The Life of John L Sullivan -- March 28, 2024

National Police Gazette, 14-October-1893

John L Sullivan, the Boston Strong Boy, was the last bare knuckle boxing champ under the London Prize Ring Rules and the first gloved champion under the Marquess of Queensberry Rules.

Great Referee Hands Final Count to John L Sullivan -- February 2, 2018

Washington Times, 03-February-1918

John L Sullivan, the Boston Strong Boy, the last bare knuckle boxing champ under the London Prize Ring Rules and the first gloved champion under the Marquess of Queensberry Rules, died 100 years ago today, on 02-February-1918.  General Nelson A Miles had been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.  

Sullivan's 08-July-1889 fight against Jake Kilrain was the last bare knuckle heavyweight championship fight:
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2014/07/sullivan-and-kilrain-in-ring-july-8-2014.html

Great Referee Hands Final Count to John L. Sullivan

America's grandest and greatest knight of the roped arena was counted out yesterday for the last time by the Great Referee. John L. Sullivan, formerly the heavy-weight boxer, died at his home at Abingdon, Mass., shortly after the noon hour. He was taken ill with heart trouble three weeks ago and it was this disease that finally put over the K. O. punch on the veteran champion.

John Lawrence Sullivan, who was 59 years old, was the most widely known Bostonian of the last 35 years. "Boston Strong Boy," champion of the world, actor, author, gentleman farmer and temperance lecturer he lived through a career full of the adoration of the crowd and the popularity that came with spectacular success.

He made his first ring appearances in Boston in 1878 and 1879 when, the record books state, he boxed in strictly local bouts.

He learned the plumber's trade and boxing was a side issue. So great was his success in the ring, however, that he soon gave up the soldering iron and became an out-and-out pugilist.

His career was a series of knock-outs from that time until, by defeating Paddy Ryan at Mississippi City on February 7, 1882. he became heavy-weight champion of the United States. This was a bare-fist fight for $5,000 a side. It went nine rounds and Sullivan emerged destined to the most spectacular boxing career anyone has ever known.

Sullivan began at once a triumphal tour or the world that included victories over all comers and which lasted for nearly ten years. His most important fights during that time were the Charley Mitchell draw in Chantilly, France and the famous Jake Killrain battle at Richburg, Miss., July 8. 1889.

The Kilrain bout at bare knuckles lasted seventy-five rounds, Sullivan winning the fight and the side bet of $10,000 which made the battle a sensation of the era from a financial standpoint.

In the arena of the Olympic Club, New Orleans. La., September 7, 1892, John L. Sullivan met his Waterloo, being knocked out by Corbett in the twenty-first round. The fight was for the largest sum ever known, a purse of $25,000, and a side bet of $10,000. Seven thousand people witnessed this great fistic battle, and the excitement and enthusiasm reached fever heat. It was a triumph of youth, agility and skill over advancing years, over-confidence and strength. It was a victory of mind over matter.

Sullivan was seconded by Charles Johnson and Jack McAuliffe, with Frank Moran as timekeeper. The men who stood behind Corbett were: Prof. John Donaldson and Billy Delaney. Bat Masterson was his timekeeper and Philip Dwyer, the turfman, was final stakeholder. Promptly at 9 o'clock the two principals shook bands, and, after a moment's parleying regarding the rules, prepared for hostilities. The battle began at 9:05 o'clock.

For the first round Corbett adopted dodging tactics, and the crowd yelled at him. After this round, and in the rounds which followed, he took the initiative and forced the fighting. As the battle proceeded it was seen that Sullivan was being beaten and a great feeling, of sympathy went up for the man who had held the championship so long.

He struggled manfully to rush down his young opponent, but Corbett's telling blows dazed and bewildered him, and when time was called for the twenty-first round, the Californian rushed in and planted blow after blow on Sullivan's face and neck. The latter backed away, trying to save himself, but Corbett was close upon him, and when bleeding and exhausted, with glassy eyes and trembling limbs, he lowered his guard from sheer exhaustion, the young Californian shot his right across the champion's jaw and he fell like an ox.

When finally he arose bruised and bleeding and staggering to the ropes, moved his battered and swollen lips, there issued these words in a tone hoarse with chagrin and weakness:

"It's the old, old story. I am like the pitcher that went to the well once too often." His voice broke, and gulping down a sob he continued: "I can only say that I am glad that I have been beaten by an American."

He continued, however, in the limelight up until the time of his death as a stage figure and after his victory over the Barleycorn champion, as a temperance advocate of imposing presence and convincing style of argument.

Sullivan's gruffness, his brusque manner and his towering figure made him the center of attraction wherever he went. His philosophy was straight and to the point and his manner of speaking as devoid of camouflage as his fighting style had been.

Sullivan's battle with John Barleycorn was by far the most spectacular of his eventful career in which venture, however, he was not a great success, his good fellowship and his wide circle of "friends" keeping him on the ropes continually.

His advent on the temperance lecture stage brought about a famous incident in which Gen. Nelson A. Miles refused to appear with him as a speaker at the same meeting. Sullivan met the rebuff with good natural bantering and the remark that the only difference between he and Miles as a fighter was that he started as a plumber and the General began life as a ribbon clerk and that he, Sullivan, was far more familiar with the Declaration of Independence.

A few years ago after a long time spent partly upon the stage, in writing various editions of his memoirs and as sporting editor of various big newspapers, he retired to North Abington and began farming on a "scientific basis" -- that he became a gentleman farmer, gathered a few friends about him and could be found in the summer sitting on a wide veranda recounting stories of his long, eventful life and dispensing sermons to all who might feel in need of a spiritual "reviving."
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Sullivan Most Honest Man of Ring -- Corbett

New York. Feb. 2. -- "What!" exclaimed James J. Corbett when the news of Sullivan's death was carried to him. After a pause of a few moments he pulled himself together.

"I suppose you want some expression from me. Well, tell them that I was too badly shocked to say anything.

"This seems almost too much for me," said Corbett, mopping his face as though making an effort to start the next round. "It is only a few months ago that you came to me with the same news of Bob Fitzsimmons. Let's see, what did I tell you then?

"Well, John L Sullivan was the greatest of all fighters in his day. The world will bear me out in that statement He not only was a great fighter, but he was the fairest man who ever crawled through the ropes. He played the game because he loved it. He told me that and he loved to be honest.

"I can honestly say he was the best man and the more admired of the heavy-weight fighters. In his day he could have bested any man. Even though I won the championship from Sullivan I could never have won nor no man could have won had I faced him in his prime.

"His fairness in the ring and his true sportsmanship made him the most loved of all in the ring, not only by the fans, but by the men he fought as well. While every man that faced him was afraid of his mighty right, and I include myself, we loved to fight a square man."

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Ten Years Since John L Appeared in This City

It was with deep regret that John L. Sullivan's many friends here heard the announcement of his death at his home in Abington yesterday. Sullivan's last appearance here was in the week of September 16, 1907. when he gave his athletic act in conjunction with Billy Arlington's Golden Crooks Company at the Gayety Theater. "Diamond" Frank Hall was at that time managing Sullivan's affairs. The act was featured with a four-round bout between Sullivan and Jake Kilrain, the one-time hated rival of the grand old man of the game.

Washington Times, 15-September-1907

Sullivan and Kilrain in the Ring -- July 8, 2014

125 years ago, on 08-July-1889, John L Sullivan, the Boston Strong Boy met Jake Kilrain in Richburg, Mississippi in the last bare-knuckle heavyweight title fight under London Prize Ring rules.  Sullivan won when Kilrain's trainer threw in the sponge at the start of the 76th round.  Rounds ended when one or both fighters went down.  They then had 30 seconds to come up to scratch, a mark in the middle of the ring.  Wrestling was allowed.  "Sullivan ... once sat down on Kilrain's breast, and another time jumped on him with both knees."

From the 09-July-1889 Pittsburg Dispatch.  Pittsburgh was trying to drop the "h" at the time. 

SULLIVAN IT IS. 

John L. Shows Kilrain Where He Was Wrong, in a Little Over Two Hours,
JAKE DOES SOME SPRINTING
And by Falling Down Frequently Ayoids Considerable Punishment.
FOE SEVENTY-FIVE ROUNDS
The Boston Boy Prances Around After the Baltimore Brniser, Trying to Slug Him and
IMPLORING HIM TO FIGHT HIM,
Kilrain's Offer to Call it a Draw, and Later to Quit, Declined By Sullivan, Who
WANTS TO WHIP MITCHELL AS WELL

John L. Sullivan is yet champion of the pugilistic world. He met Jake Kilrain yesterday near Richburg, Miss., and in a 24-foot ring, according to London prize ring rules, fought 75 rounds for the championship, $20,000, the championship belt and a division of the gate money, Sullivan being declared the winner in two hours and five minutes. The champion is only a little the worse for wear, while Kilrain bled profusely and was badly worsted, despite the fact that he didn't stand up to take much punishment.

[SPECIAL TELEGRAPH TO THE DISPATCH]
New Orleans, July 8. The great battle for the championship of the world, $20,000, and the championship belt, between John L. Sullivan and Jake Kilrain, was fought to-day near  Richburg, Marion county, Miss., and was won by Sullivan in 75 rounds, occupying two hours and five minutes, the sponge being thrown up for Kilrain at the end of that time.

The battle was the hardest ever fought between big men in this country, but from start to finish Sullivan had decidedly the best of it. Kilrain did not prove to be the wonderful wrestler represented, for Sullivan threw him as often as he was thrown, and with far greater severity.

The day was intensely hot, and this added to the punishment of the men.

The Referee Honest but Not Posted.

John Fitzpatrick, of New Orleans, was the referee. He is an honest man, but he is not fully posted on the rules of the London prize ring, and he exercised great leniency toward Kilrain, who went down repeatedly without a blow in the most deliberate manner. He equalized matters somewhat, however, by twice overlooking fouls of Sullivan, who once sat down on Kilrain's breast, and another time jumped on him with both knees.

The train conveying the $15 ticket bearers arrived at Richburg at 8 o'clock, and the drivers of the engine had hardly ceased revolving when a thousand men, each bearing a camp stool under his arm, were tearing pell mell through the pine trees in the direction of the ring, which was spread some half a mile back from the railroad track on the top of a little knoll.

Not Enough Room for the People.

It was a beautiful bit of ground, but the three-sided amphitheater, with seats ranging tier above tier, was piled to overflowing in a moment, and the question was at once asked: "What will become of the thousands on the second and third trains?" There was hardly sufficient accommodation for those in the first train, and after rustling about for some few minutes and indulging in some lively language, they all settled down and awaited the coming of their less fortunate brethren.

The ring was of the regulation size, 24 feet square, and the eight pine posts, driven many feet into the ground, were encircled by a double row of the finest inch-and-an-eighth manilla rope. The ground in the inclosure was hard and level, covered here and there with a sparse crop of grass.

A Regulation Southern Summer Day.

The sun, which had not shown his face during the early hours or the morning, burst forth with great fury at 8:15, and umbrellas were at a premium, hats were removed in a jiffy, and handkerchiefs were
bound about necks.

Two cameras were planted on stands on the western side of the ring, and two expert photographers manipulated the machines to catch the men in their different positions as the fight progressed. Sullivan was seconded by Muldoon and Mike Cleary. Tom Costello was his time keeper and Phil Lynch his umpire. He had a half dozen bottle holders and admirers in his corner, chief of whom was Joe Coburn. Kilrain was seconded by Charley Mitchell and Mike Donovan. Burt Masterman was his time keeper and Denny Butler was his umpire.  Mitchell did not want to fight in Mississippi for fear of arrest, but he finally concluded to act as Jake's second.

Sullivan Chooses the Referee.

Very little trouble was experienced in getting a referee. The Kilrain party won the choice of corners, and after some dispute, they agreed to Sullivan's choice for referee.

The first round was short and sweet. Sullivan led with his left fist, but missed. Kilain rushed in under his arm, caught him around the neck, twisted him over his hip, and flung him to the ground.

In the second round there was some sharp hitting. Early in the round the men clinched and struggled for the fall. Sullivan was able to push Jake off. After a sharp exchange of hits, Sullivan grappled Jake and threw him right hard, and rolled him over and over after he touched the ground.

In the third round Kilrain three times struck Sullivan below the belt, in a hand-to-hand rally, hut no claim of foul was made. By and by Kilrain began

Going Down Without Blows

and then Sullivan claimed the fouls time and again, but the claims were ignored, as were the two he committed. Kilrain spiked Sullivan's feet in an awful manner, and trotted away and around him in a very provoking way. The only real decent thing he did was to refrain from striking Sullivan during one of the rounds in which the big fellow was sick at the stomach.

Jake was awfully punished around the body. In fact, he took enough of punishment to satisfy a dozen men. Kilrain was terribly beaten toward the latter end of the seventy-fifth round, when Charley Mitchell went over to Sullivan's corner and asked him what he would give Jake if he would give in. "Not a cent," was Sullivan's answer. "Let the ____ sucker get up and fight"

Mitchell went back, and then Donovan threw up the sponge in token of defeat.  The instant he did Sullivan was surrounded by hundreds of cheering friends. He broke away from them, and wanted to fight Charley Mitchell then and there, but was prevented from striking Mitchell by Charley Johnson and Mike Cleary. Sullivan almost struck Cleary in his efforts to free himself from his grasp.

The whole party returned to New Orleans by special trains.