IN THE DAYS OF REAL FIGHTING -part 1 by Rob Snell


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Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

26 September 1915

IN THE DAYS OF REAL FIGHTING

BEGINNING today, the Journal-Gazette with the New York World will

print a series of ring stories, written by Robert Edgren, under the title

of "IN THE DAYS OF REAL FIGHTING."

This series will deal with famous ring contests, some of which will stir up memories of the old sport and be of interest to the fight followers of the present day.

This is the story of two of the greatest fighting men of fifteen years ago, matched to fight twenty rounds tor a purse that amounted to about 3 per cent, of the money paid Mike Gibbons and Packey McFarland for their skilful ten round exhibition. It is a story of a fight that was a fight — a fight in which each of the principals, without the slightest timidity over loss o£ reputation or prestige, went in to win with a knockout. Incidentally, it is the story of the quickest knockout ever known in the ring.

Fifteen years ago, in New York city and in other parts of the country where ring sport was popular, fighting men were always ready to fight and to risk everything in the hope of winning.

Fighting was more of a sport than a business then.

Long bouts were the rule and in every bout there was a decision. Many referees were opposed to calling any bout a draw, preferring to give an outright decision when either man had the slightest advantage. The result was that fighters gave the best they had. There was little stalling. And

in spite of the general idea to-day that skilful boxing doesn't go with hard fighting, there were twenty clever and skilful boxers for every one developed .under our spiritless no-decision system.

Both Men Had Great Ring Record!.

The men were Matty Matthews, destined a few months later to become welterweight champion of the world by knocking out the great Mysterious Billy Smith, and Kid McPartland, one of the greatest lightweights of his day. In the year 1900, when the match was made. Matty Matthews had been fighting five years, and had defeated many of the best men in the country.

He was a tall rangy fellow, formally a truckman, powerful, game and possessing a wicked punch. Among the famous ones he had beaten were Stanton Abbott, George Kerwin. Mike Leonard, Austin Gibbons, Tom Broderick, Owen Ziegler, Otto Sieloff, Eddie Connolly. Bobby Dobbs and Kid Carter. Incidentally he had fought Kid McPartland a twenty-round draw in 1898, and a six-round draw in 1899.

McPartland began fighting a year before Matthews, and developed almost at once into a remarkably skilful boxer. His skill never interfered with his knockout punch, which he put over often. Among his victims by knockout or decision, were Bob Farrell. Jack Burge, George McFadden, Jimmy Potts, Stanton Abbott Jimmy Handler. Tommy Butler, Tommy Ryan,

Spike Sullivan, Otto Sieloff, Tommy McCune, Tom Tracey, Owen Ziegler and Jack Daly.

A list of men famous fifteen years ago.

He also fought the then invincible Kid Lavigne, losing the decision in twenty five rounds, and fought Joe Wallcott to an eight-round draw. McPartland had one of the most remarkable records ever made in the ring, no decisive defeat being marked against him until after five years, during which he met scores of the best men in his class.

There was of course a great rivalry between Mathews and McPartland. The two draws added to the personal feelings between them, each being dissatisfied and anxious to try it out again to a more definite conclusion.

Matty Mathews had come under the management of Johnny Dunn, then a famous manager of fighters and today still handling a successful "stable." Dunn had a habit of thinking. According to his ideas Matty did too much swinging. Matty hitting straight would be invincible. He coached Matthews, who also had the advantage of boxing with his friend Tommy West, and the result was that Matty became the most dangerous hitter of his weight in the ring, not even excepting the

marvelous Joe Gans.

Fought for $1,000 Purse, Winner Take All.

Kid McPartland met John Dunn and told him that he'd like to fight Mathews again. As it happened Dunn had a warm personal friendship for McPartland. “Kid†said he “Don’t ask me to match you with Matty now. He’s improved a lot since you fought him last, and you haven’t. He’ll knock you out for sure. You don’t have a chance, I don’t want to profit by your misfortune , fight somebody else. You’re a left hander fighter and matty has one punch you have no defense for. He’ll get you with itâ€.

McPartland didn’t care for the advice. He went to his manager and had him see Mathews. Mathews went to Dunn and said McPartland wanted to fight him and he wanted to fight McPartland. And so Dunn made the match.

Matthews and McPartland agreed to fight for a purse of $1,000, winner to take all, twenty rounds at the Hercules Athletic club of Brooklyn, whose palatial quarters were in the old Myrtle avenue car stables, near Broadway. The weight was 135 pounds.

McPartland went through his usual training. Matthews trained, too, but he worked on the development of the one punch with which he intended to knock McPartland out. He had developed a corking straight right, short punch with a mule's kick concealed in it, a wallop that was full of dynamite.

Johnny Dunn, now that the match was made, laid aside his friendship for McPartland temporarily and spoke to his man Matty like this: "Look here. Matty, you can win this fight with the first punch. McPartland is left handed. He stands with his left foot out, but he always starts by drawing hit left hand back three times. He feints twice, and the third time he hits, you1can count on it as a sure thing.

"When you meet in the first round take your distance and watch him. He'll make two moves with his left. The third time, instead of waiting for him to lead, step in suddenly and shoot your right straight to his jaw. You'll knock him out."

The old Hercules club was packed that night. They were hanging on the rafters." The usual ceremonies having been observed the bell clanged. Matty advanced quickly to the middle of the ring and stopped. McPartland advanced no less quickly and stopped. Crouching. McPartland feinted—twice —and started his left jab. On the instant Matthews shot across a terrific short right to the Kids jaw. McPartland pitched forward on his face. The ten count tolled over him and he never stirred. The first blow struck had knocked him cold.

A world's record that was even quicker, than the Hawkins knockout of Martin Flaherty at Carson City. Shortly afterward Matthews knocked out Owen Ziegler in two rounds. Dan McConnell in three rounds and Mysterious Billy Smith in nineteen rounds, becoming welter weight champion.

Then, as McPartland insisted he had been knocked out by a fluke punch, he gave the Kid another chance and stopped him in seventeen rounds of desperate fighting at the old Broadway A. C.. where Choynski fought Maher and Dixon fought McGovern.

Gibbons and McFarland drew down $33,700 for ten rounds of clever boxing. Matthews got $1,000 for knocking out McPartland in a punch. McPartland didn't get even a carfare for his lost reputation. To-day Matthews is a stage carpenter and McPartland earns his living as a referee of boxing bouts.

End

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