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The Boxing Biographies

Newsletter Volume 9 – No 6 – 29 October , 2013

www.boxingbiographies.com

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Name: Jake Kilrain

Career Record: click

Alias: John Joseph Killian

Nationality: US American

Birthplace: Greenpoint, NY Born: 1859-02-09

Died: 1937-12-22

Age at Death: 78

Height: 5' 10?

Division: Heavyweight

By Jaret R. Morgan, bkbworld.com

Even the most die-hard bare-knuckle

boxing fan would be hard pressed to tell

you much about John Joseph Killian, better

known as Jake Kilrain. What they might

tell you would be "Jake Kilrain? He was

the last man beat by John L. Sullivan using

bare-knuckles for the championship of the

world". That would not do justice at all to

the man who almost became our first

modern champion on a hot day in

Mississippi, 1889.

Sullivan and Kilrain both were chased

around the country by authorities before

finally descending upon Richburg to do battle. Most people who boarded the train for the fight

didn't know exactly where they were headed either. Even before the fight started, the local sheriff

entered the ring to stop the fight. After being handed about $200, he stepped right back out!

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There is also a report that, contrary to popular belief, this fight technically was NOT bare-

knuckle, as the fighters wore skin-tight leather gloves. If this is the case, it only made things

worse since the leather would cut skin more easily than bare-knuckles.

There are conflicting stories about how the first round ended. Both say Kilrain rushed out and

landed the first solid punch of the match and that the round ended when a man threw his

opponent to the ground. In the third round, Sullivan very obviously landed a mean blow below

the waistline; despite cries of "Foul!" from the crowd, it was not called. In such an important

fight, it was unlikely that the referee, John Fitzpatrick, would be so strict. Kilrain responded by

violently throwing Sullivan down.

The fourth round would be the longest of the fight at about fifteen minutes and twenty-one

seconds. Kilrain moved in and out and around the giant champion, landing at will. Sullivan

reportedly growled, "Why don't you stop and fight, you bastard!" When Kilrain edged over to his

corner, Charlie Mitchell, his second, whispered something in his ear. Mitchell and Sullivan had

engaged in a fierce battle before and all through this fight, Mitchell taunted the champion.

Sullivan roared at him, "I wish I had you in here!" Eventually, Sullivan grabbed the elusive

Kilrain around the neck and threw him on his side, landing heavily on him. This would be called

a foul if intentional. Again, future mayor and current referee, Fitzpatrick, let the fight go on.

Kilrain had to be carried to his corner.

At the start of the fifth round, a red blotch seemed to appear below Kilrain's heart. This was a

bull's-eye for Sullivan, who pounded it with blows until it grew purple. Kilrain tried to throw

Sullivan but couldn't get a good hold of the man. They struggled until they both exhausted

themselves. Kilrain stepped back and bloodied Sullivan's nose, but a heavy punch to Kilrain's

neck flattened him.

Many feel that Kilrain ended the sixth round by going down on purpose in just a few seconds in

order to save himself. The seventh lasted a few minutes, with Sullivan constantly swearing at

Kilrain and throwing him again. The eight round ended with Sullivan clocking Kilrain on the

jaw. Kilrain had to be carried to his corner again.

The next few rounds featured Kilrain trying to grab hold of Sullivan's neck. At the end of the

eleventh, when he knocked Kilrain down yet again, he stepped over his fallen adversary and kicked him in the stomach!

Sullivan's handlers warned their man that Kilrain was using a strategy of hanging near the

corners so that if Sullivan missed with one of his crushing haymakers he would strike the ring

post. Sullivan continued to curse Kilrain and tried to hold himself in check near the corners.

Kilrain's seconds yelled to the referee in the seventeenth round that Sullivan had resin in his

hands. Fitzpatrick made the champion wash his hands. Sullivan then took out his anger on

Kilrain by brutally throwing him and then tried to follow up by burying his knee in Kilrain's

stomach, but missed. Kilrain again had to be carried to his corner.

The following rounds featured more of the same, with Sullivan throwing his opponent and then

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trying to follow it up by kicking his man while he

was down. At one point, he tried to sit on

Kilrain's head!

After Kilrain landed a solid blow to Sullivan's

stomach in the 44th round, Sullivan began to

vomit. This was likely to the whiskey-enhanced

tea that Sullivan was getting in his corner

between rounds (Kilrain was also getting plenty

of whiskey)! Kilrain would not press the attack

while his man was defenseless and offered a

draw. Sullivan became enraged, threw his

opponent, and stomped him when he was down.

The rest of the fight was a tribute to the strength

and endurance of these two warriors. As the

temperature climbed, their backs began to slightly

blister. The fact that they consumed whiskey

instead of water in their corners further stretches

the limits of comprehension when you hear that

the fight lasted two and a half hours! As the fight

progressed, one of Sullivan's eyes was completely

closed, but Kilrain couldn't press this advantage.

Both Kilrain and Sullivan were mindless zombies

at the end, barely able to make their bodies obey their commands. Kilrain's strength as a fighter

was his legendary endurance and heart…he just kept getting back up. The awesome power of

John L. Sullivan couldn't keep Kilrain down for good. As Sullivan barely got up from his corner

to start the 76th round, Kilrain's second, Mike Donovan, threw in the sponge.

Kilrain never forgave Donovan for this "…unauthorized act…" and felt that he could outlast the

champion. Donovan defended his actions, stating that the doctor at the fight insisted Kilrain

would die if this abuse continued.

Whatever the result, Kilrain deserves more than a passing reference in bare-knuckle history. He

stood up to the power of Sullivan and didn't back down. He may have been able to outlast the

champion, but thankfully, the fight was ended and he went on to live a full life with his family

and ended the latter half of his life in obscurity. He rarely talked about this fight outside his

family. He told his grandchildren great tales of this savage day and to the reporters…almost

nothing.

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Prescott's Pugilistic Production: The Sullivan-Kilrain Exhibition of 1909

By Ryan Flahive

On The 8th of July 1889, the most infamous boxing bout of the bare-knuckle age took place in

Richburg, Mississippi in front of 3,000 eager spectators. Fighting under the London Rules (bare-

knuckles) of boxing, John L. Sullivan and John "Jake" Kilrain entered the ring to fight one of the

bloodiest and longest fights in boxing history. Two hours and sixteen minutes later, after 75

rounds of animalistic combat, John L. Sullivan emerged as the undisputed "Champion of the

America", a title the great John L. had lost to Charley Mitchell in March of 1888. The famous

bout with Kilrain forever joined the two pugilists as partners, perhaps unintentionally, as the last

two great fighters of the bare-knuckle age.

John L. Sullivan was born to Irish immigrant parents in the Boston suburb of Roxbury on Oct 15,

1858. By his teens, Sullivan's fiery temper, solid physique and versatile athletic ability had

become apparent in various barroom battles, issuing the challenge that he "could lick any man in

the house." By the age of 18, Sullivan was boxing in three to four round amateur bouts, and in

1877 got his break by knocking out Tom Scannel, a professional heavyweight, at the Dudley

Street Opera House in Boston. Sullivan never looked back.

By the time Sullivan met Kilrain in Mississippi in 1889, he had successfully fought over 100

professional bouts and uncountable non-registered fights. Sullivan first captured the

Heavyweight Championship of the World by defeating fellow Irishman Paddy Ryan in 1882 in

Mississippi City, Mississippi. After successfully defending his title in America, the United

Kingdom, France, and Canada over the next six years, Sullivan became a household name and

the first true American sports celebrity. After the famed fight with Jake Kilrain in 1889, the last

bare-knuckle match of the age, Sullivan's name became immortal.

After the 75 round skirmish with Kilrain in Mississippi, Sullivan took three years off from

competitive boxing and toured as the hero in a play called 'Honest Hearts and Willing Hands' and

continued to box in friendly exhibitions. By this time, Sullivan's vices were catching up to him.

He had squandered the half-million dollars he had earned in the ring and was a chronic alcoholic.

Needing money, the fighter had to do what he did best, and returned to the ring to fight

professionally in 1892. Sullivan lost his title to Jim Corbett, his exhibition sparring partner, in

September of that year. Sullivan never fought competitively again. For the next several years, he

did some acting and fought in more exhibition bouts to pay the bills. In 1905, on tour, broke and

drinking heavily, Sullivan fought and defeated Jim McCormick in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Four

days later, in March of 1905, John L. Sullivan gave up drinking and began a life of celebrity

appearances and temperance advocacy. The great John L. Sullivan was the link between bare-

knuckle boxing and modern glove-boxing, and there is no dispute to the widespread knowledge

of his prowess and skills in the ring.

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In May of 1909, J.B. Kohl, manager of the Prescott Athletic Association, began corresponding

with Sullivan to arrange a boxing exhibition in Prescott between Sullivan and Kilrain, almost

twenty years after their 1889 brouhaha. The exhibition was to be used by the Athletic

Association to promote Prescott as a summer resort town, and Sullivan was to be a big draw for

visitors around the region. The two fifty-year-old fighters had been touring the southwest and

were staying in the Coronado Hotel in Los Angeles while Kohl and Sullivan were corresponding.

A series of Western Union telegrams located in the J.B.Kohl Collection in the Archives of

Sharlot Hall Museum states, "it would not pay me to make the jump less than six hundred dollars

and pay my own expenses only two days open May twenty fourth and fifth make the best offer

you can draw enormous crowds as we are doing everywhere John L. Sullivan."

By the morning of Sunday the 8th of May 1909, the two sides had completed negotiations to

bring the former champion Sullivan to Prescott, and the Prescott Journal Miner reported, "John

L. Sullivan is Coming to Prescott: Ex-Champion to Spar at Athletic Park Grounds." The

exhibition was scheduled to take place on the 24th and 25th of May, 1909. A week prior to the

planned bout in Prescott, Sullivan and Kilrain performed at the Coliseum in Phoenix during the

week of May 17th, drawing 2,000 people a night. Arrangements were made to run trains to

Prescott from Jerome, Crown King, Mayer and other points on the 23rd of May, the day before

the event. Initially, Kohl attempted to reserve the Elks Opera House for the event, however he

was unable to secure the Elks Opera House for the Sullivan-Kilrain exhibition and the exhibition

was rescheduled at Athletic Park. The stage was set for the Association's attempt to help Prescott

gain considerable notoriety as a resort town.

The program for the first night of the event was loaded with several different mediums of

entertainment other than boxing. A musical overture and illustrated song began the festivities

followed by an introduction by Frank Hall. Following the introduction came a motion picture, a

film of the six-round boxing bout between Jack McMahon and E.J. Happ from several weeks

past. This format repeated twice, interweaving music and boxing movies, Corbett vs. McCoy and Gans vs. Kid Herman. The second night of the event, a Corbett-Fitzsimmons fight film

substituted the Corbett-McCoy fight. After the Gans/Herman film two gentlemen named

McCredy and Hart held a wrestling match to rile the crowd followed again by an 'illustrated

song'. Next on the program came the 'Famous Monologue' by John L. Sullivan. The ex-champion

had been performing this monologue for several years following the McCormick fight of 1905

and had been performing drama since doing 'Honest Hearts and Willing Hands' following the

1889 Kilrain bout. After another musical selection, the last event on the program was a

scheduled three round exhibition between John L. Sullivan and John "Jake" Kilrain. The miner

reported about the exhibition, "Both are fat, fair and something over forty, and the crowd

enjoyed their turn"

The two nights of exhibition proved to be a success. The exposure of the event in the Miner

included the feelings of the 'old timers' who came out to see the "Boston Strong Boy". "There

were many followers of the game of hit and get-away present who could recall the day when the

last champion fighter of the world was in his prime, and they were pleased at the opportunity of

once more seeing the man that they still consider the greatest of his time, or any other, for that

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matter.

In retrospect, the 1909 exhibition of John L. Sullivan and Jake Kilrain was a major event in the

limited professional sports history of Prescott. The once isolated small town did not have

professional baseball, boxing, or other sports to entertain them. Instead, Prescottonians relied

upon, among other things, company baseball teams, rodeo events, and youth league sports to

entertain the sports minded in Prescott. Sullivan was elected into the International Boxing Hall of

Fame in 1990, supporting the lasting legacy of John L. Sullivan that is evident even in present

day boxing circles. Sullivan is still considered to be one of the best heavyweights ever, and his

vast celebrity and charismatic manner did much to advance the sport of boxing in America.

"There are no fighters, these days-they are boxers. So hail to John L, the last of the Mohicans,

the champion of fighters, if you please, if not of the boxers."

Jake Kilrain -

Facts Regarding the Man who Proposes

to Fight Sullivan

The coming fight is likely to be the last that will take place in the United States under the rules

of the London Prize Ring.

The fight for the pugilistic championship of the world between John L. Sullivan and Jake

Kilrain is probably the last that will ever take place in the United States under London prize ring

rules. The spirit of the age is against old fashioned fights, and if boxing is ever, winked at by the

authorities, as it is now in many places, it will be when the men's hands are incased in padded

boxing gloves. Even now many athletic clubs only permit boxing under their auspices when the

referee has the power to instantly scrap a contest, when it is seen that one of the boxers is so

inferior to the other that to prolong it would only be to subject the inferior man to useless

punishment.

There is no such consideration for the fighters in London rule fights. When a man who fights

under them enters a ring he knows that In it he must remain until he beats his antagonist or is

beaten by him. As part of my journalistic work I have reported in my time twenty-nine

executions and dozens of prize fights, and I never in my life saw a twenty-four foot ring built

that it did not in some way remind me of a scaffold.

The stakes of a ring are turned round and are about eight feet long and are sharpened to a point at

the bottom. The rules require that the ring be pitched on "a level piece of turf," and when this is

found one of the posts is driven about eighteen inches into the ground by repeated blows of a

heavy sledge hammer. This forms the corner post, and when all are properly driven, the four

corner posts are usually stiffened by

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guys. Then a rope is passed through holes bored In the stakes about two feet above the level of

the ground, until all are encircled by it. When it is drawn as taut as possible, it is securely

fastened and the operation is repeated near the top of the stakes, and when the top rope is

fastened the ring is complete The work is all done by volunteers who act under the direction of

some experienced man who is usually on old, retired veteran of the ring.

FINAL PREPARATIONS

While the ring is being built the pugilist. who are to figure in it usually receive their final

preparations in some neighboring house They are stripped to the buff and well rubbed down with

tonic mixtures of which alcohol always forms the basis. Most trainers require their men to wear a

strengthening plaster while fighting. This plaster is made of equal parts of Burgundy pitch and

beeswax, and is spread on a wide strip of soft sheepskin by the blade of a hot knife. The plaster

generally passes over the regions of the kidneys behind and laps over the bowels and stomach in

front. It is put on as tightly as possible and not only keeps the parts of the body It covers in a

glow, but is supposed to corset them as well.

The men wear tight fitting knee breeches, stockings and laced shoes, which have each three

spikes on their bottoms, which spikes must not be above three-eighths of an inch long, and are

for the purpose of preventing the feet from slipping. A silk handkerchief, called the "colors," is

tied around each man's waist as a belt.

THE FIGHT BEGUN.

When the referee has been chosen he takes his stand at one of the center stakes of the ring, with

the time keepers at his side. Then he orders the men and their seconds to shake hands as a token

that there is no enmity between them.

What a farce this will be in the present case, for each man hates the other with all his might . The

men and their seconds obey the mandate, advance to the "scratch" in the center of the ring and

shake "six hands

across." Each trio then returns to its corner. In a moment the referee asks, "Are you ready?" As

soon as an affirmative response has been received from each principal, he calls "Time!" Instantly

the men rise from then- chairs, advance to the center of the ring and put up their "guards." They

stand with their left feet extended, the balls only of their right feet touching the ground. Each man has his left arm about half extended, with its fist about on a level with his shoulder blade.

The right arm is held nearer and across the body, the thumb of the fist barely touching the left

breast, the forearm guarding the pit of the stomach. Each rnan works his arms back and forward

with piston like motion as he endeavors to find an opening in his opponent's guard which will

enable him to strike a blow. Sometimes this "fiddling," as it is technically called, is kept up for

several minutes, the men circling around each other like panthers eager to make a spring.

Suddenly they come together like a pair of game cocks and with lightning like rapidity each

showers blows on the other. If the "rally" is a sharp one the "thump," "thump," "thump" of their

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clenched fists can be heard for fifty feet. Sometimes the men temporarily separate . or "break

away," after a sharp exchange' of blows of this kind, and sometimes they clinch and struggle for

a fall.

In either event the spectators soon have an Opportunity to take stock of the injury done by each.

Sometimes a man will come out of a rally with a bleeding nose, a puffed eye, or a lump on his

face or ribs as big as a goose egg, and then the partisans of the other man cheer with delight.

Should either man be knocked down or thrown to the ground, or should both fall in a struggle,

the round is at an end. The seconds rush to their men, get them to their corners as speedily as

possible, and there sponge them off, stanch the flow of blood, should any be flowing, and in

every way in their power that is possible in thirty seconds repair all damages inflicted by their

principal's opponent and reinvigorate their man.

At the end of thirty seconds "time" is called again and another round begins, and the fight

continues until one or the other is either stretched senseless on the floor or is beaten so badly that

even his backer and seconds take pity on him and give up the fight in his behalf. In rare cases the

men fight so evenly that at the end it is found that neither can defeat the other. Oddly enough this

was the case with both Sullivan and Kilrain in then- last battles. Kilrain fought over three hours

with Jem Smith, the champion of England, and Sullivan fought fully as long with Charley

Mitchell In both cases, by mutual consent, the results were drawn battles.

PRIZE FIGHTERS ARE TOUGH.

Though prize fighters pound and hammer each other terribly it is but seldom that a man is killed

in the ring. This is due, first, to the fact that pugilists are commonly young, strong men, in the

very zenith of health, hence they are able to recover speedily from punishment which if inflicted

on ordinary men would entail serious and lasting effects. Then those who back fighters have no

desire to be apprehended by the law as aiders and abettors o£ manslaughter, and they usually

stop a fight before it becomes dangerous to life.

The fight between Sullivan and Kilrain is not likely to be a long one. As a rule fights between big

men rarely last over an hour, in the present case neither man, through insufficient training, is

likely to be in condition to stand a protracted straggle, especially as they are to fight within 200

miles of New Orleans in the very midst of a southern summer, with all that that implies. When Sulivan won the championship from Paddy Ryan at Mississippi City the thermometer indicated

90 degrees in the shade, though the date was the 9th of February. The torridity which will prevail

within 200 miles of New Orleans on the 8th of July is likely to enervate both men and to induce

them to reach a conclusion as speedily as possible. The great amount of the stakes - the largest

ever fought for - will be forgotten in the heat of battle, and, after all, a man can only do his best,

no matter what the prize for victory may be.

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JOHN JOSEPH KILLION.

Jake Kilrain's real name is John Joseph Killion. He was born in the United States, of Irish

parentage, about thirty-five years ago, though his friends claim that he is not over thirty. He

began his sporting career as an amateur oarsman on the waters around Boston, and gained

considerable celebrity as a very clever sculler. His first fistic encounter of note was with George

Godfrey, a celebrated colored boxer who recently met with defeat in San Francisco at the hands

of that other colored athlete, the Australian, Peter Jackson. Kilrain defeated Godfrey, and his

next opponent was old Jim Goode, a famous English boxer, who made a draw with him. Many

thought that he had the best of Charley Mitchell when they boxed in Boston, but Mitchell's

friends say that he had a sprained ankle at the time. This was also a draw. Jake fought a draw

with Mike Cleary, in New York, and the police stopped an encounter he had with Jack Burke.

Subsequently he defeated William Sheriff, an English fighter, who is called "the Prussian," on

account of his German appearance. He beat Frank Herald near Baltimore in one round and then

defeated Denny Kellegber. Then come his famous struggle with Jack Ashton at Ridgewood park,

on the outskirts of Brooklyn. Though he was awarded the victory by the referee many of the

spectators believe that the decision should have been a "draw." He defeated Joe Lannon after a

very hard fight. In addition to these encounters he has had a number of others with lesser lights

of the ring, while meeting "all comers" in sparring tours. He once met Sullivan in a four round

contest and the friends of the latter and also the referee of the occasion say that, he was defeated

by John L., but this Kilrain strenuously denies, saying that the bout was merely an exhibition

one.

Be this as it may, certain it is that Kilrain never held himself in Sullivan's class until after

Sullivan had broken his arm on Patsy Cardiff's hard head and had while crippled bantered him

and badgered him beyond endurance. Then the worm turned, and finding responsible backing he

accepted Kilrain's challenge. The big fellow was unable at the time to make it good, and then

Kilrain went to England, where he was matched to fight its champion, Jim Smith. They met in

Franco, and there is no doubt that Kilrain had the best of that encounter. The men fought until it

was dark, and then by solicitation Kilrain consented to a draw.

As a pugilist Kilrain has matured slowly but surely. At the out start of his career he was thought to lack that element of savagery which made Sullivan so terrible to his opponents. He has

improved with age, however, until now there is no doubt of his ability to cope, with a reasonable

hope of success, with any pugilist living. Kilrain is a married man with a wife and one child and

resides in Baltimore, where he is as greatly respected as any man of his calling can be. He is the

most popular American pugilist of any who ever visited England, and many of Sullivan's friends

claim that he is more English In his way than the cockneys themselves. Should he win this fight

it is not improbable that he will take up his permanent residence in England.

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Sullivan v Kilrain

John L.Sullivan swept into the full tide of his popularity after his decisive defeat of “Paddy”

Ryan.For the next five years he toured the country, meeting ambitious youngsters ostensibly for

"exhibitions" and demolishing them regularly with the terrible right hander which ranks

historically among such lethal instruments as the battleaxe of the Lion. Heart and the sleeping

potion of the Borgias, partaking of the nature of both. His offer of $1,000 to any one who would

knock him out was the standing joke of the time.

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Several fighters of promise and reputation were also matched against him, for if Sullivan met the

contemporary sporting demand as a hero he was not without enemies who would have liked

nothing quite so well as to see him beaten.

"Anything and anybody to whip Sullivan!" was the word in certain circles of the world of sport.

His failure to stop "Tug" Wilson in four rounds was a ray of light to this contingent. It expected

great things of Herbert A. Slade, the Maori. Its hopes were pinned again to "Paddy" Ryan in

1886, but Sullivan simply crushed his old antagonist. Its persistent assertions that the champion's

day had passed found some ground the following year, when Sullivan broke his left arm in the

fight with "Patsy" Cardif. Finally, in 1888, it took heart from the draw with "Charley" Mitchell.

Sullivan's prestige undoubtedly suffered a decided, if temporary, setback from this affair.

Mitchell was a skilful and a wary boxer. He met the champion for $5,000 and the title at

Chantilly, Prance, and dodged himself through thirty-nine rounds in safety, following "Tug"

"Wilson's tactics. The event was hailed as Sullivan's Waterloo." It was declared that he had

always been greatly overestimated and that he must fall before the next first class fighter to face

him. Here at last was the great John L. brought low. It needed but one more trial to remove him

from the honor. "Jake" Kilrain was chosen to do the removing. He had been importunate with

his challenges since the Cardiff fight, and Sullivan at length accepted him.

IT was a great day for such as love to count themselves wise beyond the run. It was this way,

they figured, Sullivan never had the courage to fight a mouse more rounds than he could count

upon his fingers and would be worthless if carried any distance, Kilrain was fast, clever and sure

to prolong the interview, being best at the fag end of a1 lone battle. Ergo, Kilrain must win,

greatly to the profit and satisfaction of the sapient. But other points of wisdom wore eagerly

whispered about the crannies of New Orleans, where the fight loving had gathered on July 7,

1889. The champion had been living well, altogether too well, it appeared. In training he had

seemed actually to be swathed in flabbiness. Moreover, that broken left arm had never properly

been tried out since the accident two years before. Again, time and place gave promise of in

tense heat, which could not fail to be irksome to the heavy Sullivan and sapping to his strength.

Still again, Kilrain had been trained by "Charley" Mitchell, who had stalled off the big fellow so

successfully. And last, Sullivan never did amount to much anyway. So there you were.

Of the reasons so laboriously collected by the knowing ones, the most attractive had to do with

the brevity of all of Sullivan's fights. It was an indisputable fact that up to the Mitchell sprinting

race at Chantilly no one had ever stayed more than nine rounds -with the champion. And it was

quite possible that if an opponent could manage to keep clear of that clubbed right until Sullivan

was blown and weary the greatest hitting fighter the ring has ever seen might henceforth be

powerless. It was possible because no one was In a position to prove the contrary.

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Meanwhile the great majority of boxing enthusiasts throughout the country, including most of

those fortunate enough to be on hand at New Orleans, held fast by their faith in John L. Sullivan.

They did not believe that the man to succeed him had yet appeared. If be had they were confident

that he did not exist in the person of the present claimant.

"Jake" Kilrain was born at Greenpoint, L. I, February 9,1859. He was of Irish parentage and his

real name was John Joseph Killion. Having begun his muscular training in a Boston rolling mill,

he first became known to the sporting public as a crack amateur oarsman. In 1883 he won the

junior single scull championship of America, and soon afterward turned to new worlds to

conquer. He had always been handy with his fists and began to attract attention when he made a

serious bid for fame by defeating "Joe" Lannon, a fighter of some note, for a rather vague title,

the championship of the East.

By the time Kilrain was ready to issue his series of challenges to Sullivan in 1887 he was known

as a hardy, courageous and really first class boxer. But before the defiance bore fruit he gained

still further in reputation by a venture to England. This was the first time since the days of “Jem”

Mace that the championship of England had been disputed by an aspirant to the world’s title.

Mace, with whose career the two honors ceased to be synonymous , had regained the greater in

1870,subsequently Relinquishing it here. since then the boxing game had fallen into evil repute

across the water until the national title was revived by “Jem” Smith, who defeated “Jack” Davis

in 1885.Kilrain challenged Smith and a match was made .After a terrific battle for $10,000 and

the championship of England a draw was declared on account of darkness,106 rounds having

been fought under the London prize ring rules.

KILRAIN IS HAILED

Kilrain’s stock went booming after this exploit. He made himself at least half a champion, and

that in the home of pugilism. When he entered the ring he would carry with him the equivalent of

the best claims England could make more than all else he had proved that he could keep going

for a battle of great length, that he possessed endurance as well as gameness. he was hailed as the

next logical opponent of Sullivan, and the champion who had not paid much attention to him

before, had to meet the demand. Their articles, which were shortly signed, called for a $10,000 a

side and the belt.

Two special trains filled with fight followers left New Orleans on the morning of July 8.

Elaborate preparations had been made by the authorities to prevent the meeting, and the militias

were stationed along the route of the Queen and Crescent system at every station. Even after

crossing the Mississippi troops were found in readiness, until the hamlet of Richburg was

reached, where the coast was conveniently clear. This point had been secretly selected some time

before. A twenty foot ring, with stakes five feet nine Inches in height, had been pitched on a bit

of hard, level turf. A second ring sixty feet square had been roped off for the privileged

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spectators, and beyond this, on three sides, tiers of seats had been erected. Some three thousand

persons were present, including many of the best known sporting men of the country.

At ten o'clock the fighters and their attendants approached the ring, "shying their castors" inside

the ropes in traditional style. Among those in Kilrain's corner were "Mike" Donovan and

"Charley" Mitchell, while Sullivan's advisers included "Billy" Muldoon and "Mike" Cleary.

"Bat" Masterson and "Tom" Costello were the timekeepers. After the usual wrangling Captain

John Fitzgerald was named as referee.

Kilrain won the toss and chose the east corner, giving Sullivan the sun. this was no small

consideration, For the day was cloudless, intensely bright and hot. What air was stirring failed

before preparations were complete and the breathless crowd sweltered on the grill in a

temperature that held prospect of suffering for the fighters. At stripping Kilrain stood forth in

black knee breeches, white stockings and black laced shoes; Sullivan in green breeches, white

stockings and black shoes.

Keen observers looked upon the stalwart figure of the challenger with approval, if without

conviction of superiority in any point, he was massively built upon a heavy frame, with a deep

chest and good reach, with bunched muscles that played and rippled softly under firm skin, his

legs were good, with trim lithe lines that promised speed .in height he was the equal of the

champion 5 foot 10 ½ , a sound clean, thoroughly trained fighting machine.

But the condition of Kilrain attracted only passing glances and scant attention when Sullivan

appeared in the buff .there was truth in the reports circulated among the knowing ones the

champion had been living at his ease, had but a few months before taken to himself much

padding for which he had no use now, as he made ready for battle, the wonderful Fighter

showed that he possessed one more remarkable faculty, that of getting back into shape. His

splendid physique

Was apparently untouched by excesses .his tremendous spread of shoulder, the phenomenal

development of his arm, back and upper body muscles, his marvelous biceps and solid loins had

the exact contour of perfection, with nothing added and nothing lost A great shout went up as the

crowd noted his visual reputation of rumour that would have had the champion advanced in fatty

degeneration .it was still the great John L. Sullivan they greeted, the invincible John L. The

champion responded to the applause with his customary grin, already hardened into the ferocious

fighting grimace which he had struck terror into the hearts of many opponents before a blow had

been struck. Kilrain also received a generous welcome and at the call of the referee the two men

stepped to the handclasp at the center.

14

THE BATTLE IS ON

The fight began with a rush, whether Kilrain had not yet conceded the wisdom of “Charley”

Mitchell’s teachings or whether he was so enwrapped in the notion of his own superiority that he

believed them superfluous , he had clearly decided to attempt a lead from the signal.. They faced

each other an instant watchfully, the next Kilrain leaped forward, feinting With his left at the

head, then diving in under Sullivan's guard to a close clinch. The champion was taken a trifle by

surprise and the challenger won a favorable hold, hurling Sullivan heavily to the ground fifteen

seconds from the call of time. The quick and clever move stirred great enthusiasm among

Kilrain's backers, and the champion was visibly chagrined as he sought his comer.

Both were up promptly for the second round and Sullivan, irritated by the sudden check,

slammed in hard with a thumping left swing to the ribs, charging right on into a clinch they

stamped and tore about the ring for a brief struggle, then went down with Sullivan on top. It was

the turn of the champions friends to cheer and the volume of sound indicated how the sympathy

of most of the spectators lay. The session had lasted but thirty seconds.

Kilrain was eager at the opening of the third round and rushed immediately through a rapid whirl

of fists, closing and catching Sullivan about the neck with a heave and a plunge of his driving

right Sullivan twisted away hammering a short chopping blow to the neck. Kilrain held after him

and in a fast exchange shot through a low left drive. To many of the watchers the blow looked

like a foul and a storm of hisses arose, but the referee shook his head and the men mixed it

fiercely . in the bustling mill that followed the swung and lunged rather wildly without damage

until Kilrain went down under a light tap to the neck.

By the time the challenger apparently thought better of his earlier plan to take the upper hand

from the start and he came to the mark for the fourth round in cautious attitude. the men joined

for the sparring which had been overlooked at the introduction, and there was some good play

for an opening. this was Kilrain’s opportunity to show what he was worth as a scientific boxer

.but his exhibition when viewed four years later in the light of Corbett handling of the same

situation was mediocre. he could feint and he could run in imitation of the tactics of “Tug”

Wilson and “Charley” Mitchell , but he could not better either of them as general. something

more than merely slippery moves was necessary to make head against the tremendous strength

and determination of Sullivan. Kilrain was to much under the influence of Sullivan’s own

methods to break cleanly with them and adopt the widely different course by which an

antagonist could meet the rushes of the champion.

After some rather ponderous maneuvering Sullivan feinting repeatedly with his right and both

wary. Kilrain let go a high swing and ducked into a clinch. The champion was ready for him this

time, tucked him fairly under his right arm, thrust his own hip back of the others and obtained a

perfect cross buttock hold. But Kilrain by a desperate effort wrenched free just as Sullivan

15

heaved and hopped away with a stinging right hook to the jaw. The champion went after him

hard and in several exchanges got his left lightly to the neck, pressing on in a slashing attack

until Kilrain went down to avoid punishment.

SULLIVAN IN ACTION

Sullivan opened the fifth round feinting left. Kilrain retreated hastily and when Sullivan followed

missed a lunge at the head. Sullivan let go one of his terrific right swings, but missed, and

Kilrain countering lightly to the neck, went down to save himself. In the next session after some

sparring and chasing on the part of the champion, Sullivan smashed his left swiftly to the jaw.

they clinched and fell heavily, Sullivan on top. Kilrain was carried to his corner by his seconds,

but Sullivan refused assistance. Kilrain’s friends were now anxiously expectant of some

demonstration on his part, and the challenger waded into the seventh round ready to give it to

them after some play he threw himself to a clinch and then fought out of it with clever short arm

work to the ribs,.drubbing Sullivan two for one and stopping Sullivan’s clumsy returns . Side

stepping a desperate drive, he swept back with a ripping right to the right ear, laying it open and

drawing first crimson before he went down to avoid trouble .it was a minute and a half round,

Kilrain’s all the way.

The champion bore his fearsome ogre grin as he rushed for the eighth round. Streaked with red

from the last blow, his bristling black hair on end and his lips drawn back savagely he presented

a terrifying spectacle. an effect of which he was fully aware .he came at Kilrain like a mad bull,

delivered his pounding left like a sledge hammer upon the others guard , broke it and drove a

merry dance Kilrain was hard put to it to avoid the raging danger and tripped a heart breaking

measure as Sullivan come on whirling out repeatedly with his left.

Kilrain finally made a plucky attempt to stand and Sullivan was on him like a cyclone, snapping

his guard again with the terrific, chopping left and hurtling through with one of his irresistible

right drives that caught Kilrain full on the mouth and sent him weaving and staggering to fall-

near the ropes. It was the first knockdown blow of the battle, after two minutes of fighting, and

was duly recorded to his credit, while the crowd went wild with yelling. This was what most of

them had come to see; this was Sullivan at his best, a terror of the ring, an offensive hitter such

as the game never knew before.

The severe lesson was not lost on Kilrain, and from this point on, except for rare flashes of

aggression, be fought the shiftiest way he knew, avoiding that terrible right as he would

destruction. In the next session, which lasted only thirty seconds, he did little but run around the

ring dropping to escape another charge. He came up for the tenth with a very serious face and

Immediately dodged away from the scratch before a blow was delivered. Sullivan, grinning

wrathfully, shouted after him. "Stand up and fight like a man. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a fighter”

16

The taunt and the jeers from the crowd brought the challenger back and Sullivan made a pass at

him, falling short- Kilrain countered fairly to the body, but his heart was not In the blow.

Sullivan sprang upon him as he began another retreat and they clinched against the ropes where

the champion worked a slashing right on the ribs. Kilrain finally planted a back heel and won the

fall, landing on top.

It was Sullivan to the fore again in the eleventh round, leading with a long drive to the chin

Kilrain met him with a tap to the neck and a vicious swing to the body, which he followed by

rushing into grips, he fought out of the clinch with a reaping slash to the ribs, but Sullivan had

his distance and clubbed right to the neck that sent Kilrain spinning.

THE MIGHTY BLOWS

Sullivan did some remarkably fast footwork pressing his advantage and getting in with a second

right swing to the same place .the challenger made desperate efforts to escape but Sullivan was

in full career and backed him around the circle with flailing arms until cornering Kilrain he was

again able to send his right forearm smashing through like a gigantic club to the side of the neck.

Kilrain was swept of his feet and showed signs of distress as he was borne to his corner. Sullivan

unhurt save for the cut on the ear, though a trifle winded, emphasized his readiness in

characteristic fashion by refusing to sit down in his corner and watching the frantic efforts of

Kilrain’s attendants with a mocking leer.

Kilrain bustled through a brief mix up in the twelfth session and tried to hug, but Sullivan fought

him off with a rocking smash to the side of the head .the challenger seemed to have a better

chance. The champion refused as long as possible and kept lashing out with his right, Kilrain

cleverly ducking the blows and pressing in until he succeeded in catching his hold. After a vain

attempt to score a fall he broke unexpectedly and reaped a snappy left to the head, then closed

again. They wrestled hard and went down together, Sullivan on top, with his left arm locked

about his man's throat.

That invaluable aid to Sullivan's peculiar tactics, his temper, was now at its customary long

leash, lending verisimilitude to his bogeyman make-up. He opened the thirteenth by jamming

through his right to the ribs, taking a light jolt to the body. In a rally Kilrain spiked Sullivan on

the foot. The sharp pain set Sullivan raging, and he was all over Kilrain to a mad rush,

hammering repeatedly to the chest arid ribs with straight driving smashes. Kilrain blocked fast

and- gave ground until, as Sullivan wrenched around and over with the spent force of futile

swing, he sprang into the opening with his best blow of the fight thus far, a crashing right swing

to the neck. The check was determined and staggered Sullivan for an instant. As he recovered

and came on again Kilrain met him in a hot rally and went to grass to save himself.

In the fourteenth round Sullivan forced the pace, Kilrain hitting him low on retreat and taking a

hard smash to the neck. When Kilrain clinched Sullivan slipped and went down under the ropes.

17

Kilrain began his sprinting again in the fifteenth, and Sullivan again called him to come and

fight. The challenger came up missed a pass at the stomach and took a thumper to the ribs. As

Sullivan tried again, driving a hard right Kilrain dodged and, rushing low, forced the champion

against the ropes, without damage Sullivan, regaining his balance, whirled with right and left at

his man, backing him into his corner and around again, while Kilrain continued to duck and run

away. "Why can't you fight like a man ?" was Sullivan's reiterated complaint, until Kilrain, came

back with a plucky rush, meeting left and right to ribs and jaw and fighting into a short arm

melee, where Sullivan so decisively mastered him that he fell to escape.

Kilrain opened the nest session by leading neatly to the ribs and skipping away, which moved

Sullivan to remark, "You fight just like Mitchell." After some slow sparring Kilrain slammed a

snappy one to the body and they mixed at half arm wildly. Kilrain broke away and retreated,

Sullivan rushing to a clinch and winning the fall. When the champion opened the seventeenth

with a feint Kilrain showed his respect by skipping clear across the ring. Sullivan followed and

they came to grips. Kilrain was able to lay Sullivan's right cheek open with a clever uppercut

before they fell together.

In the next round Kilrain hurriedly slipped down before a blow was struck, but a claim of foul

was disallowed. He threw himself to close quarters at opening the nineteenth and hugged

desperately, which led the champion to taunt him again. "You're no fighter, you're a wrestler,"

snarled Sullivan, whereat Kilrain broke and sent in a crashing right to the ribs. Sullivan flailed at

him with the right, but "Jake" was not there, and the champion, in a flare of anger, charged after

him, driving him around the ring. Kilrain went down under a grazing swing- to save himself.

The End Nearer.

For the next six rounds Kilrain was busy hopping around the ring and seeking grass at the first

opportunity, perfectly legitimate tactics under the rules after a blow had been struck, but not at

all to the liking of the crowd or of Sullivan, who thundered scorn and defiance. The heat was

terribly oppressive and the men blistered in the sun, but the champion showed no slackening.

Beyond some distress of wind -he had not suffered, while Kilrain was considerably battered and

appeared to lack his earlier spring. In the twenty sixth round he made a sudden spurt, checking

his usual retreat with a flashing parry and right drive that smacked hard to the body. The blow

stopped Sullivan's advance and Kilrain ran to grips, throwing Sullivan for a heavy fall, while his

backers, who had long been silent, cheered again.

Kilrain opened the next session well, jamming another jarring drive to the ribs and clinching.

The champion fought him off and launched a half circle that caught Kilrain at the back of the

neck as the challenger twisted away. Sullivan then swept a reaper to the ribs, took a light tap to

the head and cross-countered heavily to the neck, knocking Kilrain down.

For the next three rounds Kilrain got down as soon as possible, and in the following four he was

18

knocked down. He was putting up a great fight and a clever one, landing shrewdly and freely.

But no blow he could land seemed to bother Sullivan in the least, and the champion forced

consistently, boring and flailing without remission. In the thirty-fifth round Sullivan threw him,

and in the next knocked him down again.

In the thirty-seventh Kilrain sent a light tap to the head and ran away to the ropes. Instead of

pursuing Sullivan folded his arms at the scratch and waited, while the crowd jeered and hissed

Kilrain. This was rather unfair to the challenger, who was proving himself the gamest, most

courageous and skilful opponent Sullivan had ever faced. He came back under the taunts, jabbed

again and again skipped away. Sullivan still waited at the scratch, calling to him. until Kilrain

jumped into a clinch, drubbed John's ribs and was overborne in his own corner.

In the thirty-eighth session, which lasted four and a half minutes, Kilrain continued to retreat

until the referee, acting on repeated appeals from Sullivan, told the challenger that he must stand

up and fight. He had no authority to issue this command under the rules, and Kilrain. was plainly

within his rights.

Sullivan had no just grievance. If he could not catch his man the burden was on him. But Kilrain

showed his spirit again by acting as best he could on the order, in spite of the discouraging

hostility of the crowd. He fought into a clinch and went down. The tide continued Sullivan's way

for the next five rounds, claims of fouls on both sides being ignored.

Sullivan's stomach, his one weak spot, failed him in the forty-fifth round as the result of the heat

and terrific strain, and Kilrain would have spared him, as he appeared to be helpless. Kilrain

even offered to call the battle a draw. Sullivan's answer was an index to his ruthless, unyielding

nature. He sprang at Kilrain as they stood near the scratch and knocked him down with a

tremendous drive to the body, in the next session Kilrain led heavily to the neck and went down

under a rib searcher. A determined claim of foul was made here by Kilrain's attendants, who

declared that Sullivan had jumped on Kilrain as he lay helpless. Many in the crowd backed this

assertion, but the referee ordered the men to proceed.

The next round was very brief. In the forty-seventh Kilrain rallied again and planted a smashing

right to the stomach. But he lacked the strength to" follow up and Sullivan threw him easily.

From the forty-eighth to the sixty-seventh Kilrain continued to run and shift, getting down

whenever Sullivan reached him. In this period he and his friends pinned their lessening hopes to

the earlier belief that Sullivan could not last a wearing fight. But the belief faded and finally

disappeared as the struggle drew on. Sullivan was somewhat blown and weary, but his lead over

Kilrain increased steadily. While Kilrain still got through good blows occasionally they lacked

steam, and the champion was pounding steadily on with his drives and crushing clubbed swings.

In the sixty-eighth round Kilrain dodged away and Sullivan followed closely, hammering at the

ribs. Kilrain stood and Sullivan feinted. Kilrain was falling to save himself when Sullivan caught

19

him a staggering uppercut that lifted him away, to collapse helplessly. It was the final blow to

Kilrain's chances, but for seven more rounds he tottered and fumbled through the motions,

prolonging his brave effort to the utmost limit of endurance. When he went down under, a light

rap in the seventy fifth round he could do no more. Mitchell went over to the champion's corner

and once more proposed a draw. On Sullivan's scornful refusal "Mike" Donovan walked to the

centre and tossed up the sponge in spite of Kilrain's weak protests. The act was wise and met

with the approval of the crowd, which gave Sullivan an ovation to the extent of Its remaining

lung power. Thus ended the last championship fight with bare knuckles under the London Prize

Ring rules. It left John L. Sullivan champion, under those rules, an honor never wrested from

him.

The Helena Independent

2 August 1925

ON a little side street in the historic town of Quincy, Mass., lives one of the idols of the prize

ring, Jake Kilrain. Thirty-six years ago. John L. Sullivan, then heavyweight champion, defended

his title against Kilrain in one of the most remarkable fights in the annals of the fistic sport.

It was the last great American prize fight. For 75 rounds the two gladiators with bare knuckles

fought toe to toe. The bout was staged at Richbourg, Miss. At the close of the 75th round both

men staggered to their corners. It was doubtful if either would be able to answer the call for the

next round.

At the clang of the bell Sullivan got to his feet; as Kilrain was making a similar effort, his

seconds tossed the towel into the ring, acknowledging the defeat of their man. A number of years

ago John L. Sullivan took the final count from the Great Referee. Jake Kilrain, the man who

gave him his hardest fight, is still living and happy. He has only one regret; he wishes that he had

been born about 40 years later.

Recently, while working in Boston, I made the trip to Quincy to get some first hand information

from Kilrain, a close up of one of the most famous fighters that ever lived. Kilrain's entire career

is filled with glamour and romance that makes the life of our present-day champion, Jack

Dempsey, a very drab affair.

On inquiry I learned that Kilrain is now a night watchman for the Fore River Plant, which builds

battleships for the United States government. Realizing that a man who worked all night

wouldn't welcome an early caller, I make it a point to drop around to the little bungalow, where

Kilrain resides, late in the afternoon. I found him sitting on the front porch. He refers to it as

the piazza. He was busy playing with his two grandchildren when I introduced myself and made

known my mission.

"Glad to know you. Sit right down. Make yourself comfortable," was his greeting.

Old Jake said it as if he meant it and the grip of his hand made me positive of the fact. I know

20

now why Sullivan says Kilrain gave him his toughest battle. As he released my hand, I stretched

the fingers several times and after the numbness had disappeared, made a count of the digits and

was pleased to find the total of five.

Quincy, Mass., gave to our country John Quincy Adams, second president of the United States,

but the town folks of historic Quincy seem to take more pride out of the fact. that Jake Kilrain is

one of them.

Kilrain's great frame has lasted well but the legs that carried him through so many grueling

battles are beginning to fail him. "If I had a good pair of legs I could whip a lot of the dubs

that'

are getting big money nowadays for posing as fighters."

With the exception of a pair of cauliflower cars, Kilrain carries few scars to bear mute witness to

his many bare knuckle battles. His hair is thinned and white as snow His eyes are clear and there

is still a snap to them, a tribute to good living. His voice is husky but strong.

"How old are you, Mr. Kilrain?" I asked. Later I learned that he was more touchy on this point

than a cranky old maid. Getting no response, I remarked: "You must be all of 60."

"Thereabouts." It was a sort of a groan and made it evident that the grand old man of the prize

ring had no desire to discuss his age. From one of his old cronies I afterwards learned that he was

just 66 years of age.

“ Don’t over eat and live the outdoor life as much as possible” is Kilrain’s only prescription for

long life and good health. He practices what he preaches. He takes a daily hike regardless of the

weather. Mrs. Kilrain, looking far younger than her famous husband, usually accompanies him.

Around the home, his two grandchildren, Cecil and Jack, sons of Jake's son, William, are his

constant companions. , greatest sparring partners I ever had," said Kilrain. “ A round or two a

day with them keeps me fit. They never seem to tire”

Here's some inside stuff. No yarn would be complete with out it Kilrain’s real name is John

Joseph Killion. His parents did not approve of fighting and he adopted a somewhat similar name

to hide his identity. It stuck through his entire career.

21

The Helena Daily Independent

6 August 1925

EVERY sport celebrity has had some colorful happening in his career that stands out as his

greatest performance. The superlatives of sport are ever interesting. The greatest game of the

various major league pitching stars, the greatest play of the All-America football stars and the

greatest shot of the golf champions always carry a thrill.

It was only natural that I should ask Jake Kilrain what fight he regarded as the greatest of his

career. He hesitated some time before replying, as if going over the many high spots of his ring

record. "Three events in my fight career hold about an equal place for real thrills as far as I was

concerned.

"The first came when I engaged in the initial big test of my career, my bout with Joe Lannon.

The second was my 106-round fight with Jem Smith in France and the greatest of all, when I met

John L. Sullivan in our now historic battle of 75 rounds.

"I came from Baltimore to Boston to battle Lannon. It was rumored the bout would be stopped

by the police. I was told to stand at the corner of Charles and Beacon streets at 8 o'clock and that

a cab would come along and pick me up. In that same cab was Lannon.

"I had no idea where the bout was to be held. We rode a considerable distance and finally

stopped at a spot near Watertown, Mass. The audience was very exclusive, 11 men each

paid me $100 for my end of the purse. I won the bout in 10 rounds. That was the first big thrill of

my career.

"My meeting with Jem Smith in France was my second thrill. The purse was for $10,000, a

mighty big one in those days, 1887. "At that time I claimed the championship of the United

States. John L. Sullivan had broken a bone in one of his arms and was unable to accept my

challenge. I, in turn, claimed the title because of his refusal to meet me. That was more

or less customary then. Didn't mean much.

"Smith at the time was the European titleholder, so the match was billed as the championship of

the world with a $5,000 side bet, real money, too."It was a terrific battle, staged under most

unusual conditions, the bout being held in the open on a cold winter's day. At the end of the

106th round it was stopped by the referee, who declared it a draw.

"My bout with John L. Sullivan, then the champion, was of course the greatest battle of my

career from any angle that you consider it. Here I was meeting the world's greatest fighter for the

heavyweight championship and the fame and money that goes with such a title.

22

"This bout was staged at Richbourg, Miss., and was the last American prizefight. Shortly

afterwards the Marquis of Queensbury rules supplanted those of the London prize ring

code. "Sullivan won this bout when my seconds tossed the towel into the ring as the bell rang for

the 75th round. Both of us were very weak. Had my second not acknowledged defeat, there is no

telling what the result might have been. I will always think my chances were as good as

Sullivan's. "There you have the three big thrills of my career as a fighter."

15 April 1919

Fort Wayne News and Sentinel

A series of articles by James J Corbett

Concerning the career of Jake Kilrain

Jake Kilratn's rise to immortality as a ring man is traceable to the far gone day when a fellow millworker said — with insulting intent: "You big' country gawk!"

My own career can be said to have had its real beginning with that day in New Orleans when I

whipped Kilrain in a six round encounter. It was that fight that gave me prominence beyond the

confines of California and eventually paved the way for a meeting with the mighty Sullivan.

And so. like Kilrain. I feel a little sense of happiness over the fact that the mill man back in the

70’s took it upon himself to attempt insulting Kilrain. If he hadn't, the chances are that the

easygoing, quiet-mannered Kilrain never would have entered the professional prize ring — and I

might never have had a real chance to show what I could do against the world-famous

heavyweight.

Kilrain was born in Green port, N. Y., on February 9, 1859. Some years later his parents moved

to Somerville, Mass., a suburb of Boston. Grown beyond the knickerbockers stage of boyhood,

Kilrain got a job in a rolling mill in Somerville, and industriously set about learning his

trade. Kilrain, tall and angular, was a typical country boy in appearance. Those who knew him in

that era insist that ever since then when stage comedians want to rig themselves up as a real

old fashioned country boy, they use Jake Kilrain of the 70’s as their model.

Naturally. Kilrain became the mark for the practical jokes of some of his co-workers. But quiet

mannered Jake paid little attention to the majority of them. But Jake, who didn't mind the

kidding and the ridicule from all the others, resented that which came from one of the workers,

whose name, I believe, was Jack Daley. The latter had acquired a fair reputation as a boxer

in the Somerville district.

23

One day the bully, hoping to provoke a laugh at the expense of Kilrain, yelled at him across the

shop: "Oh. you big country gawk!". Anger flamed within Kilrain. He dropped his tools and

went over to Daley: "The next time you call me any names or try to play any jokes on me, I'm

going to whip you," exclaimed Kilrain.

The bully, who had doled out beatings to more than a dozen of the fellows in the shop and who

was always "spoiling" for a fight, leaped over at Kilrain and said: "Are you threatening me?"

“I’m telling you that if you insult me again I'm going to whip you.". And then things began to

happen. Daley — if that was the bully's name — swung at Kilrain's jaw but missed. Then

Jake took a swing and also missed. Then the two began to tear into each other, raining blows

upon the head and body.

Daley wasn't a skillful fighter yet he knew far more about ring tactics than the unschooled

Kilrain. But Daley's knowledge availed but little. Kilrain, furiously angry, seemed unmindful of

the hurts in Daley's blows and by the very savageness of his attacks, broke down Daley's guard

and within ten minutes had battered Daley to a point where the bystanders, in mercy to Daley,

stopped the fight.

Kilrain's victory over Daley made him the hero of the mill. Many of the workers who had been

forced to stand for Daley's tactics because they weren't big enough or lacked the courage to

resent them, lionized big Jake. But Kilrain, by whipping the pugilist had made an enemy and it

wasn't long afterward before Daley put into force a little program by which he hoped he would

avenge himself upon the big country boy from New York.

Part 2

About ten days after Jake whipped Jack Daley, the shop bully, a giant secured employment in his

department. Jem Driscoll was his name. he was a mountain of a man almost as sizeable as Jess

Willard today.

When Driscoll began work there the natural assumption was that he had come solely as a

workman. But the advent of Drisoll had been maneuvered by Daley. He was out to secure

revenge on Kilrain and he hoped that Driscoll was to be the medium. Driscoll all thought to be

unknown to Kilrain had acquired considerable reputation as a prize fighter and although he had

been figured in a dozen bouts or more up to that time, had never been whipped.

A few days after Driscoll took up work at the shop he made it his business – at Daley’s

instructions – to attempt to pick a quarrel with Kilrain. The big good natured country boy paid no

attention to him at first but from day to day Driscoll became more taunting and more abusive.

The inevitable happened, Kilrain flared up and a battle was on.

It was a rough and tumble fight with no quarter given — and none asked. The men stood toe to

toe slugging away without mercy. Kilrain, fighting coolly and calmly, fenced off the blows to his

plant antagonist, and gradually wore down Driscoll with a series of sledgehammer wallops. A

series of attacks upon Driscoll's stomach finally "shortened" the giant to Kilrain’s size, and then

24

Jake hurled through a succession of blows to the jaw which sent the huge Driscoll to the mat

unconscious— 20 minutes after the fight began.

Undiscouraged by the failure of Driscoll Daley, still socking revenge, imported another fighter

whose name was Dan Dwyer. Dwyer was there only two days before he succeeded in forcing

Kilrain into a fight. The battle was long and bloody. Dwyer put up even a better showing than

had the huge Driscoll. But the result was the same. Kilrain beat his foe almost to

unconsciousness and then when it seemed that a few more punches might work serious injury to

Dwyer the shop audience jumped in and stopped further hostilities.

Some weeks later Daley, maddened because two of his "tools" had been whipped by Kilrain,

scoured the district for another battler. He secured him in the person of Dennis Roach. But Daley

did not get Roach a job. He simply went among Kilrain's friends and told them that Roach was

the man that Kilrain was afraid to meet. Jake's friends at once retorted that there wasn't a man

alive that Kilrain wouldn't tackle.

Daley replied that he had money to bet that Kilrain wouldn't fight Roach. The friends of Jake

quickly accepted — to the delight of Daley. He figured that those boys would go to Kilrain and

that when they told Jake that they had bet that he would fight Roach that Jake, to save the bets of

his friends, wouldn’t back out.

And that is just what happened. Although Kilrain had no desire to fight Roach, there was nothing

left for him to do but to accept a match. Daley was in high glee. He had lost his bet that Kilrain

wouldn't fight, but he expected to clean up with wagers on Roach against Kilrain. On the night

before the fight was to take place Kilrain was taken sick and a doctor had to be called. The

physician ordered Jake to remain indoors for a week and not to indulge in any violent exercising.

But Kilrain feeling that if he failed to go through with the match that he would be termed a

coward ignored the advice and reported for battle at the appointed time. Roach was a battler of

the hurricane type and right at the outset attempted to rush Kilrain of his feet. Undoubtedly

he had been tipped off that Kilrain was sick and in no shape to stand up under an aggressive

attack. Roach aimed his volleys at Kilrain's stomach and succeeded in landing three times in

succession in the first round with fearful force.

But Kilrain, game to the core refused to quit. With the beginning of the second round Kilrain

caught Roach with a swinging right hander and closed one of his eyes. From then on the tide of

battle swept along in Kilrain's favor and in a few more rounds he so badly beaten Roach that his

friends rushed into the improvised ring and stopped the contest.

That ended Kilrain's fight career in the mill and Daley was "cured."

25

No 3

Any youngster who won the first four fights of his career — and all of them against men with

pugilistic ranking - undoubtedly would have made up his mind immediately to adopt a ring

career for his own. But Jake Kilrain wasn't at all impressed with his record and instead of

following pugilism through he went for rowing.

Kilrain was a lover from boyhood of athletics of all kind, he was a natural athlete. Huge of

frame, terrific strength and a marvel in endurance powers. Kilrain was bound to excel when a

demand was made for such physical qualities. And he did.

But Kilrain loved the water and was extremely fond of rowing. So in 1882 he entered the

amateur ranks of oar-men under, the name of Killion — one which used to hide his real identity

because he knew that as Jake Kilrain he would be barred at once from all amateur competition .

Jake quickly showed great natural oarsmanship and was invited to become member of a four

oared crew which was entered in a race to decide the amateur championship. The contest,

staged on Lake Caldron was a "runaway" victory for Jake's crew and from then on, while Kilrain

was a member, it successfully defended its title.

Kilrain then aimed for championship in the junior sculling division He entered the national

amateur regatta which was run in Newark. N J , and those who him , predicted that he

would have a walk away in the contest. But on the eve of the affair, the president of the National

Rowing association discovered that "Killion," the oarsman, and Jake Kilrain, the pugilist,

were one and the same. The fact that Kilrain had fought in a contest in which money had been

wagered stopped him as a professional in the eyes of the rowing association. So Kilrain was

barred from further competition in amateur rowing.

Being effaced from the amateur ranks in the rowing game did not discourage Kilrain operating

under his own name again he joined the professional ranks of oarsmen and quickly took rank

among the greatest scullers America He joined a four oared Hull crew which swept the Charles

river where all the great races of thirty or thirty five years ago were rowed.

The Hull quartet beat the great Middlesex four and followed with easy victories over the

Riverside and other crack crews. Kilrain’s squad entered the Union Boat club regatta on the

Charles river – the climax event of the year – and annexed first prize.

Through the summer of 1883 Kilrain by devoting all of his attention rowing won many prizes,

but not very much money. And money was the need. With the close of the rowing season of

1883, Kilrain decided that there wasn't much financial nourishment in the professional rowing

game and abandoned it

.

All through the summer friends, vitally interested in him, had tried to influence Jake to launch

upon a career as a professional pugilist. Kilrain didn’t have a great love for the fight game

26

and held off for a time But finally he succumbed.

Undoubtedly it was the success of John L. Sullivan through 1882 and 1883 that was the deciding

factor for Kilrain. When Jake quit fighting shop men in 1881, the pugilistic game wasn't regarded

as a very lucrative one. But with the advent of Sullivan as champion, boxing sprang into

immediate popularity and money began to pour in upon Sullivan and other fighters. Kilrian

noticed all this and when it was announced toward the fag end of 1883 that Sullivan already

had cleaned up more- than $100,000 Kilrain announced I am going to become a professional

End

Part 4

Jake Kilrain's advent as a professional pugilist outside of shop circles was made in the winter of

1883. Realizing that he was something of a novice as far as the scientific features of the game

were concerned, Kilrain embarked on his fighting career by accepting the job as assistant to Tom

McCarthy, boxing instructor at the Boston Crib Club.

Kilrain served very largely as a man punching bag during those early days. After the skillful

McCarthy drilled his students in the art of hitting, he would turn them loose on Kilrain.

Jake, as he confessed years afterwards, had to take some wallops in those that had an much sting

as some that were dealt out to him by John L, and others.

"But I never regretted being with the Boston Crib club” said Kilrain. "Working with. McCarthy

gave me a fine chance to learn some of the tricks of the trade. It was my first real education

in boxing. Earlier I had depended upon brute strength. McCarthy taught me the value of ring

trickery. Furthermore, that job provided me with a fairly good income and that was what I was

looking for at that time.' McCarthy took a great interest in the youthful Kilrain and predicted a

splendid future for him in the mitt wielding game. McCarthy spent many hours drilling Jake —

and his work was successful. Kilrain was an apt-pupil and learned much about science, although

Jake in later years reverted considerably to his natural style of “Knock em dead in a hurry”.

After McCarthy decided that Jake was about ready to go out and make a name for himself, he

arranged a fight for him with Harry Allen, a highly touted heavyweight of that time. The battle

was to have gone six rounds. Allen, confident of whipping Kilrain. rushed Jake with the first call

of time. Jake met him with a pile driver right to the stomach. That one punch practically finished

Jakes foe.

Allen doubled up and Jake pounced upon him and rained a volley of blows upon the head and

body of his antagonist. The referee was compelled to stop the fight to save Allen from serious

injury.

Kilrain's next foeman was a negro warrior who fought under the name of George Godfrey. This

individual was regarded as a "tough customer." He had achieved victories over some notable

fighters, and even Jake's staunchest supporters were a little skeptical about the outcome.

27

Godfrey was a fast, aggressive individual who possessed considerable science for that era of

pugilism. He attempted to hold off Kilrain with a series of jab's and with feinting tactics —

but it was useless. Kilrain was not to be denied. He bored in at Godfrey and landed powerful lefts

and rights with merciless precision.

The fury of Kilrain’s attack in the second round broke Godfrey’s, defense and transformed him

into a groggy bleeding battler. The end came in the third road when Kilrain walked over to him

at the beginning of the session and planted the old right hand wallop to the point of the chin.

With a record of six victories, via the knockout route, in six starts Jake Kilrain. took on Jim

Goode early 1884. The fight went six rounds and at its conclusion the referee ruled it a draw. But

the crowd rose up and shrieked “Robber”. Jake had won by the proverbial mile.

The showing of Kilrain by that time had been so exceptional, that boxing promoters outside of

the Massachusetts district began to sit up and take notice. It was just at that time when boxing

Clubs were coming into existence and promoters were on the lookout for drawing cards. Many of

them saw in Kilrain a real-fishier and one who would soon rank with the best in the country. So

offers began to pour in upon Kilrain from various sections of the country. And then began the

real career of Jake Kilrain.

Then he made a start that soon was to carry him to world-wide prominence and bring him riches

far beyond his earliest dreams.

No 5

Jake Kilrain made his debut in pugilistic "fast company" early in 1884 when he clashed with

Charlie Mitchell, the great English battler.

Prior to that time Jake had been fighting men who are classed as little more than third raters. But

his splendid showing against them convinced the sporting world that the country boy was

destined for higher things. They gave to Jake his first big chance against the Briton in a four

rounder in Boston on March 27. 1884.

Kilrain attempted his old rushing in and swinging away tactics on Mitchell. But he couldn't break

down the defense of the Englishman. Mitchell proved too clever for Kilrain and in a battle filled

with action from start to finish, the best Kilrain could get was a draw. But even such a verdict

was a distinct triumph for Jake. Kilrain's showing against the scientific Mitchell showed that he

is coming along with giant strides and in the none too distant future he will be a dangerous rival

of John L. Sullivan," predicted a writer the time.

Kilrain's next battle was against Mike Cleary in a battle in New York on June 26th. 1884 a

contest replete with sensational incidents. Cleary was one of the most terrific hitters in the

business. Neither man was really scientific. Each was of the bruising type. And when the crowd

28

gathered for the fistic clash it’s sentiment was that the "first man who gets home a real punch

wins.

Almost before the echo of the call for time had died away Kilrain, leaping at Cleary, drove a

savage right to the stomach. Cleary wobbled. Jake realizing the advantage he had gained,

followed quickly with a right hander to the jaw. Kilrain kept after Cleary all through the first and

had him reduced to a bleeding battered human wreck when the round ended. Only the superb

gameness and great stamina of Cleary carried him through the other three rounds.

It was Kilrain's fight all the way, but the referee Billy Edwards announced a draw while the

crowd, taking a look at the almost unmarked Kilrain and then at the staggering hulk that was

Cleary hissed, booed and shrieked robber.

Police prevented Kilrain from scoring via the knockout route over Jack Burke "The Irish Lad."

They met in a five rounder in Boston on Dec 1.1884 with all the physical advantages in favor of

Kilrain. Jake planned to crush Burke to the mat by the sheer fury of a first round attack and

practically succeeded. As the opening session ended, Burke was in a pitiful condition. It seemed

unlikely that he could weather another round of the Kilrain attack. But he wasn’t asked to. With

the end of the first round the police jumped into the ring. Their intent was to stop the fight. But

such a roar of displeasure went up from the assemblage that the police compromised by ruling

that all roughness must be eliminated.

The rest of the affair was ping pong entertainment. None but “love taps” were exchanged . The

referee at its conclusion called the match a draw ,probably upon orders from the police.

Immediately afterwards Kilrain proposed to Burke that they meet in a finish bout in some other

city "for any side bet you name.". But Burke realizing that in meeting Kilrain he was

overmatched refused, Kilrain's activities In 1885 embraced four battles. Three resulted in

knockout victories. He put William Sheriff, "The Prussian" to sleep in two rounds, knocked out

Jerry Murphy in the same number of rounds and battered John McGlynn into unconsciousness

in a four rounder in New Bedford, Mass. His other fight was a four round draw with George

Fryer, an English battler.

And then came 1886 the year during which Kilrain won every battle in decisive fashion,

established his greatness and paved the way to his championship match with Jim Smith and the

immortal John L.

No 6

Jake Kilrain took on six foemen in 1886 — and whipped them all. There wasn't anything

"flukey" about any of his triumphs. The powerful Kilrain, volleying each with a hail of blows,

broke through their guards with his vicious right hand drives and quickly reduced

each to a human wreck.

29

Jack Ashton, quite a noted fighter was the first of Kilrain's 1886 victims. Aided by speed and

cleverness he held off Kilrain through the early rounds, but Jake kept right after Ashton and early

in the fifth began reaching him with his heavy punches. The end came for Ashton in the eighth.

Kilrain's next opponent was Frank Herald, who bad been boosted into national prominence by

New York newspapermen. Herald was classed as a world beater. Kilrain spent half of the

first round of their fight in Baltimore in "feeling out" Herald. Concluding that Herald was

nothing but a false claim Jake walked in and sent a right hander crashing to the jaw. Herald

toppled insensible.

Failing to get any matches with ring men during the next few weeks, Kilrain accepted an offer

from a Philadelphia theatre . His job was to meet all comers. The condition was made that if any

man won a decision from Kilrain that he (Kilrain) would have to pay the winner $100 out of his

salary. That placed Kilrain in the position of betting $100 to nothing that he could whip any may

who tackled him.

The first man he faced was Joe Godfrey with quite a reputation as a ring man. Kilrain hit

Godfrey in the jaw in the second round. It was three hours before Godfrey returned to

consciousness and from that day on Godfrey, who had been moving with rapid strides in

pugilism , was "through. One Kilrain punch had finished a fighter who was touted by some as a

possible conqueror of John L.

Tom Kelly held off the Kilrain attack for three rounds. Then Kilrain reached him with his terrible

right and Kelly was carried away to his room in a state of coma. Two physicians worked over

him for two hours before they could restore him.

Denny Killeen elected to try conclusions with Jake. Denny was a husky individual and ranked as

a "tough 'un." Just how long he would have lasted if Kilrain had been allowed to tear loose

is a question. But before the fight Kilrain had been told by the promoters to "go easy." They

feared Kilrain would kill someone and stir up a nasty legal mess. So Kilrain treated Killeen

rather gently; that is, he didn't try to knock him out, but when the four rounds were over Killeen

was on the verge of collapse.

Kilrain had hoped for a long engagement at the theatre because the salary was liberal. But his job

lasted just one week. By that time his work against the men who had faced him had struck terror

into the hearts of every aspirant for the $100 prize. There being no one to fight him, Kilrain and

contract was terminated.

About a month later Kilrain succeeded in getting a fight with John Clow . It lasted four rounds

with Kilrain the winner. Along in February, 1887, friends of Joe Lannan opinioned that Kilrain

wasn't "such a much." The result was a fight between Lannan and Kilrain in Watertown, Mass,

on March 8th, 1887 Kilrain won after eleven rounds of furious fighting.

30

Kilrain’s performances, already widely heralded throughout the country , then began to attract

the attention of Richard Fox, a New York publisher, and sworn enemy of John L.Sullivan. If ever

a man disliked the great Boston champion that man was fox. He had scoured not only the United

States but the whole world to find a man who could take the measure of Sullivan .All his efforts

had been in vain.

Fox saw in Kilrain a man whom he figured could master the mighty Sullivan. So Fox, with

Kilrain's consent, challenged for a match, Sullivan paid no heed to the def at the time. His was

a sort of "go get a reputation" attitude .But Fox, through the newspapers, declared that Sullivan's

refusal to meet Kilrain was inspired by fear. Some hot broadsides were fired between Sullivan

and Fox through 1887 without anything definite being accomplished as far as match making was

concerned.

But the publicity given to Kilrain trickled into Europe and soon afterward Kilrain was challenged

to a finish battle for a $5,000 side bet by Jem Smith champion of England.

Part 7

In the summer of 1887 Jake Kilrain. became the technical heavyweight champion of America.

But no one in this country paid much attention to his claims and John L, continued to be

recognised as the king pin pugilist in the United States.

Kilrain's "title" was acquired in this way:

Through Richard K. Fox, his backer, Kilrain challenged John L. to a finish bout for the American

title, a $5,000 side bet and a diamond studded belt, emblematic of the championship. The belt

was a donation from Fox. To show the sincerity of Kilrain's challenge Fox posted $1,000 as

forfeit money. Sullivan was invited to do likewise. But John L. paid no attention to the

matter and, after waiting a certain length of time, Fox withdrew the $1,000 and proclaimed

through his paper that Sullivan had forfeited title and that Kilrain was the real heavyweight

champion of America. In an attempt to make Kilrain's claim all the stronger. Fox, through a

representative, presented the diamond belt to Kilrain in Baltimore with elaborate ceremonies.

The news that Kilrain had won the heavyweight title of America by forfeit travelled quickly to

England. Almost immediately afterwards came the challenge from Jem Smith, the English

titleholder, who had tried in various ways to lure John L. into battle in an effort to decide the

heavyweight supremacy of the world.

Fox was mightily pleased. Having implicit confidence in Kilrain's ability, he figured that Jake

would whip the Briton in decisive fashion and that by such a triumph, the American public

would reckon Kilrain superior to Sullivan. Fox, acting for Kilrain, accepted the Smith challenge

and posted the $5,000 side bet which Smith insisted upon.

31

Then, Fox, wishing to leave nothing undone to insure a Kilrain victory, placed Jake in the hands

of Charlie Mitchell and Charlie Rowell. It was the first time in his career that the great American

pugilist ever had the advantage of high class trainers. And in Mitchell he had one of the greatest

the world has ever produced. Mitchell knew every trick of the ring game and he succeeded in

teaching many of them to Kilrain, who, before that time, had resorted largely to brute power to

achieve ring victories.

Kilrain sailed for Europe late in the fall of 1887. His departure from these shores and his arrival

in England created a furore in ring circles. Interest in the match with Smith was at fever heat

on both continents. Kilrain and Smith met in their great battle on December 19 In Isle St. Pierre

France—a contest that went 106 rounds and ended rather oddly for a championship clash.

The American had it on his British rival in height, weight and reach — but Smith, excelled in

cleverness and ring trickery. He was one of the smartest fighters of the bygone days and

overcame the Kilrain advantage in bulk in the early rounds by out generaling the powerful Jake.

But eventually Kilrain got under way and after 30 rounds had been fought Smith was in a bad

way.

Then it was that Smith took advantage of the London prize ring rules thus saving himself from

annihilation In a fight Under Marquis of Queensbury rules, Kilrain undoubtedly would

have finished Smith in a short time because Smith would have been compelled to stand up and

take all Jake could hand him during the three minute sessions. But with bare knuckle rules

governing, Smith, after being battered by Kilrain in toe-to-toe fighting played a safe game. He

would flop to the turf every time Jake got him in a dangerous place. Then the round would end

and Smith would get a rest. Coming out for the next Smith would drop again as soon as Jake

touched him. In that way Smith prolonged the battle into 106 rounds and escaped a Knockout at

the hands of Kilrain.

Stories as to the wind-up of the contest differ. But the one which is included in Kilrain's record,

states that after 106 rounds had been fought darkness came on, the referee stopped hostilities

and ordered the fight to be renewed the next day, However, the next morning, after reporting at

the battle ground in ring toggery, Kilrain and Smith talked thing over, decided not to go ahead

with the fight and agreed to call it a draw.

The referee tried to influence the men to continue — but they ignored him. And so ended the

battle with a championship at stake — a finish disappointing throughout the fistic world.

No 8

About the time Jake battled 1006 rounds in France with Jem Smith, the English champion, 'John

L. Sullivan went to Europe and was accorded a tremendous reception upon his every public

appearance. Some of John L's enemies, insisted that Sullivan went to Europe merely because he

felt that Kilrain might attempt to "steal some of his popularity stuff."

32

Kilrain's matching with Smith was a tremendous boost for Jake. Many Britons had claimed

that John L. was afraid to tackle Smith. When Kilrain agreed to fight him it naturally boosted

Kilrain in public opinion.

Kilrains failure to earn more than a draw with Smith undoubtedly brought joy to Sullivan.

If Kilrain, then claimant of the technical championship of America had disposed of Smith in a

decisive fashion it certainly would have jolted the prestige of Sullivan. But when Jake secured

only a draw with Smith it meant a lost opportunity for Jake —and John L. retained his ranking

as the peerless American warrior.

While in England John L. ignored challenges from Smith, but when the 'European public

demanded that he display his prowess in a real fight Sullivan agreed to fight Charlie Mitchell.

Mitchell was much smaller and much lighter than Smith and although far faster and cleverer he

was not figured to be as good a match for the brawny Sullivan as would have been Smith.

But John passed up Smith and took on Mitchell — the same Mitchell he had whipped some years

earlier in it short glove contest in New York.

Sullivan, as will be remembered, was a top-heavy favorite in that battle, but the best he could get

was a draw. Mitchell knowing that weight and height and reach were against him resorted to

speed and strategy. Using his nimble legs he kept out of john L’s way round after round. He

thwarted every rushing attack of John L. by taking a light punch and then making it an excuse to

drop to the mat, thus ending the round.

After Kilrain had failed to whip Smith interviews were given out by Sullivan which were of a

rather derisive nature concerning Kilrain's ability. When Sullivan could gain nothing but a draw

over Mitchell it gave to Kilrain His chance to even up with Sullivan in the utterance of ridicule.

For many months afterward Kilrain, Richard K. Fox and other enemies of Sullivan

indulged in giving the "razz" to John L.. There was a certain purpose in that and Fox expressed it

when he said: "If we keep hounding Sullivan long enough and keep jeering at him long

enough we'll force him into a match." Fox was right.

The hammering of Sullivan through the summer and fall of 1888, to which was added public

clamor for a Sullivan - Kilrain fight with bare knuckles, finally had its result on December 7th,

1888, when John L. summoned the newspaper men to him and announced:

"I've felt all along that Kilrain was four-flushing in his challenges to me, I still think so.

I don't think he will fight me if he gets a chance. But I’m going to give him a chance now. If

Kilrain wants to take me on in a match for the championship I’ll oblige him providing he agrees

to a $20,000 side bet and deposits $5,000 in New York city to show good faith. If Kilrain is the

great fighter he thinks he is and if Fox thinks Kilrain is a world beater I guess those fellows

won’t worry about putting up any $20,000. It is Kilrain’s chance to win, not only the

championship in a clean and straight cut fashion, but $20,000 besides.”

33

Kilrain and Fox showed that they weren’t bluffing by immediately announcing afterward that the

Sullivan challenge would be accepted.

One month later , January 7th

1889, articles were signed in Toronto for the Sullivan-Kilrain fistic

encounter in Richburg, Miss. But the side bet of $20,000 originally insisted by Sullivan was

reduced to $10,000. And so there was only a $20,000 purse at stake when Sullivan and Kilrain

battled in the last bare knuckle championship contest ever fought on American soil

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT EDITION