 6th. Another Chicago club was to stage a bout between Jack Root and myself soon after the Chicago affair.
I arrived in Denver on September 28th and was so sick that I was unable to fight and my physician ordered me to take a long rest. As a result, I had to call of all three of the bouts I have just mentioned. "Kid" McCoy was substituted as the opponent for Choynskl and the other club got an opponent for Root.
I went to the Pacific coast and had charge, of the training of Jim Jeffries, afterward heavyweight champion of the world, but of that work I will have more to say in a future article. It was five months before I returned to the ring and my next bout took place at Hot Springs, where I had
been spending a few weeks.
In the next article his bouts with George Lawler and Kid McCoy
-
Boilermaker
- Light Heavyweight
- Posts: 419
- Joined: 14 Dec 2011, 11:36
Re: tommy Ryan
robert,
Thanks for posting this brilliant series from Tommy Ryan. I am going to read it as soon as i get a chance.
Here is a really interesting story about the Tommy Ryan / Green fight, which i hadnt heard before. I am not sure if this is mentioned anywhere in ryan's series or not.
http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%204/ ... ehtml&.pdf
Thanks for posting this brilliant series from Tommy Ryan. I am going to read it as soon as i get a chance.
Here is a really interesting story about the Tommy Ryan / Green fight, which i hadnt heard before. I am not sure if this is mentioned anywhere in ryan's series or not.
http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%204/ ... ehtml&.pdf
Re: part 26
Thank you so much for bringing the past to life once again. Reading this is a key to the days goneby...robert.snell1 wrote:part 26 1912-02-25
RYAN DEFEATS THE COFFEE COOLER
FRANK CRAIG was one of the unique characters of the ring. .He had gained the name of "The Harlem Coffee Cooler" while participating
in minor bouts In New York city. His success had not been phenomenal and somehow or other he managed to get across the Atlantic. The next
thing we heard of him was that he was fighting in Liverpool, England. He was a negro, but there Is not the racial objection to negroes In England that there Is in this country.
Craig won his bout In Liverpool and soon became the pugilistic rage in that country. He had many bouts In London and was finally recognized as the middleweight champion of England. Craig was in England several years and In that time he acquired. In addition to the championship, a wife, a valet and a fine Cockney accent .
He returned to the United States in state. He did not believe in cheap traveling when he had the money, and Craig had Just closed a long contract in the English music halls at $500 a week, a big salary at that time. But,as he put it. he was anxious to "got mixin again" and as there were no middleweights in England who could give him a battle he determined to return to his native land and meet me, I was the recognized American champion and had also beaten the best that had been sent from Australia.. As Craig was the English champion, the Coney Island Sporting club, Which staged the battle advertised it “For the middle weight championship of the world”.
Ted Pritchard, Jem Smith and the best of the other English middleweights had gone down to defeat before the Harlem Negro. Readers of these articles know what my own record had been. By defeating Bonner I had won the American championship. I wish to call particular attention to these facts, as they make plain how I came to be the middleweight champion of the world.
The articles called for a 20-round bout for the world's championship for purse of $6,000 and a side bet or $2,500. George Siler was referee and the bout was attended by a crowd that was estimated at close to 7,000. The weight was 158 pounds ringside, but a few hours before the fight Craig- came to me and asked if he could weigh in then and be able to eat something, For he was afraid that he would be weak making the weight at the ringside. As our money had been posted and the articles signed, I thought that this was rather a strange time for such a request and refused it. In the second round, Craig put hisfamous right swing to my head, flooring me for the count of nine andalmost knocking me out. I determined to be extra careful of that right after that.
The second round was the only one in which Craig ever had the upper hand. I slowly wore him down and In the tenth round, with thirty seconds more to go the referee stopped the bout and gave me the decision, as Craig was all In and unable to continue.
In view of the fact that. Frank Craig was the only Negro I ever fought, I would like to make some explanation of my reason for lighting him and my refusal to meet any other Negro. William Brady was then acting as my manager and, while in England, he had posted a big forfeit for me to fight Craig. I was not aware of this until Brady returned. I did not want to to lose his forfeit and I did want to become the middleweight champion of the world. Hence, I fought Craig but he was the first and last Negro I met In the ring.
Craig was a hard hitter and had long reach. He had won most of his English bouts With a good right swing, the same kind of a blow which floored me In the second round. The betting was at 2 to 1, though a few bets were made at 100 to 35, with me as the favorite. A large amount
of money changed hands on this night for New York always did want a champion and the fans of that city were then, as they are now, always
ready to back heavily any man who was thought to have a chance for ring title. Even though Craig had theCockney accent and the English ways, he was a New Yorker and that was enough for the fans of the big town and they dug down deep to back him.
Just before we entered the ring, Craig came to me and asked wanted, to bet the loser's end of the purse, $1.000. 1 agreed so the fight
was on a winner-take-all basis and I earned $8,500 for the battle. It was one of the largest purses I drew down in my entire ring career.
My claim to the world's middleweight championship was now established and I defended It against all comers who could make the middleweight limit.
I next gave my attention to some of the other challenges that I had received. I agreed to fight Jack McDonough in Denver on September
29th, 1899, and was then to come back to Chicago and fight Joe Choynski on Oct 6th. Another Chicago club was to stage a bout between Jack Root and myself soon after the Chicago affair.
I arrived in Denver on September 28th and was so sick that I was unable to fight and my physician ordered me to take a long rest. As a result, I had to call of all three of the bouts I have just mentioned. "Kid" McCoy was substituted as the opponent for Choynskl and the other club got an opponent for Root.
I went to the Pacific coast and had charge, of the training of Jim Jeffries, afterward heavyweight champion of the world, but of that work I will have more to say in a future article. It was five months before I returned to the ring and my next bout took place at Hot Springs, where I had
been spending a few weeks.
In the next article his bouts with George Lawler and Kid McCoy
Re: tommy Ryan
Great reading, what a rough set up it was in those early days, no wonder so many truly great fighters came up. Thanks for all the info.
-
Boilermaker
- Light Heavyweight
- Posts: 419
- Joined: 14 Dec 2011, 11:36
Re: tommy Ryan
robert (or anyone else),
Is there anywhere on the internet to find the remainder of this series?
Reading this just reinforces how criminally underated Ryan is today.
Is there anywhere on the internet to find the remainder of this series?
Reading this just reinforces how criminally underated Ryan is today.
-
robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
Re: tommy Ryan
I did get the remaining parts to this and I will update this thread asap.
-
robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
Re: tommy Ryan
The Boxing Biographies Newsletter
Volume 7 No 10 – 9th Oct , 2011
Tommy Ryan 1911-12 articles
In 1911 Tommy Ryan wrote a series of weekly articles for the Syracuse Herald entitled “Nineteen Years In The Ring”, the story of the life and battles Of Tommy Ryan, retired middleweight champion of the world as written by himself.
There are 38 weekly instalments and I have reproduced them with as much accuracy as possible given the poor quality of some of the documents. In addition to the text I have added various other items of interest. The remaining articles are in the next edition.
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/3214933 ... -682k?da=y
The Boxing Biographies Newsletter
Volume 7 No 11 – 31st Oct , 2011
Tommy Ryan 1911-12 articles
In 1911 Tommy Ryan wrote a series of weekly articles for the Syracuse Herald entitled “Nineteen Years In The Ring”, the story of the life and battles Of Tommy Ryan, retired middleweight champion of the world as written by himself.
There are 38 weekly installments and I have reproduced them with as much accuracy as possible given the poor quality of some of the documents. In addition to the text I have added various other items of interest.
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/3235712 ... -734k?da=y
Volume 7 No 10 – 9th Oct , 2011
Tommy Ryan 1911-12 articles
In 1911 Tommy Ryan wrote a series of weekly articles for the Syracuse Herald entitled “Nineteen Years In The Ring”, the story of the life and battles Of Tommy Ryan, retired middleweight champion of the world as written by himself.
There are 38 weekly instalments and I have reproduced them with as much accuracy as possible given the poor quality of some of the documents. In addition to the text I have added various other items of interest. The remaining articles are in the next edition.
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/3214933 ... -682k?da=y
The Boxing Biographies Newsletter
Volume 7 No 11 – 31st Oct , 2011
Tommy Ryan 1911-12 articles
In 1911 Tommy Ryan wrote a series of weekly articles for the Syracuse Herald entitled “Nineteen Years In The Ring”, the story of the life and battles Of Tommy Ryan, retired middleweight champion of the world as written by himself.
There are 38 weekly installments and I have reproduced them with as much accuracy as possible given the poor quality of some of the documents. In addition to the text I have added various other items of interest.
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/3235712 ... -734k?da=y
Re: tommy Ryan
Thanks Robert, the whole thing downloaded onto my phone and its a great read. Many many thanks!
