tommy Ryan
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
comment
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
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
wait and see
you will have to wait !!
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
part 9
Part 9
IX.—THE FIGHT WITH NEEDHAM.
DANNY NEEDAM WAS NO FALSE ALARM in the ring. He was a real fighter; one who had been tested and not found wanting. Strong cool-headed, quick-thinking and clever, lie was well worthy of the high position lie occupied among the welterweights of twenty years ago.
I ought to be in a position to know his real worth. He gave me the toughest battle in which I ever participated and it was a bout talked about to this day among the old-time fight fans. For seventy six rounds and for a part of the seventy-sixth we battled before Needham down for the count of ten and a new welterweight champion was born. For the first ten rounds of that memorable battle, each tried the other to gauge ability and map out a plan of battle.
It was not long before I discovered that Needham had not been overrated. When my friends discovered that he was the "unknown"
face me, they naturally looked up his full record and got as many tips they could as to his methods of fighting. The dope didn't do me much good in that bout, however.
Needham seemed to be able to fight in any old style. When I pressed him, he had an excellent defense and I discovered that his offense was strong when he attacked me. It didn't matter to Danny what style of battle I adopted he seemed ready for them all. For the second ten rounds the mixing was hot and heavy. If I may be pardoned for using a slang expression, it seemed as if we were battling for our very lives. The spectators raised a din that made It almost impossible to even think, let alone hear. Men fainted from the excitement, I found out afterward, though at that time I was too busy with what happened inside the ring to watch the doings outside.
Even though the terrific pace began to tell on both of us after the twenty fifth desperate round, neither of us let up. Now, I would go to the floor before one of Needham's hard punches, again 1 would lift Needham of his feet with a swing or an uppercut Needham seemed a veritable glutton for punishment For I landed punches on him that Would never have failed on other opponents.
Yet he would get to his knees to await the count of nine and then rush at me again. On my part 1 would so down to find myself on the floor with my senses returning as the referee would toll three or four then take the count of nine, to get rested, and again rush into the fray. How many times each hit the floor that night is more than I can tell. I know it was often.
The very spirit of tenseness that seemed to pervade the audience was carried to the two men battling in the ring. There were frantic shouts from supporters of each. I could see some bills being waved as men placed their bets. At the opening of the battle Needham was the big Favorite and he continued that until after the twentieth round, when, the odds began to shorten and before forty rounds had been fought you might say that there were no odds at all—each man wagered his money at any odds that appealed to him in his state of excitement.
The work of our seconds was a huge Job. Both of us had puffed and fast closing eyes and between the rounds they used every trick known at
that time to keep down the swellings and to strengthen us for the coming round. Around about the fiftieth round I had closed one of Needham's eyes with a hard left and when he came up for the next round he Immediately went into a clinch and hoarsely whispered for me to agree to end the bout then and there, making it a draw. I was in great distress myself, but Needham's request seemed to show that he felt defeat coming. Anyway, that is how I reasoned It out and I gained courage. The right to tack “welterweight champion of the world" after his name looked good to the boy who had run away from his home in Syracuse.
I already felt a victor. "I'll not stop until one of us is on the floor for keeps," was my answer to Needham's proposition. And I immediately
began strong aggressive tactics. Reaching my corner when the round ended, I begged my seconds to get me into the best possible shape. They rubbed and fanned me cheering as I went back for the next round. I already had a taste of vlctory and was determined that I would not be
deprived of the honors
how I lasted through the final rounds is more than I can explain now, possibly I was cheered by the fact that my opponent was in even greater distress than myself. Clever boxing was long ago forgotten, our legs Hardly seemed to respond to our wills. Each blow was almost invariably followed by a clinch.
In the seventy sixth round, which proved to be the last, I was ready top take a final chance. Getting a grip on my Fast waning strength I landed a blow on Needham – what Sort of blow it was I have no recollection. As if in a dream I saw my opponent topple to the floor, I knew I had won before the ten seconds had elapsed. I was Exhausted after a fight which had lasted five hours and five minutes.
I collected my earnings and then. with my friends who had won heavily at odds of from four lo five to one, returned to Chicago, at that time my headquarters and home. Although I took the best of care of myself I did not venture back into the ring for some time. I was now the
welterweight champion and it would not have done for me to take chances on going into the ring except in the best of physical condition.
As youth will will, I turned to romance and before I again entered the ring I had taken a wife.
IX.—THE FIGHT WITH NEEDHAM.
DANNY NEEDAM WAS NO FALSE ALARM in the ring. He was a real fighter; one who had been tested and not found wanting. Strong cool-headed, quick-thinking and clever, lie was well worthy of the high position lie occupied among the welterweights of twenty years ago.
I ought to be in a position to know his real worth. He gave me the toughest battle in which I ever participated and it was a bout talked about to this day among the old-time fight fans. For seventy six rounds and for a part of the seventy-sixth we battled before Needham down for the count of ten and a new welterweight champion was born. For the first ten rounds of that memorable battle, each tried the other to gauge ability and map out a plan of battle.
It was not long before I discovered that Needham had not been overrated. When my friends discovered that he was the "unknown"
face me, they naturally looked up his full record and got as many tips they could as to his methods of fighting. The dope didn't do me much good in that bout, however.
Needham seemed to be able to fight in any old style. When I pressed him, he had an excellent defense and I discovered that his offense was strong when he attacked me. It didn't matter to Danny what style of battle I adopted he seemed ready for them all. For the second ten rounds the mixing was hot and heavy. If I may be pardoned for using a slang expression, it seemed as if we were battling for our very lives. The spectators raised a din that made It almost impossible to even think, let alone hear. Men fainted from the excitement, I found out afterward, though at that time I was too busy with what happened inside the ring to watch the doings outside.
Even though the terrific pace began to tell on both of us after the twenty fifth desperate round, neither of us let up. Now, I would go to the floor before one of Needham's hard punches, again 1 would lift Needham of his feet with a swing or an uppercut Needham seemed a veritable glutton for punishment For I landed punches on him that Would never have failed on other opponents.
Yet he would get to his knees to await the count of nine and then rush at me again. On my part 1 would so down to find myself on the floor with my senses returning as the referee would toll three or four then take the count of nine, to get rested, and again rush into the fray. How many times each hit the floor that night is more than I can tell. I know it was often.
The very spirit of tenseness that seemed to pervade the audience was carried to the two men battling in the ring. There were frantic shouts from supporters of each. I could see some bills being waved as men placed their bets. At the opening of the battle Needham was the big Favorite and he continued that until after the twentieth round, when, the odds began to shorten and before forty rounds had been fought you might say that there were no odds at all—each man wagered his money at any odds that appealed to him in his state of excitement.
The work of our seconds was a huge Job. Both of us had puffed and fast closing eyes and between the rounds they used every trick known at
that time to keep down the swellings and to strengthen us for the coming round. Around about the fiftieth round I had closed one of Needham's eyes with a hard left and when he came up for the next round he Immediately went into a clinch and hoarsely whispered for me to agree to end the bout then and there, making it a draw. I was in great distress myself, but Needham's request seemed to show that he felt defeat coming. Anyway, that is how I reasoned It out and I gained courage. The right to tack “welterweight champion of the world" after his name looked good to the boy who had run away from his home in Syracuse.
I already felt a victor. "I'll not stop until one of us is on the floor for keeps," was my answer to Needham's proposition. And I immediately
began strong aggressive tactics. Reaching my corner when the round ended, I begged my seconds to get me into the best possible shape. They rubbed and fanned me cheering as I went back for the next round. I already had a taste of vlctory and was determined that I would not be
deprived of the honors
how I lasted through the final rounds is more than I can explain now, possibly I was cheered by the fact that my opponent was in even greater distress than myself. Clever boxing was long ago forgotten, our legs Hardly seemed to respond to our wills. Each blow was almost invariably followed by a clinch.
In the seventy sixth round, which proved to be the last, I was ready top take a final chance. Getting a grip on my Fast waning strength I landed a blow on Needham – what Sort of blow it was I have no recollection. As if in a dream I saw my opponent topple to the floor, I knew I had won before the ten seconds had elapsed. I was Exhausted after a fight which had lasted five hours and five minutes.
I collected my earnings and then. with my friends who had won heavily at odds of from four lo five to one, returned to Chicago, at that time my headquarters and home. Although I took the best of care of myself I did not venture back into the ring for some time. I was now the
welterweight champion and it would not have done for me to take chances on going into the ring except in the best of physical condition.
As youth will will, I turned to romance and before I again entered the ring I had taken a wife.
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The Great John L
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 4351
- Joined: 26 Jul 2005, 19:37
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
yes
yes mate, just finished 3 more and will post them later today.
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The Great John L
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 4351
- Joined: 26 Jul 2005, 19:37
Re: yes
Much appreciated.robert.snell1 wrote:yes mate, just finished 3 more and will post them later today.
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
part 10
Part 10 1911-11-05
X—DEFENDING THE CHAMPIONSHIP.
SAFE AT THE TOP of the welter weight, division, I had a little time for other things than fights. There was a little lady in Chicago who meant everything to me. Leaving aside the matters of the prize ring I paid court so arduously that she finally consented to be the wife of a champion. It was in May, 1891, that we were married. Though that is twenty years and more gone by, I have never once regretted the step I took that day.
One of the reasons that boxing has such a bad name is that a great majority of the boxers are men 'without home, but you will notice, in glancing over the list of the top notchers, that those who are in the near championship or championship class are the men who are married or who have their parents dependent upon them. The modern boxer of class and standing is generally a man of family. No matter how good a boxer may be, he cannot live under the bright lights and. get to the top. So my advice to the young man, be he boxer or belong to any other profession or trade, is to get married and respect his marriage vows.
When a boxer has a wife dependent upon him,he gives some thought to saving his moneyand also to earning the largest possible purses.He is
always out to win, but will take no chances in any shady transaction. The married boxer has no time, or should not have, for the gay life. living
cleanly,his physical condition is always the best and the thought of the little lady at home is a better stimulant during a bout than any stimulant
that comes in bottles.
My wife has been my help and adviser during the two decades of our married life.I was never attracted by the gay life, the joy rides, bubbling
water and fast women, because I had I someone to steady me earnings I were invested in good real estate and now that my active days in the ring are over I have enough to live comfortably for the rest of my days and can now enjoy, with my wife and partner, the automobile rides that
others took at the wrong time. I now have a fine little car and while I may never break any speed records I can take a lot of enjoyment out of it.
Following our honeymoon, I returned to Chicago and found that a champion always has plenty of challenges. My days of issuing the defies were over. It was now my turn to get them and they came by the bushel. There is always some fighter who will enter a ring with a champion, when there is a fat loser's end to the purse.
The summer of 1891 saw Billy McMillan of Washington fast climbing into the front division of the welterweights. Chicago speculators who had lost money betting against me in other fights, notably with Needham that same spring, saw a chance to win back some of their loses. They made a proposition to McMillan, it evidently appealed to him, for he came to Chicago and immediately proceeded to challenge me to meet him in a finish bout for the championship and a big side bet.
The papers boosted him along and I accepted, making it a condition that the Side bet was $1000. His backers posted their money with a Chicago Newspaper and mine was on the next day. The location for the battle was the next problem, but a promoter soon appeared on the scene with an offer to stage the bout just across the Indiana State line. He offered a fair guarantee and his offer was taken up.
The bout was announced as a worlds championship affair and there was great Interest among the sports of the Illinois city. A big excursion train was hired to leave Chicago about 7:30 on the night of the fight and when it finally pulled out of the depot every seat in the many coaches was occupied and many stood in the aisles.
Arriving at the little town where the bout was to be held the crowd quickly filled the hall. McMillan was first in the ring and as I crawled through the ropes I got my first glimpse of my opponent in fighting attire. He was magnificently built, with broad shoulders and deep chest, and I realized he was an expert boxer and he would prove a formidable opponent.
As my knowledge of his work was entirely hearsay I spent the first round “feeling him out” and what I discovered did not particularly alarm me. He had a vicious swing but was a poor judge of distance and knew little of footwork and ring generalship. I started to go after him in the second round and kept jabbing and getting clear of his swings. That round sufficed to take a great deal of confidence out of the Washingtonian
When the third round opened McMillan seemed a bit bewildered and I immediately went after him hard and soon landed a punch that put him on the boards for the count of ten. Thus ended my first bout in defense of the welterweight championship. The Chicago speculators were now worse in the hole than ever , for they had wagered heavily on the McMillan bout. My friends were rather
"flush" with money for they had covered all money offering against me.
Reports from England seemed to indicate that Frank Howson was a likely fellow and the speculators sent an agent over to England, to get a line on his ability and, if he was up to what they had heard of him, to arrange to bring him over to fight me. Evidently the agent was pleased with Howson for the next I heard was that the Englishman was on his way, across the Atlantic. I went into training at once for I realized that I would be challenged by Howson as soon as he reached Chicago.
Howson was a better man than McMillan. He had been carefully coached as to my styles of fighting and while his imitation of it was a failure he fought cautiously and proved tough enough to give me. a hard battle. For about ten-rounds the honors of the contests were about even. superior physical condition then began to tell, for the pace was a hot one, and by the time the twelfth round arrived Howson was beginning to feel and looked tired. From that time on, I had the fight well in hand and on the fourteenth round I landed the sleep producer.
For the third time the Chicago speculators were stung while my friends again added to their bankroll. I had bet quite a sum myself, aside from the side bet. So my winnings in that fight were no small sum.
X—DEFENDING THE CHAMPIONSHIP.
SAFE AT THE TOP of the welter weight, division, I had a little time for other things than fights. There was a little lady in Chicago who meant everything to me. Leaving aside the matters of the prize ring I paid court so arduously that she finally consented to be the wife of a champion. It was in May, 1891, that we were married. Though that is twenty years and more gone by, I have never once regretted the step I took that day.
One of the reasons that boxing has such a bad name is that a great majority of the boxers are men 'without home, but you will notice, in glancing over the list of the top notchers, that those who are in the near championship or championship class are the men who are married or who have their parents dependent upon them. The modern boxer of class and standing is generally a man of family. No matter how good a boxer may be, he cannot live under the bright lights and. get to the top. So my advice to the young man, be he boxer or belong to any other profession or trade, is to get married and respect his marriage vows.
When a boxer has a wife dependent upon him,he gives some thought to saving his moneyand also to earning the largest possible purses.He is
always out to win, but will take no chances in any shady transaction. The married boxer has no time, or should not have, for the gay life. living
cleanly,his physical condition is always the best and the thought of the little lady at home is a better stimulant during a bout than any stimulant
that comes in bottles.
My wife has been my help and adviser during the two decades of our married life.I was never attracted by the gay life, the joy rides, bubbling
water and fast women, because I had I someone to steady me earnings I were invested in good real estate and now that my active days in the ring are over I have enough to live comfortably for the rest of my days and can now enjoy, with my wife and partner, the automobile rides that
others took at the wrong time. I now have a fine little car and while I may never break any speed records I can take a lot of enjoyment out of it.
Following our honeymoon, I returned to Chicago and found that a champion always has plenty of challenges. My days of issuing the defies were over. It was now my turn to get them and they came by the bushel. There is always some fighter who will enter a ring with a champion, when there is a fat loser's end to the purse.
The summer of 1891 saw Billy McMillan of Washington fast climbing into the front division of the welterweights. Chicago speculators who had lost money betting against me in other fights, notably with Needham that same spring, saw a chance to win back some of their loses. They made a proposition to McMillan, it evidently appealed to him, for he came to Chicago and immediately proceeded to challenge me to meet him in a finish bout for the championship and a big side bet.
The papers boosted him along and I accepted, making it a condition that the Side bet was $1000. His backers posted their money with a Chicago Newspaper and mine was on the next day. The location for the battle was the next problem, but a promoter soon appeared on the scene with an offer to stage the bout just across the Indiana State line. He offered a fair guarantee and his offer was taken up.
The bout was announced as a worlds championship affair and there was great Interest among the sports of the Illinois city. A big excursion train was hired to leave Chicago about 7:30 on the night of the fight and when it finally pulled out of the depot every seat in the many coaches was occupied and many stood in the aisles.
Arriving at the little town where the bout was to be held the crowd quickly filled the hall. McMillan was first in the ring and as I crawled through the ropes I got my first glimpse of my opponent in fighting attire. He was magnificently built, with broad shoulders and deep chest, and I realized he was an expert boxer and he would prove a formidable opponent.
As my knowledge of his work was entirely hearsay I spent the first round “feeling him out” and what I discovered did not particularly alarm me. He had a vicious swing but was a poor judge of distance and knew little of footwork and ring generalship. I started to go after him in the second round and kept jabbing and getting clear of his swings. That round sufficed to take a great deal of confidence out of the Washingtonian
When the third round opened McMillan seemed a bit bewildered and I immediately went after him hard and soon landed a punch that put him on the boards for the count of ten. Thus ended my first bout in defense of the welterweight championship. The Chicago speculators were now worse in the hole than ever , for they had wagered heavily on the McMillan bout. My friends were rather
"flush" with money for they had covered all money offering against me.
Reports from England seemed to indicate that Frank Howson was a likely fellow and the speculators sent an agent over to England, to get a line on his ability and, if he was up to what they had heard of him, to arrange to bring him over to fight me. Evidently the agent was pleased with Howson for the next I heard was that the Englishman was on his way, across the Atlantic. I went into training at once for I realized that I would be challenged by Howson as soon as he reached Chicago.
Howson was a better man than McMillan. He had been carefully coached as to my styles of fighting and while his imitation of it was a failure he fought cautiously and proved tough enough to give me. a hard battle. For about ten-rounds the honors of the contests were about even. superior physical condition then began to tell, for the pace was a hot one, and by the time the twelfth round arrived Howson was beginning to feel and looked tired. From that time on, I had the fight well in hand and on the fourteenth round I landed the sleep producer.
For the third time the Chicago speculators were stung while my friends again added to their bankroll. I had bet quite a sum myself, aside from the side bet. So my winnings in that fight were no small sum.
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
part 11
XI—RYAN MEETS MEN OF ALL WEIGHTS.
AS WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD I had little or no difficulty in getting bouts, though the great majority of those I fought right after winning my title were of all weights and few were for the welterweight honors. Those of the welterweights who showed enough to warrant a chance in a championship bout were not anxious to meet me, claiming that a little more experience would do them no harm.
My style of fighting , the crouch, the footwork and the left jabs, soon began to be copied widely by other stars of the day. Some of those imitators managed to get along pretty well but it was not for several years that others than myself were able to master my style and use it to advantage.
The defeat I gave McMillan and Howson having made other welters wary of me I took up other offers. The first of these was for a five round exhibition in Chicago with Jim Hall. Next came an offer to meet Frank Gerrard. who posed as a lightweight, but whose best fighting weight was around 335 pounds. And right there I want to say something about the grading of fighters by weights.
Custom has made 122 pounds the recognized weight for the featherweight., 132 pounds for the lightweights, and 142 pounds for the welterweights, Since I held the welterweight Title , many of the weights have changed and I give the weights that are recognized at the present time. Now, in my day, all weights had to be made at the ringside with the Fighters wearing their full ring equipment. To-day It is the common custom for the fighters to weigh in from six to eight hours before the fight and then In the nude, if such is necessary for them to get to the required weight. I know plenty of boxers who are Parading around the country at the present time as lightweights who would find It absolutely Impossible to fight at 132 pounds ringside. And there are Just as many of the alleged welterweight who cannot make 142 ringside.
It a fighter can do no better than 124 pounds, and that six or eight hours before he enters the ring, his manager now persists in calling him a featherweight. Yet according to strict ruling , the fighter Is a lightweight. And the same rule applies to the other divisions. If a man cannot make the division limit at ringside, then I say that he should be placed in the next higher division. Such a ruling would clear up a lot of the muddle now connected with some of the championships and the championship aspirants.
But to get back to my bout with Gerrard . This was to be a short round Affair, I forget Just now whether I was carded for six or ten rounds. It
took place before a select audience in a private club in Chicago and was not open to the general public. I had an advantage of five or six pounds in the weights and easily stopped Gerrard in four rounds.
Con Doyle, who had given me a tough twenty-five rounds two years previous, was my next opponent, the bout taking place at Dubuque early in 1892. In my previous bout I had learned Doyle's stock of tricks, and while our second fight was a tough one while it lasted. I was able to take care of my opponent In a little over seven rounds this time. Knowing what Doyle had I was able to go, after him hard and forced the fight. He proved a good defensive fighter and gave me some tough wallops before I was able to send him to dreamland.
A heavyweight came next on my list. Hot Springs was anxious to get me for a bout, but they were unable to secure a man of my weight for my opponent. "Reddy" Brennan a husky fellow. Weighing around 170 to 180 pounds, was rather popular there at that time and I was asked If I would meet him. I looked up his record and figured that I had little or nothing to fear from him and took the match. Brennan hit the canvas to stay down In the tenth round.
My next offer was from South Omaha. Jack Wilkes of St. Louis was the man selected as my opponent, there. He was a middleweight and our articles called for a finish fight with kid gloves. Wilkes was tough, gritty and a hard hitter. He could assimilate punishment about as good as any man I ever met. He was not remarkably clever, but he kept boring in all the time. I landed enough blows on him in the first ten rounds to have stopped an ordinary boxer, but Wilkes kept coming In for more and occasionally landing one of his heavy swings. Realizing that If it came to an endurance contest Wilkes with his advantage in weight, would stand as good a chance as myself, I changed my tactics and began to use my left to the face, jabbing him every time he came in. In the seventeenth round I managed to close both his eyes and when he tried to get to his feet for the eighteenth round he was unable to see and the police took a hand, stopping the bout.
There was to be a division of the gate receipts for winner and loser in that bout and I was given the winner's end.
Going back to Detroit, near where all my early fights had taken place, I got a great reception. A big smoker was arranged In my honor and I appeared In an eight-round no decision exhibition with Jack Collins. My reputation had spread beyond the Middle West by this time and the winter of 1892-3 saw me receiving many offers from the Eastern prompters. I decided to accept some of them and after visiting my home in Syracuse, which I had left as a runaway a few years before, I went to Bridgeport, Conn. I remained there for a short time and made many friends which. I am proud to say. I retain to this day.
A bout with Harry Jamieson, a heavyweight , was arranged for me but the only thing that he had was weight and I knocked him out in the second round.
While training In Bridgeport, I received on offer from a New York club for an exhibition bout at Coney Island with Billy Smith. It was a no
decision affair and lasted but six rounds. However, 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.
AS WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD I had little or no difficulty in getting bouts, though the great majority of those I fought right after winning my title were of all weights and few were for the welterweight honors. Those of the welterweights who showed enough to warrant a chance in a championship bout were not anxious to meet me, claiming that a little more experience would do them no harm.
My style of fighting , the crouch, the footwork and the left jabs, soon began to be copied widely by other stars of the day. Some of those imitators managed to get along pretty well but it was not for several years that others than myself were able to master my style and use it to advantage.
The defeat I gave McMillan and Howson having made other welters wary of me I took up other offers. The first of these was for a five round exhibition in Chicago with Jim Hall. Next came an offer to meet Frank Gerrard. who posed as a lightweight, but whose best fighting weight was around 335 pounds. And right there I want to say something about the grading of fighters by weights.
Custom has made 122 pounds the recognized weight for the featherweight., 132 pounds for the lightweights, and 142 pounds for the welterweights, Since I held the welterweight Title , many of the weights have changed and I give the weights that are recognized at the present time. Now, in my day, all weights had to be made at the ringside with the Fighters wearing their full ring equipment. To-day It is the common custom for the fighters to weigh in from six to eight hours before the fight and then In the nude, if such is necessary for them to get to the required weight. I know plenty of boxers who are Parading around the country at the present time as lightweights who would find It absolutely Impossible to fight at 132 pounds ringside. And there are Just as many of the alleged welterweight who cannot make 142 ringside.
It a fighter can do no better than 124 pounds, and that six or eight hours before he enters the ring, his manager now persists in calling him a featherweight. Yet according to strict ruling , the fighter Is a lightweight. And the same rule applies to the other divisions. If a man cannot make the division limit at ringside, then I say that he should be placed in the next higher division. Such a ruling would clear up a lot of the muddle now connected with some of the championships and the championship aspirants.
But to get back to my bout with Gerrard . This was to be a short round Affair, I forget Just now whether I was carded for six or ten rounds. It
took place before a select audience in a private club in Chicago and was not open to the general public. I had an advantage of five or six pounds in the weights and easily stopped Gerrard in four rounds.
Con Doyle, who had given me a tough twenty-five rounds two years previous, was my next opponent, the bout taking place at Dubuque early in 1892. In my previous bout I had learned Doyle's stock of tricks, and while our second fight was a tough one while it lasted. I was able to take care of my opponent In a little over seven rounds this time. Knowing what Doyle had I was able to go, after him hard and forced the fight. He proved a good defensive fighter and gave me some tough wallops before I was able to send him to dreamland.
A heavyweight came next on my list. Hot Springs was anxious to get me for a bout, but they were unable to secure a man of my weight for my opponent. "Reddy" Brennan a husky fellow. Weighing around 170 to 180 pounds, was rather popular there at that time and I was asked If I would meet him. I looked up his record and figured that I had little or nothing to fear from him and took the match. Brennan hit the canvas to stay down In the tenth round.
My next offer was from South Omaha. Jack Wilkes of St. Louis was the man selected as my opponent, there. He was a middleweight and our articles called for a finish fight with kid gloves. Wilkes was tough, gritty and a hard hitter. He could assimilate punishment about as good as any man I ever met. He was not remarkably clever, but he kept boring in all the time. I landed enough blows on him in the first ten rounds to have stopped an ordinary boxer, but Wilkes kept coming In for more and occasionally landing one of his heavy swings. Realizing that If it came to an endurance contest Wilkes with his advantage in weight, would stand as good a chance as myself, I changed my tactics and began to use my left to the face, jabbing him every time he came in. In the seventeenth round I managed to close both his eyes and when he tried to get to his feet for the eighteenth round he was unable to see and the police took a hand, stopping the bout.
There was to be a division of the gate receipts for winner and loser in that bout and I was given the winner's end.
Going back to Detroit, near where all my early fights had taken place, I got a great reception. A big smoker was arranged In my honor and I appeared In an eight-round no decision exhibition with Jack Collins. My reputation had spread beyond the Middle West by this time and the winter of 1892-3 saw me receiving many offers from the Eastern prompters. I decided to accept some of them and after visiting my home in Syracuse, which I had left as a runaway a few years before, I went to Bridgeport, Conn. I remained there for a short time and made many friends which. I am proud to say. I retain to this day.
A bout with Harry Jamieson, a heavyweight , was arranged for me but the only thing that he had was weight and I knocked him out in the second round.
While training In Bridgeport, I received on offer from a New York club for an exhibition bout at Coney Island with Billy Smith. It was a no
decision affair and lasted but six rounds. However, 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.
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
12 and 13
still many more of these in the works folks. the comments he makes on New York are interesting.
part 12
WHETHER OR NOT A NEW YORK appearance counts for anything, the demand for my services Increased after I had met Billy Smith at
Coney Island. Possibly publicity had something- to do with it for 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. This publicity may account for the standing: a "New York debut" gives a boxer.
Chicago fans had not seen me In action for some time and there was a general demand that I return there for a bout . My thrice stung horsemen friends were looking for another chance and they finally persuaded George Dawson; welterweight champion of Australia, to make the trip to this country.
When Dawson arrived, they started the some publicity campaign and demands for a bout which had marked their efforts in the three bouts before in which they had lost heavily. Dawson’s challenges did not go unnoticed, for I saw ho reason why I should not meet him. In fact, I was glad of a chance to make my world title more secure, for if I beat Dawson I would have the right to a clear title to the worlds honors.
The match was quickly made and the bout took place before The Chicago fans at Tattersall’s a famous sporting place in the Illinois city about that time. April 1893. Boxing was the permitted in Chicago but the bouts were limited to six rounds so it was in one of those short session affairs that I clashed with Dawson.
Knowing that it was to be a short bout Dawson and I worked at top speed throughout and for four rounds the honors were practically even. after that Dawson’s speed began to lessen and I landed some effective blows. I had him in trouble In the 6th and final round but was unable to win by a knockout though I was given the decision for outpointing the Australian.
Returning to Bridgeport I met Dick Guthrie, a heavyweight, and stopped stopped him In three rounds. My next bout was also at Bridgeport. This time my opponent was another heavyweight, Maurice Lane of New Haven, and he, too, was stopped In the third round.
Our exhibition bout at Coney Island had given Billy Smith a line on my capabilities and he began to negotiate for a championship contest I was agreeable for I did not see Smith very dangerous and the financial end of a match with him was a tempting inducement. Side bets were posted and offers were received from the various clubs which were in a position to stage a bout of Its Importance.
The club before which I, had fought Danny Needham the memorable seventy-six rounds at Minneapolis was finally awarded the bout. and. I went to the Milling city about ten days before the bout to get Into shape. As a matter of fact, I was always In good physical condition and could always take a bout at short notice, yet I never, with one exception, of which I will tell later, entered the ring without making every possible effort to be In the finest of physical condition. Many a high-class boxer has been beaten by a "dub"( this may be DUD ) simply because the good man underestimated the strength of the "dub" and overestimated his own capabilities when out of condition. I was caught once myself and I should know.
I worked in public in Minneapolis and there was a lot of interest in the bout Smith, with a large retinue of trainers and backers, was there a few days before the bout and the night we entered the ring found the sporting fraternity of Minneapolis roused to a high pitch of excitement and a huge crowd Jammed inside the four walls of the big building where a championship was to be defended.
I believe that the spectators got "a run for their money". The articles called for a twenty-round bout for the welterweight championship of the World. And while I won the decision after twenty grueling grounds, I had to work hard to defend my title. Billy Smith, some called him "Mysterious" certainly was a clever fighter. He was clever, and could hit with either hand, though I should say that his right was a bit the more powerful.
There was action in every round and was a case of give and take. The pace was furious and each brought Into play every trick of boxing and
generalship known at that time. In the seventeenth round. Smith swung a vicious right for my chin. I saw it coming, but not in time to get
entirely clear. I swung up my hand and the blow hit me on the throat I am not well posted on medical terms, but I will try and make myself clear to the average reader. For a moment after the blow landed, I seemed to choke. There was a feeling as if the walls of my "Adam's apple" had been caved in.
After a. few seconds, though each second seemed like on hour to me, I could breath again but the muscles of my throat seemed to be paralyzed. I was unable, to breathe through my Nose and for the remaining three rounds I had to fight with my mouth open. The gong at the end of the seventeenth round was one of the most welcome sounds I ever heard.
Despite this handicap my speed was not affected and made to realize that my title was in danger .I set a whirlwind pace and when the end of the bout had come I was pretty tired, but I had fought Smith to a standstill. He was barely able to guard himself In the final round and I was given the decision.
I took quite a rest after, this bout and had my throat given thorough attention. I soon recovered the use of my neck, and throat muscles. Having disposed of all contenders for my title, I again started taking on bouts with men of almost any weight who could be obtained to meet me in a tour around the country . I met men of all weights from lightweights to heavyweights and no bout went over six rounds.
part 13
RYAN GOES BARNSTORMING
IX. THESE MODERN DAYS, the press would refer to the trips I made following my bout with Billy Smith as "barnstorming." It was in the fall of 1893 that I could get no more matches with men of my weight and decided on the tour and the "exhibition bouts." The fans in various parts of the country wanted to see a real champion in action and were not always able to attend the championship bouts. Hence, they selected the best available man at any weight and I would take him on for a short bout.
Hartford, Conn., was my first stop And I met Jack Falvey, a promising welterweight. He gave me a good battle, but I stopped him in the
eighth round. Going westward again I stopped at Minneapolis, where the fans were booming a young heavyweight named Jack Pitts he lasted three rounds.
Weight is generally an advantage in a ring contest, but there are times when it proves a handicap. A big man cannot be expected to work fast.
and in a six-round bout a good welter or middleweight can give away twenty or thirty pounds, provided of course that his opponent is not very
clever, and still get away with the verdict. I had a good wallop and was faster. I believe, than any man in any division at that time. For this reason I could take on the young fellows who had .much more weight and less cleverness or science, call It what you will.
Going South, I was matched to meet Billy Layton a St. Joseph welterweight . It was to be a finish fight and to get away from inquisitive
persons from the sheriff's office the bout was staged on an Island in the Mississippi river opposite St. Joseph. The fans left St. Joseph by boat
and the bout took place In the open air. Layton proved to have youth, strength, a fair amount of science and a good punch. During, the first five rounds the fans "got a run for their money'' for the bout was close. In the sixth I began to “get to” Layton with my straight left jab and in the next round I put over a sleeper and Layton took the count.
Next followed more bouts in the same vicinity. I took on Billy Smith for a six round no-decision exhibition and met Jack Wilkes under the same conditions. I was then matched to meet Jack Dempsey at Coney Island. When I was a barefooted youngster in Syracuse, playing "hookey" from school, I used to stand and look at Dempsey's pictures in the windows about town. He was one of my youthful heroes, though I never imagined at that time that would ever meet this same Dempsey in the ring.
In his prime Jack Dempsey was one of the. greatest fighters the ring had ever seen and who was also one of the most popular. But no fighter can go a fast pace outside the ring and expect to do himself justice with the gloves. My bout with Dempsey had not progressed a minute before I realized that my opponent was In no fit condition to enter a ring.
At the end of the first round I called the referee to my corner and told him that Dempsey was in no condition and that I did not want to hand him unnecessary punishment. I requested him to stop the fight then and there. "Say, you're getting paid to fight not to give advice," was the referee's reply. "Stow that talk and do what you're paid for."
I never had been in better condition, for I had expected that Dempsey would be a formidable opponent. Still I did not like to inflict punishment on my old hero in his helpless condition. I didn't want to knock him out, so I proceeded to make him helpless, and it was then necessary for the referee to do as I had requested and stop the fight. This took place in the third round. When I defeated Dempsey I learned something of the fickleness of the fight fans. Dempsey had been a hero. As a ring star he numbered his friends by the thousands. Seeing him in the ring, helpless because he had been what they called "a good fellow" those same "friends" the men who had never refused the "good fellow's" generosity in his palmy days—hissed and hooted.
American fans , and I include fans of all branches of sports, baseball, football, wrestling or boxing, want to see a winner. They always root and cheer for the man on top. But the moment that man becomes the man underneath there is a change and a new hero replaces the old. Boxers have long been associated with the "Rounders" of the "Great White Way," be It in New York or San Francisco or any city between. It is true that a great many boxers have gone down to defeat—not because of meeting a better man In the ring but because they, themselves were far below their proper form.
In other words they were fighting two opponents the gay life and the man in the ring. Because of the fact that the names of prominent boxers are so frequently in the sporting columns of the daily newspapers, and their doings are so faithfully chronicled by the scribes, the public gains a false impression of boxers in general. The public puts the blame on all boxers because a small percentage stray from the straight path. The clever boxer who takes care of himself outside as well as inside the ring is the man who has a long career ahead of him.
Following the bout with Dempsey I resumed my "barnstorming" and went to Kansas City where I met a local Phenom named Melody. He lasted four rounds. This was in February 1895 just about five weeks after I met Dempsey. A month later I was in Chicago where I met and defeated Shorty Ahearn in four rounds and Tom Tracy in the same number.
(In the next article Mr. Ryan tells of the fight with Billy Smith, which was stopped by the police, and of what led up to his battle with Kid McCoy)
part 12
WHETHER OR NOT A NEW YORK appearance counts for anything, the demand for my services Increased after I had met Billy Smith at
Coney Island. Possibly publicity had something- to do with it for 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. This publicity may account for the standing: a "New York debut" gives a boxer.
Chicago fans had not seen me In action for some time and there was a general demand that I return there for a bout . My thrice stung horsemen friends were looking for another chance and they finally persuaded George Dawson; welterweight champion of Australia, to make the trip to this country.
When Dawson arrived, they started the some publicity campaign and demands for a bout which had marked their efforts in the three bouts before in which they had lost heavily. Dawson’s challenges did not go unnoticed, for I saw ho reason why I should not meet him. In fact, I was glad of a chance to make my world title more secure, for if I beat Dawson I would have the right to a clear title to the worlds honors.
The match was quickly made and the bout took place before The Chicago fans at Tattersall’s a famous sporting place in the Illinois city about that time. April 1893. Boxing was the permitted in Chicago but the bouts were limited to six rounds so it was in one of those short session affairs that I clashed with Dawson.
Knowing that it was to be a short bout Dawson and I worked at top speed throughout and for four rounds the honors were practically even. after that Dawson’s speed began to lessen and I landed some effective blows. I had him in trouble In the 6th and final round but was unable to win by a knockout though I was given the decision for outpointing the Australian.
Returning to Bridgeport I met Dick Guthrie, a heavyweight, and stopped stopped him In three rounds. My next bout was also at Bridgeport. This time my opponent was another heavyweight, Maurice Lane of New Haven, and he, too, was stopped In the third round.
Our exhibition bout at Coney Island had given Billy Smith a line on my capabilities and he began to negotiate for a championship contest I was agreeable for I did not see Smith very dangerous and the financial end of a match with him was a tempting inducement. Side bets were posted and offers were received from the various clubs which were in a position to stage a bout of Its Importance.
The club before which I, had fought Danny Needham the memorable seventy-six rounds at Minneapolis was finally awarded the bout. and. I went to the Milling city about ten days before the bout to get Into shape. As a matter of fact, I was always In good physical condition and could always take a bout at short notice, yet I never, with one exception, of which I will tell later, entered the ring without making every possible effort to be In the finest of physical condition. Many a high-class boxer has been beaten by a "dub"( this may be DUD ) simply because the good man underestimated the strength of the "dub" and overestimated his own capabilities when out of condition. I was caught once myself and I should know.
I worked in public in Minneapolis and there was a lot of interest in the bout Smith, with a large retinue of trainers and backers, was there a few days before the bout and the night we entered the ring found the sporting fraternity of Minneapolis roused to a high pitch of excitement and a huge crowd Jammed inside the four walls of the big building where a championship was to be defended.
I believe that the spectators got "a run for their money". The articles called for a twenty-round bout for the welterweight championship of the World. And while I won the decision after twenty grueling grounds, I had to work hard to defend my title. Billy Smith, some called him "Mysterious" certainly was a clever fighter. He was clever, and could hit with either hand, though I should say that his right was a bit the more powerful.
There was action in every round and was a case of give and take. The pace was furious and each brought Into play every trick of boxing and
generalship known at that time. In the seventeenth round. Smith swung a vicious right for my chin. I saw it coming, but not in time to get
entirely clear. I swung up my hand and the blow hit me on the throat I am not well posted on medical terms, but I will try and make myself clear to the average reader. For a moment after the blow landed, I seemed to choke. There was a feeling as if the walls of my "Adam's apple" had been caved in.
After a. few seconds, though each second seemed like on hour to me, I could breath again but the muscles of my throat seemed to be paralyzed. I was unable, to breathe through my Nose and for the remaining three rounds I had to fight with my mouth open. The gong at the end of the seventeenth round was one of the most welcome sounds I ever heard.
Despite this handicap my speed was not affected and made to realize that my title was in danger .I set a whirlwind pace and when the end of the bout had come I was pretty tired, but I had fought Smith to a standstill. He was barely able to guard himself In the final round and I was given the decision.
I took quite a rest after, this bout and had my throat given thorough attention. I soon recovered the use of my neck, and throat muscles. Having disposed of all contenders for my title, I again started taking on bouts with men of almost any weight who could be obtained to meet me in a tour around the country . I met men of all weights from lightweights to heavyweights and no bout went over six rounds.
part 13
RYAN GOES BARNSTORMING
IX. THESE MODERN DAYS, the press would refer to the trips I made following my bout with Billy Smith as "barnstorming." It was in the fall of 1893 that I could get no more matches with men of my weight and decided on the tour and the "exhibition bouts." The fans in various parts of the country wanted to see a real champion in action and were not always able to attend the championship bouts. Hence, they selected the best available man at any weight and I would take him on for a short bout.
Hartford, Conn., was my first stop And I met Jack Falvey, a promising welterweight. He gave me a good battle, but I stopped him in the
eighth round. Going westward again I stopped at Minneapolis, where the fans were booming a young heavyweight named Jack Pitts he lasted three rounds.
Weight is generally an advantage in a ring contest, but there are times when it proves a handicap. A big man cannot be expected to work fast.
and in a six-round bout a good welter or middleweight can give away twenty or thirty pounds, provided of course that his opponent is not very
clever, and still get away with the verdict. I had a good wallop and was faster. I believe, than any man in any division at that time. For this reason I could take on the young fellows who had .much more weight and less cleverness or science, call It what you will.
Going South, I was matched to meet Billy Layton a St. Joseph welterweight . It was to be a finish fight and to get away from inquisitive
persons from the sheriff's office the bout was staged on an Island in the Mississippi river opposite St. Joseph. The fans left St. Joseph by boat
and the bout took place In the open air. Layton proved to have youth, strength, a fair amount of science and a good punch. During, the first five rounds the fans "got a run for their money'' for the bout was close. In the sixth I began to “get to” Layton with my straight left jab and in the next round I put over a sleeper and Layton took the count.
Next followed more bouts in the same vicinity. I took on Billy Smith for a six round no-decision exhibition and met Jack Wilkes under the same conditions. I was then matched to meet Jack Dempsey at Coney Island. When I was a barefooted youngster in Syracuse, playing "hookey" from school, I used to stand and look at Dempsey's pictures in the windows about town. He was one of my youthful heroes, though I never imagined at that time that would ever meet this same Dempsey in the ring.
In his prime Jack Dempsey was one of the. greatest fighters the ring had ever seen and who was also one of the most popular. But no fighter can go a fast pace outside the ring and expect to do himself justice with the gloves. My bout with Dempsey had not progressed a minute before I realized that my opponent was In no fit condition to enter a ring.
At the end of the first round I called the referee to my corner and told him that Dempsey was in no condition and that I did not want to hand him unnecessary punishment. I requested him to stop the fight then and there. "Say, you're getting paid to fight not to give advice," was the referee's reply. "Stow that talk and do what you're paid for."
I never had been in better condition, for I had expected that Dempsey would be a formidable opponent. Still I did not like to inflict punishment on my old hero in his helpless condition. I didn't want to knock him out, so I proceeded to make him helpless, and it was then necessary for the referee to do as I had requested and stop the fight. This took place in the third round. When I defeated Dempsey I learned something of the fickleness of the fight fans. Dempsey had been a hero. As a ring star he numbered his friends by the thousands. Seeing him in the ring, helpless because he had been what they called "a good fellow" those same "friends" the men who had never refused the "good fellow's" generosity in his palmy days—hissed and hooted.
American fans , and I include fans of all branches of sports, baseball, football, wrestling or boxing, want to see a winner. They always root and cheer for the man on top. But the moment that man becomes the man underneath there is a change and a new hero replaces the old. Boxers have long been associated with the "Rounders" of the "Great White Way," be It in New York or San Francisco or any city between. It is true that a great many boxers have gone down to defeat—not because of meeting a better man In the ring but because they, themselves were far below their proper form.
In other words they were fighting two opponents the gay life and the man in the ring. Because of the fact that the names of prominent boxers are so frequently in the sporting columns of the daily newspapers, and their doings are so faithfully chronicled by the scribes, the public gains a false impression of boxers in general. The public puts the blame on all boxers because a small percentage stray from the straight path. The clever boxer who takes care of himself outside as well as inside the ring is the man who has a long career ahead of him.
Following the bout with Dempsey I resumed my "barnstorming" and went to Kansas City where I met a local Phenom named Melody. He lasted four rounds. This was in February 1895 just about five weeks after I met Dempsey. A month later I was in Chicago where I met and defeated Shorty Ahearn in four rounds and Tom Tracy in the same number.
(In the next article Mr. Ryan tells of the fight with Billy Smith, which was stopped by the police, and of what led up to his battle with Kid McCoy)
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The Great John L
- Heavyweight
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
yes
will have some later in the week
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
part 14
XIV—POLICE TWICE STOP FIGHT WITH SMITH.
MYSTERIOUS BIILLY SMITH was the hero of the New York fight fans in the spring of 1895 - Smith had won from a number of promising mlddlewelghts and had made a good showing against me two years previous. The New Yorkers believed that. Billy, was entitled to another chance at the title. Negotiations to that end were soon opened and after many weeks it was agreed that we would meet in a 25 round bout for the welterweight championship at Coney Island, May 27th; 1895.
The bout was an Important one and the various clauses of the articles so important that both Smith and myself signed the articles instead of leaving this matter, as is usual, to our respective managers. About that time there was agitation against brutality in boxing in New York and the police used this agitation as an excuse for interfering with bouts that did hot meet with the full favor of the politicians controlling
the force.
In the articles of my bout with Smith there was a clause which provided, that should the police interfere at any time when both men were on their feet, the referee should call the bout a draw. The club could not guarantee that the police would not interfere, so this provision was made. There were so many different stories told of this bout about that time that I will give for the first time the real facts as they took place.
I found that Smith, was not as formidable an opponent for me as he had been in our previous meeting, yet he was a mighty tough customer.
The first eleven rounds saw some fierce milling with the honors about even. Near the end of the eleventh round, Smith floored me with a swing to the jaw. I took the count of nine and got up rather dazed as the blow had been a formidable one. I stalled through the remaining thirty seconds of the round and when the bell rang I was still so dazed that I walked to Smiths corner instead of my own corner I immediately realized my mistake and started back to my own corner.
The police ever on the alert for an excuse to stop the bout immediately jumped into the ring and ordered the bout stopped. The promoters protested and a long conference between the club manager and the police captain followed.I don’t know just how long it lasted but it was
quite a lengthy session.Finally the police captain announced that the bout could proceed.
The rest did me no harm and I went after Smith as soon as the bell sounded for the opening of the 12th round. In the next six rounds I knocked Smith down five times and he was continually covering and clinching. In the 18th I drove smith to the ropes. He was absolutely helpless and but for the fact that the ropes held him up he would have been on the canvas. The police again interfered and in accordance with the articles the referee called the bout a draw. For the first 11 rounds this bout was one of the toughest I ever had but after the first interference by the police Smith seemed to lose heart. Possibly he did not have the stamina for a longer bout.
Tommy Tracey, claimant of the welterweight championship of Australia was my next opponent. The bout took place in Chicago and was an 8 round No decision affair. I had hoped to stow Tracey away with a knockout but I found him too clever and too strong to do this and was compelled to be satisfied with winning the popular decision of the fans and the newspaper men. However I had the satisfaction of meeting and stopping Tracey two years later.
I now come to a point in my ring career which has created more comment, good, bad and otherwise, than any other bout in which I participated. I refer to my first battle with "Kid" McCoy. To get at the root of this I will have to go back a bit, when I was training around Detroit a few years previous, "Kid" McCoy showed up at my training camp one day and applied for the position of sparring partner. I wasn’t able to pay much at the time and as McCoy seemed anxious to learn I took him on. He was strong and willing but a bit crude in his boxing. He was with me for several months and showed wonderful improvement in that time. Still, I never considered him a dangerous opponent.
On January 9th 1896 I boxed “Kid” Lavigne a four round exhibition in New York. After the bout “Kid” McCoy came to my dressing room. We talked over old times and then McCoy told me he was having “hard sleding” and asked me if I would agree to meet him in a match in New York if he could get some club To stage the battle .I told him I would but thought little of it for I did not believe he would succeed.
I returned to my home in Syracuse and soon afterward I had a letter from McCoy. In it he told me that a club in Maspeth would stage the bout and that it would be some easy money for me as he had not been having many bouts and was not in the best of condition. McCoy had returned that winter from England where he had been defeated by a middleweight named White. I saw no reason to believe that McCoy was a dangerous opponent and as an act of friendship, and to help him out, I agreed to an equal division of the money.
McCoy was then a light heavyweight while I was fighting at from 142 to 145 pounds. I did not like the continual training and not being required to make any weight for McCoy I took things easy. In fact I looked upon the bout as nothing more than an exhibition in which I could easily outpoint my opponent. I saw nothing suspicious until I entered the ring and suddenly realized that McCoy was in superbly trained. His every movement showed it he must have weighed at least 162 to 165 pounds.
The stories told afterwards by McCoy that he had written me letters advising me not to train are all “Bosh”. McCoy wrote me one letter telling me that he had been sick and was in need of money and it was then I agreed to the bout if a club would stage it. McCoy did not show the foxiness that was credited to him and it was entirely my own fault that I was caught out of condition and had to take a beating.
……………
next the bout with McCoy.
MYSTERIOUS BIILLY SMITH was the hero of the New York fight fans in the spring of 1895 - Smith had won from a number of promising mlddlewelghts and had made a good showing against me two years previous. The New Yorkers believed that. Billy, was entitled to another chance at the title. Negotiations to that end were soon opened and after many weeks it was agreed that we would meet in a 25 round bout for the welterweight championship at Coney Island, May 27th; 1895.
The bout was an Important one and the various clauses of the articles so important that both Smith and myself signed the articles instead of leaving this matter, as is usual, to our respective managers. About that time there was agitation against brutality in boxing in New York and the police used this agitation as an excuse for interfering with bouts that did hot meet with the full favor of the politicians controlling
the force.
In the articles of my bout with Smith there was a clause which provided, that should the police interfere at any time when both men were on their feet, the referee should call the bout a draw. The club could not guarantee that the police would not interfere, so this provision was made. There were so many different stories told of this bout about that time that I will give for the first time the real facts as they took place.
I found that Smith, was not as formidable an opponent for me as he had been in our previous meeting, yet he was a mighty tough customer.
The first eleven rounds saw some fierce milling with the honors about even. Near the end of the eleventh round, Smith floored me with a swing to the jaw. I took the count of nine and got up rather dazed as the blow had been a formidable one. I stalled through the remaining thirty seconds of the round and when the bell rang I was still so dazed that I walked to Smiths corner instead of my own corner I immediately realized my mistake and started back to my own corner.
The police ever on the alert for an excuse to stop the bout immediately jumped into the ring and ordered the bout stopped. The promoters protested and a long conference between the club manager and the police captain followed.I don’t know just how long it lasted but it was
quite a lengthy session.Finally the police captain announced that the bout could proceed.
The rest did me no harm and I went after Smith as soon as the bell sounded for the opening of the 12th round. In the next six rounds I knocked Smith down five times and he was continually covering and clinching. In the 18th I drove smith to the ropes. He was absolutely helpless and but for the fact that the ropes held him up he would have been on the canvas. The police again interfered and in accordance with the articles the referee called the bout a draw. For the first 11 rounds this bout was one of the toughest I ever had but after the first interference by the police Smith seemed to lose heart. Possibly he did not have the stamina for a longer bout.
Tommy Tracey, claimant of the welterweight championship of Australia was my next opponent. The bout took place in Chicago and was an 8 round No decision affair. I had hoped to stow Tracey away with a knockout but I found him too clever and too strong to do this and was compelled to be satisfied with winning the popular decision of the fans and the newspaper men. However I had the satisfaction of meeting and stopping Tracey two years later.
I now come to a point in my ring career which has created more comment, good, bad and otherwise, than any other bout in which I participated. I refer to my first battle with "Kid" McCoy. To get at the root of this I will have to go back a bit, when I was training around Detroit a few years previous, "Kid" McCoy showed up at my training camp one day and applied for the position of sparring partner. I wasn’t able to pay much at the time and as McCoy seemed anxious to learn I took him on. He was strong and willing but a bit crude in his boxing. He was with me for several months and showed wonderful improvement in that time. Still, I never considered him a dangerous opponent.
On January 9th 1896 I boxed “Kid” Lavigne a four round exhibition in New York. After the bout “Kid” McCoy came to my dressing room. We talked over old times and then McCoy told me he was having “hard sleding” and asked me if I would agree to meet him in a match in New York if he could get some club To stage the battle .I told him I would but thought little of it for I did not believe he would succeed.
I returned to my home in Syracuse and soon afterward I had a letter from McCoy. In it he told me that a club in Maspeth would stage the bout and that it would be some easy money for me as he had not been having many bouts and was not in the best of condition. McCoy had returned that winter from England where he had been defeated by a middleweight named White. I saw no reason to believe that McCoy was a dangerous opponent and as an act of friendship, and to help him out, I agreed to an equal division of the money.
McCoy was then a light heavyweight while I was fighting at from 142 to 145 pounds. I did not like the continual training and not being required to make any weight for McCoy I took things easy. In fact I looked upon the bout as nothing more than an exhibition in which I could easily outpoint my opponent. I saw nothing suspicious until I entered the ring and suddenly realized that McCoy was in superbly trained. His every movement showed it he must have weighed at least 162 to 165 pounds.
The stories told afterwards by McCoy that he had written me letters advising me not to train are all “Bosh”. McCoy wrote me one letter telling me that he had been sick and was in need of money and it was then I agreed to the bout if a club would stage it. McCoy did not show the foxiness that was credited to him and it was entirely my own fault that I was caught out of condition and had to take a beating.
……………
next the bout with McCoy.
re
It paints a pretty solid picture of Ryan for all of those people today that like to base they're opinion's of older fighters on a couple of minutes of crappy, grainy film of a couple of different fighters of the day!
Tommy Ryan was one of the best welterweights and also one of the best middleweights in history yet not a lot of people today know anything about him...thanks for sharing this view into Ryan's career!
Tommy Ryan was one of the best welterweights and also one of the best middleweights in history yet not a lot of people today know anything about him...thanks for sharing this view into Ryan's career!
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The Great John L
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 4351
- Joined: 26 Jul 2005, 19:37
Re: re
Absolutely! And it's also a very good read.barry wrote:It paints a pretty solid picture of Ryan for all of those people today that like to base they're opinion's of older fighters on a couple of minutes of crappy, grainy film of a couple of different fighters of the day!
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
more
as you say they give such insight into his career and the times.i have at least another ten of these and maybe more.in 1912 corbett started writing for the same paper and will do some of those also.within the same paper are some really racist artwork regards Johnson. i was going to post them but there are some people who are stupid enough to think I approve of such material. with regard to Ryan it is curious that much more is not posted around the web about this guy.
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
Re: re
Hi Barry..as you say Corbett went on to do a lot of writing and some very good material was produced.the papers of that time were very keen to get people such as him to do features etc and I think he did it for several years.as you will be aware the papers made a big thing - headline news - if someone of note joined their sports team...how things have changed.barry wrote:Corbett turned out to be a pretty good boxing writer. He was pretty prolific in writing and penned some really intersting articles.
its a great bit of history to see the sports pages with corbett and Ryan doing a column on the same page.love to been around to see them putting that page together eh.
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
The Battle with McCoy
KID McCOY -WAS NEVER IN. BETTER condition than he was the night when he fought'; me for the first time at Maspeth, near New York city,; Steve O.'Donnell, for a long time trainer and. sparring partner of .Jim Corbett, took charge of McCoy's training when, the heavyweight returned from Europe. The training was all done In private and was known only to a few of McCoy's Intimate friends.
As I have already written, I was so confident of my own ability to defeat McCoy that I neglected to. Train I never entered a ring in worse condition than I did that night. In fact, I never again entered a ring out of condition.
The bout was staged by the Empire Athletic club and it was a. dark . tramp across the moors that the fans had that night to reach the clubhouse. A brisk "northeaster" was blowing and the fans came well bundled up. The big building was unheated and the fans were muffled up in their overcoats all evening.
The ring was erected in the center of the hall and tiers of seats extended from the ringside to the eaves.Every seat was occupied and 2,000 shivering fans greeted me as I entered the ring about 9:30. Charley White, Kid Lavigne, Sam Fitzpaterick and Tom Cawley were my seconds .all men whose names were, or have become, well known to the fight fans. McCoy quickly followed me into the ring.he was seconded by Steve O'Donnell and "Brooklyn Jimmie" Carrol.
A big delegation of fight fans had come down from Syracuse and other Western New York cities and they were well supplied with money. Betting was brisk with the odds ranging from .2 to 1 to 3 to 1 with me the favorite.
My first suspicion that McCoy might prove a surprise came when he walked over to my corner to examine my bandages. His walk showed him the picture of confidence. In the first round, things began to get lively. Through his work in my training quarters McCoy knew my methods as well as any man in the world. I soon saw that he had copied them .but he had a few tricks of his own. The round had not finished before I realized that my opponent was clever,confident and trained to the minute
The speed of the bout began to tell on me in the second round and I was Compelled to go on the defensive.McCoy tried hard to get me to lead, but I Refused to do that.
It may not be out of place here for me to warn young boxers that it is The man who does the leading who leaves himself open and takes the chances. I refused to lead and made McCoy come to me.He came all right and his Extra twenty pounds of weight compelled me to give ground.
In the third round I saw an opening.Rushing my heavier opponent I hammered him with A volley of rights and left swings to the face and body and drove him over the ropes. It was one of the few rounds in that battle in which I had an advantage.
McCoy kept pressing me in the fourth and fifth rounds and again in the sixth.In that round In stepping back I tripped and fell and so impetuous was mcCoy’s attack that he fell over me.
The seventh round was another that was in my favour. I knew that if I was to win I must do it quickly, for McCoy’s superior weight and condition would certainly tell in a long bout. In the intermission Between the sixth and seventh rounds White and Lavigne impressed on me that it was necessary For me to press McCoy hard and land a knockout wallop as quickly as possible.
I rushed McCoy in the first encounter of the round.Rallying all my remaining strength I pressed him back slowly but Steadily and punished him to the head and body with a volley of quick short blows. But condition Told as it always will.My strength was waning and try as I could I was unable to put the necessary steam behind My punches.
The crowd then began to realize that McCoy was better than the 3 to 1 chance he was given at the opening of the bout. The cheers for him began to dim the ones for me.New York always supports New Yorkers and Though my up state friends cheered nobly they were “out noised”by the New Yorkers.
In the eight round McCoy jabbed me several times with a wicked left and I went to my knees taking the count of nine. When I got up I felt very weary but managed to last the round.
McCoy realized that I had not fully recovered my senses when the bell rang for the opening of the ninth round And began a strong attack which compelled me to back steadily.In turning To duck under one of his swings McCoy caught me on the head with a hard swing and I dropped for a second time.Again I got up a bit groggy and McCoy tried desperately to land a knockout punch.
I knew that I was in a desperate position and that I would be lucky if I won.When I came up for the tenth round My face was badly puffed from the lefts the McCoy had landed.I stalled through that round letting my Opponent do all the work.Again in the eleventh and twelfth rounds McCoy played almost exclusively For my heart evidently intending that I should open up to retaliate and thus give him a chance to land a knockout.
How I got through the fourteenth and fifteenth I do not know.My right eye was closed, my nose was swollen and My face was bruised. For the story of the fifteenth and final round I will quote from a newspaper Account of the battle.
“After a series of hard rushes McCoy landed a right swing on the jaw and Ryan Went to his hands and knees, he took the count of nine and then with the aid of the ropes again Got to his feet.before he had time to raise his guard McCoy landed a left to the jaw and ryan went down to the floor.Raising Himself to his hands and knees he waited while Referee Tim Hurst tolled off the count of nine,' He was plainly all in, but game to the core. When he got up again McCoy again swung his left. to the point of Ryan's ' jaw. Ryan staggered and then fell flat on the floor, while the referee tolled off the count.of.ten. The great battle was over. Tommy Ryan had been defeated after .one of the earnest exhibitions ever witnessed by a crowd of fight fans."
(In the next article Mr. Ryan will tell of some of the after effects of the McCoy bout and something about "Kid' lavigne )
As I have already written, I was so confident of my own ability to defeat McCoy that I neglected to. Train I never entered a ring in worse condition than I did that night. In fact, I never again entered a ring out of condition.
The bout was staged by the Empire Athletic club and it was a. dark . tramp across the moors that the fans had that night to reach the clubhouse. A brisk "northeaster" was blowing and the fans came well bundled up. The big building was unheated and the fans were muffled up in their overcoats all evening.
The ring was erected in the center of the hall and tiers of seats extended from the ringside to the eaves.Every seat was occupied and 2,000 shivering fans greeted me as I entered the ring about 9:30. Charley White, Kid Lavigne, Sam Fitzpaterick and Tom Cawley were my seconds .all men whose names were, or have become, well known to the fight fans. McCoy quickly followed me into the ring.he was seconded by Steve O'Donnell and "Brooklyn Jimmie" Carrol.
A big delegation of fight fans had come down from Syracuse and other Western New York cities and they were well supplied with money. Betting was brisk with the odds ranging from .2 to 1 to 3 to 1 with me the favorite.
My first suspicion that McCoy might prove a surprise came when he walked over to my corner to examine my bandages. His walk showed him the picture of confidence. In the first round, things began to get lively. Through his work in my training quarters McCoy knew my methods as well as any man in the world. I soon saw that he had copied them .but he had a few tricks of his own. The round had not finished before I realized that my opponent was clever,confident and trained to the minute
The speed of the bout began to tell on me in the second round and I was Compelled to go on the defensive.McCoy tried hard to get me to lead, but I Refused to do that.
It may not be out of place here for me to warn young boxers that it is The man who does the leading who leaves himself open and takes the chances. I refused to lead and made McCoy come to me.He came all right and his Extra twenty pounds of weight compelled me to give ground.
In the third round I saw an opening.Rushing my heavier opponent I hammered him with A volley of rights and left swings to the face and body and drove him over the ropes. It was one of the few rounds in that battle in which I had an advantage.
McCoy kept pressing me in the fourth and fifth rounds and again in the sixth.In that round In stepping back I tripped and fell and so impetuous was mcCoy’s attack that he fell over me.
The seventh round was another that was in my favour. I knew that if I was to win I must do it quickly, for McCoy’s superior weight and condition would certainly tell in a long bout. In the intermission Between the sixth and seventh rounds White and Lavigne impressed on me that it was necessary For me to press McCoy hard and land a knockout wallop as quickly as possible.
I rushed McCoy in the first encounter of the round.Rallying all my remaining strength I pressed him back slowly but Steadily and punished him to the head and body with a volley of quick short blows. But condition Told as it always will.My strength was waning and try as I could I was unable to put the necessary steam behind My punches.
The crowd then began to realize that McCoy was better than the 3 to 1 chance he was given at the opening of the bout. The cheers for him began to dim the ones for me.New York always supports New Yorkers and Though my up state friends cheered nobly they were “out noised”by the New Yorkers.
In the eight round McCoy jabbed me several times with a wicked left and I went to my knees taking the count of nine. When I got up I felt very weary but managed to last the round.
McCoy realized that I had not fully recovered my senses when the bell rang for the opening of the ninth round And began a strong attack which compelled me to back steadily.In turning To duck under one of his swings McCoy caught me on the head with a hard swing and I dropped for a second time.Again I got up a bit groggy and McCoy tried desperately to land a knockout punch.
I knew that I was in a desperate position and that I would be lucky if I won.When I came up for the tenth round My face was badly puffed from the lefts the McCoy had landed.I stalled through that round letting my Opponent do all the work.Again in the eleventh and twelfth rounds McCoy played almost exclusively For my heart evidently intending that I should open up to retaliate and thus give him a chance to land a knockout.
How I got through the fourteenth and fifteenth I do not know.My right eye was closed, my nose was swollen and My face was bruised. For the story of the fifteenth and final round I will quote from a newspaper Account of the battle.
“After a series of hard rushes McCoy landed a right swing on the jaw and Ryan Went to his hands and knees, he took the count of nine and then with the aid of the ropes again Got to his feet.before he had time to raise his guard McCoy landed a left to the jaw and ryan went down to the floor.Raising Himself to his hands and knees he waited while Referee Tim Hurst tolled off the count of nine,' He was plainly all in, but game to the core. When he got up again McCoy again swung his left. to the point of Ryan's ' jaw. Ryan staggered and then fell flat on the floor, while the referee tolled off the count.of.ten. The great battle was over. Tommy Ryan had been defeated after .one of the earnest exhibitions ever witnessed by a crowd of fight fans."
(In the next article Mr. Ryan will tell of some of the after effects of the McCoy bout and something about "Kid' lavigne )
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The Great John L
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 4351
- Joined: 26 Jul 2005, 19:37
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
yes
that was funny i replied as a new post!!!however the answer is yes and will do some more later in the week
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The Great John L
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 4351
- Joined: 26 Jul 2005, 19:37
Re: yes
Thanks again.robert.snell1 wrote:that was funny i replied as a new post!!!however the answer is yes and will do some more later in the week
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robert.snell1
- Heavyweight
- Posts: 1141
- Joined: 16 Oct 2003, 07:56
hi
hi mate hope all is going well with you.they take a while to do as my typing speed is crap.he did a fair bit of writing for the press and currently have about 20 odd articles but think there are a lot more to find.he was a bit of an ego nut but they do give a good insight into the times and how the sport has changed regards the amount of material published in the local and national press.silkov wrote:Great stuff Rob, you're a diamond for writing these out!....
several other fighters did the same sort of thing for the press and I have a pile of them which are very good.can you see the likes of Tyson trying this !!!
possible title "friends Romans countrymen lend me your ears"