TOM SAVERS,

NZ Truth, Issue 252, 23 April 1910, Page 8

TOM SAVERS,

•; .CHAMPION OF ENGLAND. 'His Life from the Best and Most -Authentic -ff-r ■'•' . ■'■• ■'■■ Sources. . ./.; . ■... < Battles,: Anecdotes,, Etc.— Last Ilßies& and' Ueatfr. (B"H'"PHU,G PUGaLISi"))

xxxir.

HISTORY OF THE (SHAMPIONSHiP (Continued.'),;

&— Heenan came up as if he intended to force the fighting. He led off vigorously, but Tom got well a>vay. The Boy,followed Mm closely, and at last got on Tom's mouth, drawing more of the/juice., Ho followed suit : oni the snuff-tray, with a fi^e result, and counter-hits ensued, m which each (Ud mischief, Heenan continued to bore m, and at last Tom, after getting a , little one on • .the back,, dropped laughing- ; 10. — Tom was vcry^ slow to the call of lame, and appeared to want nursing. It ,was evidently heavy work struggling 'against such superior metal. , He stood m the middle of the ring until Heenan went to hani, when slight' counteirhits were exchanged, after which they .closed. Heenan lifted Tom from the ground /and threw him heavily with the greatest ease. U.-rTom, again very much behindhand In coming, to, time,' and the friends, of Heenan' did not appear to be m much' hursy. When they did come up, Tom had to go to Heenan' s corner. After a dodge, or two, Tom got his right oh the good eye rather heavily, but it was not such a right-hander as of yore, and evidently gave him pain. Heenan returned on the chest, and Toon fell. jL2. — !'Time, time," neither top readyOn Sayers at last facing his man, Heenan caught him, but hot. very heavily, on the jaw, and dropped on the saving suit. ■ 13.-- Heenan, lirst to leave his second's fcnee, now went to Tom, and after a dodge or two, popped the left very straight oh Tom's nose, once more knocking vim clean off his legs. He turned round oa returning to bis corner, and looking to Mr Falkland, his umpire, exclaimed, ■■"That's ore for you, Fred." Offers were now made to lay 5 to 4 on-, Heenan; but the -takers seemed scarce. ; H.— Toni, very weak, came up cautiously find slowly,' his nose being large euaiigh-.for tvfo. Hainan, seeing Tom's state; tried to force the fighting, but Tom sot pieyoriy out of difficulty, Heenau followed him up, and popped a rattler ok the throat without a. return. He pzsMed, and then sent m a little one on the socni bottle, but Tom countered him well jum! atraigbt on the nose, duawing tfic crimson m profusion. Heenan, nothing daunted, let go his loft, and was; stopped. He then swung his right heavily on . tfhe jaiv. They got to close quarters, and some 'heavy in-fighting took place, m Which Tom was very busy. At length both wcTe down heavily, Heenan uiider. . ; IB. — Neither seemed m a- hurry to leayfe his second's Imee, , but Tom was slowest m answering the call. Heenan at once' went , to him, got the left well on the proboscis and -his right on the jaw 1 , and. down again fell/the Ghampion m a heap. 16.— Tom shook himself ixHw'ofccr, hut? : was iTsry cautious. -He sparred as it reQufrlng rest, until Heenan «ame m, -^hen sngftt exchanges took place, Tom getting it on'the nose, and Hcenani on the whistler,' but neither very heavy.. Heenan then" made a sudden dart, and planting heavily on Tom J s mouth, once more knocked Mm '■. sf£ his legs. (Loud cheers fpr Heenan.) > 17.— : Tom did not display many marksy Irom his repeated knock-tiown blows, but came up smiling, alt4n>ugh somewhat tiretl. Heenanis mug was decidedly the most' 'disfigured, being so muchi swelled. .. Heen-J

I an" took .the lead; but did' not get HeawUSjr on. He tried again with liis right,, but the blow passed over Tom's nob. Countei:hits followed on the. nose, m wfticn turn's delivery was most effective, but l'pnvw&s i down. • . . . f , ' 18.— Veiy slight exchanges, followed by , a heavy counter, m which Heenan's mouth came m for hot pepper, and Tom got it .slightly on the nose, and/ fell. 19.— Tom slow to time; Heenan.not m. a hurry. At last, on facing one another, Hcenan went m to a close, and 'throwing Tom, fell on him. 20.— Heenan followed Sayers, who wason the retreat, and after one ox two dodges, caught him on the jaw heavily with his ' right. He tried again, but Tom jumped back. Still he persevered, and heavy exchanges followed at close quarters, and both were m the end down at the topes. 21. — Sayers very slow,, which Hcenan ; seeing, dashed at him,, slung out Ms left on the nose,, and again floored the Champion. 23. — Tom seemed none the worse for this floorer, and it rather seemed to •do' him good, for he came fresher, which Heenan ; seeing, he retired to his corner. Tom followed and tried to deliver, but missed, and the Bemcia Boy dropped £m with , another straight one on the jaw. Heenan's left hand was now much puffed, and, did not seem. to leave such impressions as formerly. . i '23.— The time was very badfy kept on both sides, and there were now complaints that the Benicia Boy was allpwcd j a stool m the ring. An appeal was. made . to tJic referee, who at once ordered its removal, as contrary to the laws. Heenan rusiied at "Horn, who retreated, and got , one on the back. Tom then turned rountl , and missed his right. They closed, and. Tom pegged away merrily on the nose, and left cheefc, and m the end, both. down,, Tom under. Gne hour and eleven minutes had now elapsed. 2il— The Benicia Boy, first up, tried his left by a sudden dart, 1 but was stopped. ■ An attempt with the right just landed on the side of Tom's riui, and he felL (5 to 4 on Heenan still offered.) isu. 1 — Tom, weak, came up slow, but cheerful. He waited the attack, wmcii was not long m coming, and after getting a little one on the side of the head, Tom' popped his left very heavily on the snout, drawing more home-brewed. Heenan, .wild, rushed m and bored Tom down. 26.— Tom, fresher, came up gaily, and tried to lead off with his left, but the Boy stopped him prettily.. Another effort landed on, Heenan's good eye. Heenan' m return planted a rattier on Tom's <jaw with his right, which staggered him, and was all but a imocK-down. Tom soon shook himself together, whereupon the Boy let fly his left, but Tom was well away. Following 'up, the Boy got on Tom's chest, but not hEayily. Exchanges, Heen,an on the tato-trap., and Tom on the nose, a smasher, each drawing the cork. Heavy' counters followed with the left, and they broke away. The Boy. came again, and; got on Tom's nose heavily with his left, once more, staggering him. Twice after this did Tom stop Heenan's right, anil they closed. After some slight fibbing; Tom fell, Heenan hitting him when down. An appeal of foul was overruled, the blow being obwrasly accidental. 27,.— The Boy came up determined, and led- off, but Tom was away... A second attempt was equally unsuccessful, ■ and, ■as Tom turned his back to dash away, >tfoo Boy caught him on the neck, but not hejivsly. ■' Sharp exchanges followed Tom. on. tile left cheek and nose, and the Boy on the mouth. Heenan then went m and -tried his left, but was short, whereupon; he retired to his corner, had a .wipe, whetted his whistle, and then went to the middle of the ring. Tom joined 1 issue at once, and some heavy took place, each on the nose, .and Keeoan now tried to close, reaching after Tom to catch him round the neck. Tom- kept out of harm's way, but at lengtii the Boy bored* him down at % the ropes.. 28. — Both much fatigued", wanted all the ; time they could get. After some sparring Heeaan ran at Tom, who darted away. The Boy rapidly pursued, and they Rot together,, and m the fibbinc Tout was busy om Heenante good cheek,, while: he.'

caught it on the mouth. In the end Tom was down. 29.^-Tom still slow to time. The Boy iat once went to him, and got heavily ■■ on the top of his nut. Tom countered I with eTfect with his right on the left cheek," and then popped his left on the [proboscis. Heavy exchanges followed m Tom's favor, who met the Boy very ! straight and effectively on the nozzle, 'opening a fresh bin. A break away, followed by slight exchanges, led to a (harmless close, arid Tom slipped down. 30.— Heenan'.s other eye was now quiclcrly closing, and he had evidently no time ;to lose. He was strongest on liis legs, ; but his punishment was far.' more visible' ithan Tom's. He tried to lead off, but Tom met him neatly on the nose, turn- ■ ing on the red port. The Boy rushed at Tom,, and literally ran, over" and fell •on him. 31.— -After standing some time m his corner, Hcenan was fetched out? by-Tom, ; who bad now recovered a little. A short I spar was followed by another retreat, ( aiter which Tom went m and got a little 'un on the left cheek, but it lacked steam. More sparring, and Heenan again j retired. Tom stood and examined him jwith the eye of a connoisseur until he f came out, when good exchanges took place, Tom getting heavily on the mouth, jam! Heenan on the. nose. A break away ; more sparring for wind; Heenan again •• i. to his corner. On Tom goiiig at him,' ]he shing out bis left heavily 'on the inose, and prone once more fell the brave : Champion. , 32!.— Tom all alive, dodged, and caught f .the Boy on the" chin. He^ turned, to feitreat, and the Boy nailed him on the , .body, but . not heavily. Heenan then [tried rei>eatedly to draw Tom, but the I latter would not go into Heenan.'s cori ner. The Boy, therefore, had to go; jout, and some rapid bits and stops folilowed; without any apparent damage, ieach, however, got a, small tap on the ! mouth. Heenan having taken another I rest m his coiner, came out and got a ! hot one on lie left cheek for his paius, which all but shut up the oiiher eye. (This .brought on exchanges, each on the ! uiazzard, arid tliaii Heenan reached Tom's I nose. Heavy, determined cbiintev-deJiver-\ies on the nose ensued, .. after which i Heenan floored Tom by a right-hander on the cheek. The betting was now even, : Sayers for choice. It was obvious that, j strong as Heenan was, unless he could iniake a decided change,, he must m a. ■ very few minutes be blind/ : 33.— The Benicia Boy, feeling he.had no it>ime to lose, rushed m, but only just (reached Tom's chest. B.oth seemed fagged, they stood a few 1 seconds, and then ( 'went to close quarters, where Tom, as' was busy on the . Boy's fronsfcis:^iete, until he let Mm slip through .bis Uums-pri to the ground. 3d.— The Boy again tried to force the vjjhting, but. Tom got away. They then ; stood .anil, sparred until Heenan let fly *iis left, which did not reach its destination. <He .retired for counsel, and then ■<;ame at Tom and tried his right" at the ' foody, but without success. Steady cx- >. Ganges led to close and rapid nt-iight-ng, and both fell, Tom under. Heecan's «ye all but closed up. 35.— The Benicia Boy dashed viciously m, and caught Tom on the snout, but cue blow was without powder. Tom retreated from the vigorous onslaught. ; Huenan followed and got home on the iaw with bis right, still with uo effect. Tom now turned and ra», Hcenan after >im, when, on turning round, Tom napvijed one on the nose. He, however, landed another little pop on the good eyes. Sharp exchanges at close quarters ended ,5n the downfall ol Tom. Two hours bad now elapsed. •. <• ■ . . : (To be continued.) .