John L. Sullivan |
I ran across an unusual sports-related story in an old
newspaper the other day that I think many of you will be interested in reading
about. The story involved an illegal prizefight that took place not far from our
neck of the woods in July 1889 – 125 years ago this month.
Area newspapers reported in July 1889 that a prizefight
between John L. Sullivan and Jake Kilrain took place on July 8, 1889 in
Richburg, Miss., which is about 170 miles west of Evergreen. The fight took
place despite the efforts of Mississippi Governor Robert Lowry, who tried to
prevent it from taking place. Newspapers reported that Sullivan won the fight
in the 76th round.
Sullivan and Kilrain are mostly forgotten today, but in 1889
they were prominent sports figures. Sullivan, a native of Roxbury, Mass., is
recognized as the first Heavyweight Champion of gloved boxing, and he was the
first American athlete to make more than $1 million. Kilrain, a native of
Greenpoint, N.Y., was a famous bare-knuckle boxer and was named the Heavyweight
Champion of the World in 1887 by the National Police Gazette. Sullivan took
exception to Kilrain’s claim to the world title and challenged him to a fight
in 1889.
From an historical standpoint, the July 8, 1889 boxing match
between Sullivan and Kilrain was a huge deal, in fact, the 1889
Sullivan-Kilrain fight is considered to be a major turning point in boxing
history. According to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, this bout was the
last world championship fight to be fought under the London Prize Ring Rules,
which makes it the last bare knuckle heavyweight title fight in the history of
boxing.
It also happened to be one of the first American sporting
events to get national press coverage, making papers across the country in the
days and weeks leading up to the fight, which was originally scheduled to take
place in New Orleans. However, Louisiana Gov. Francis T. Nicholls outlawed the
fight in his state, which led to it being held in Richburg, just outside of Hattiesburg.
Gov. Lowry outlawed the fight as well, but this didn’t keep
officials with the Queen & Crescent Railroad, who saw an opportunity to
make big bucks, from arranging for special trains to take spectators to the
fight. Reports estimate that 3,000 spectators rode special trains to the fight,
which began at 10:30 p.m.
The ensuing fight was nothing short of epic, and it should
be remembered that this was a bare-knuckle fight. In the 44th (that’s not a
typo) round, it looked like Kilrain had the upper hand when Sullivan began to
throw up in the ring, but Sullivan bounced back like a true champ. At the start
of the 76th round, Kilrain’s manager, Mike Donovan, threw in the towel
(actually it was a sponge) even through Kilrain didn’t want to give up. Donovan
said later he was afraid that Kilrain was going to die if the fight continued.
As soon as the illegal fight was over, Sullivan and Kilrain
fled the state with the help of local railroad officials, but their troubles
didn’t end here. According to a story on the front page of the July 19, 1889
edition of The Monroe Journal newspaper in Monroeville, Sullivan made it to
Nashville, Tenn. where Nashville’s Chief of Police arrested him. As it turns
out, Gov. Lowry had telegraphed the chief with an offer of a $1,000 reward
(about $26,000 in today’s dollars) for the arrest and delivery of Sullivan.
However, Sullivan was released on a writ of habeas corpus.
“All persons and corporations connected in any way with the
fight will be vigorously prosecuted,” the Monroe Journal reported. “The Queen
and Crescent Railroad is beginning to show fight, but the governor says they
will rue the day when they took legal advice and became parties to the late
slugging-match in Mississippi.”
I’m not sure how the ensuing legal troubles unfolded, but
after their boxing careers, Sullivan and Kilrain became good friends. Kilrain
outlived Sullivan, who died in 1918 at the age of 59 with less than $10 to his
name. Kilrain served as one of Sullivan’s pallbearers. Kilrain passed away at
the age of 78, three days before Christmas in 1937, almost 50 years after his
famous fight less than 200 miles from Evergreen.
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