In the World of Leads and Counters

IN THE WORLD OF LEADS AND COUNTERS The King Pins of Pugdom to Monopolize the Attention of the Sporting World. MORE FIGHT, LESS TALK The Alacrity With Which Corbett and Fitzsimmons Came to Terms an Indication That We May Have Some of the Real Thing. If it’s not one thing it’s another. With the passing of the baseball season come the Knights of the Mitts, and from now on until the robins begin to do business in the spring time the space that has been devoted all summer to thrilling stories of life on the diamond, of base hits, of fumbles and muffs, will be turned over to the truthful chronicle of the doings of the king-pin pugs, and those who think they are king pins. Philadelphia will have a surfeit of fighting talk this week. Bob Fitzsimmons, who was matched on Saturday to fight Corbett, will be here to-day to begin a week’s engagement at the Lyceum, and Thomas Sharkey, who stood off Corbett four rounds, and who is also matched to meet James J. in a finish encounter, will give local followers a chance to get a line on him at the Philadelphia ball park on Saturday night. • • • The alacrity with which Corbett and Fitzsimmons arrived at an understanding as soon as they came together was as gratifying as it was surprising. In fact, it was such a violent departure from the methods that have prevailed for the past four or five years in negotiating prize fights, or boxing contests, or any old thing you may want to call them, that it conveyed the suggestion that the distinguished principals were onto the fact that the public had wearied of their interminable mouthings. At any rate by their promptness in coming together they have done much to boom the game of boxing, which for a while threatened to degenerate into mere conversational contests. • • • But now that the men are matched, where will the fight be pulled off? And if it is pulled off who will the winner be? With his experience in the Fitzsimmons-Maher fight it is doubtful if Dan Stuart will offer any extravagant purse. In fact it is doubtful if any club or individual will make anything more than a contingent bid until after Corbett shall have settled his controversy with Sharkey. Corbett, in a letter to a personal friend in this city, declares that he is rapidly getting in the best of condition, and advises his friends to bet their last dollar on him. The Sharkey people, on the other hand, are just as confident that the sailor lad will lower the colors of the resigned champion for fair. Said Sharkey himself, on learning that Corbett would meet Fitz sixty days after he had disposed of him (Sharkey) “He will, will he? Within sixty days? Well, he will be lucky if he will be able to fight within a year after I have finished him. I am sure Corbett will never beat me on the level. He is the foulest fighter I ever met, and he did everything but bite me. When I get before him next time I’ll punch holes in him.” • • • The confidence manifested by all three of the big fellows is reassuring. Corbett is confident that he can beat Sharkey; Sharkey is confident that he can best Corbett, and its a moral that Fitzsimmons believes that he can beat both. It’s a round robin and full of embarrassing possibilities. If Corbett should happen to meet defeat at the hands of Sharkey and then turn round and lick Fitzsimmons, who would be champion? Fitz and Jeems J. are matched to fight for the championship and the title will go to the victor, for Fitz is champion by virtue of Corbett’s asinine relinquishment of the title. Corbett would be the tentative champion, but the people generally would accord the honor to Sharkey. This is a round-about deduction to be sure, but it’s in the cards. • • • The friends and patrons of the Tuxedo Athletic Club will be delighted at the changes and improvements made in the auditorium during the summer recess. Opera chairs have supplanted the former wooden affairs, insuring greater comfort and increased seating capacity. The walls and ceilings have been most artistically draped and decorated, affording a pleasing picture to the eye and adding to the general attractiveness of that modelly-conducted club. No club in America can boast such a ring. Every possible precaution has been taken to avert accidents—accidents which have done so much to bring the sport of boxing into disrepute. Over the heavy padding and canvass there has been stretched corrugated rubber, insuring better footing for the boxers and reducing the possibility of injury to the minimum. The ropes have been covered with plush and the posts have been padded extra heavily and covered with the same material. The entire effect is impressive and reflects great credit upon the judgment and good taste of President Harry Hoffman, to whose persistence and tireless energy the improvements are due. • • • The Tuxedonians will inaugurate their fall and winter series of entertainments on Thursday night with a program in keeping with the many improvements. On Wednesday evening the club room will be open for inspection from 8 to 10 o’clock. Those who have time should avail themselves of the opportunity to look over this, the most perfectly appointed club room in the country. Following is the program arranged for the opening night: Billy Smith vs. Frank Burk, Billy Payne vs. Fred Woods, Elwood McCloskey vs. Jack Williams, Martin Judge vs. Joe Hanlon, Joe Dougherty vs. Dan McConnell. • • • “Joe” Butler and Paddy McBride are requested to call at this office at 8.30 to-night.