THE KILRAIN-GODFREY FIGHT.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 43, 23 May 1891, Page 2

THE KILRAIN-GODFREY FIGHT.

(From the Sporting Life.}

A cablegram from New York states that a fight was brought off at the Californian Athletic Club, San Francisco, on March 13, between the well-known heavy-weight pugilist, Jake Kilrain, and the negro, Godfrey. Both men were in first-class condition. Kilrain, who weighed ; 1921 b., had Muldoon and Jem Hall, for his seconds. Godfrey, who weighed 1741 b., was seconded by Jackson and Frank Steele. The battle was remarkably well contested, and in the result Kilrain was declared the victor at the end of the 43rd round. At the opening of the fight Godfrey forced the pace, acting entirely on the aggressive, and bustling his man considerably. Kilrain, on the other hand, dodged very cleverly, hitting home some heavy body blows. Occasionally these had their effect, and after the first two rounds Godfrey became more wary, and the two successive rounds were fought very cleverly on both sides, the science displayed by the men being of no mean order. From the sixth to the tenth round Kilrain took a decided lead, battering Godfrey to a terrific extent, and driving him all round the ring, the negro clinching repeatedly in order to avoid the heavy punishment. In the 1 Sth round Godfrey rallied, and once more assumed the aggressive with vigour, but he failed to take full advantage of his chances, and Kilrain, by clever dodging, and hard, longreaching blows, kept his opponent off, invariably clinching at the critical moment of every round, raining his blows freely all the time upon the neck, face, and chest of his opponent. Godfrey came up smilingly for the commencement of each round, and surprised all the spectators by the way he stood his heavy punishment. After the 25th round Kilrain tried to finish the battle, using both hands with sledgehammer force upon the eye, jaw, and neck of his opponent. Godfrey, however, continued to land, and came up for the 36th round to receive a continuation of the hammering. In this round Kilrain threw Godfrey, and a foul was claimed, which, however, the umpire would not allow. Later on Kilrain knocked the negro down with great force twice, and repeated the heavy doses of punishment up to the 43rd round, when Godfrey sank exhausted, and his seconds threw up the sponge.

The Sydney Bulletin says: “ Bob Ramage, the great Carbine jockey, has had a daughter born unto him. Had it been ajson and heir, in all probability it would have been called Carbine, but being a girl, it has been decided to call her Mary Mersey (Carbine’s dam) Ramage.’, 1 apakura Sports Handicaps.—Cup, 120yds. —T_ Buxton scr., R. Harrison 7yds, H. Wilson 7yds, R. 10yds, 0. Watkinson 10yds. 200yds—T. Buxton scr, R. Harrison 10yds, H. Wilson 10yds, R. Tomlinson 13yds, C. Watkinson 13yds. 400yds—T. Buxton scr., R. Harrisson scr., H. Wilson 20yds, R. Tomlinson 20yds, C. Watkinson 23yds. 150yds Handicap—R. Keenan scr., Harrison 12yds, H. Wilson 15yds, Tomlinson 15yds, G. Pollock 17yds, H.Absolum 17yds, W. Hogg 20yds. Walking match, 1 ■mile—R. Todd scr., D. Wilson 250yds, P. Lynch, 250yds. Steeplechase, 1 mile-—-W. Wilson scr., W. Brimner scr., 0. Watkinson 10yds We take the following from the Standard'. — “ In a billiard match, spot stroke barred, played in London yesterday, between Thomas Taylor and Hugh M’Neill, the former made a break of 1467. This is the largest break on record.” Such was the news flashed by cable on Saturday from England to the Sporting Standard. The hero of the above has been for many years a shining light in the English billiard world, and at one time in his career promised to see the top of the tree ; but, like many another bud in the English bed of roses, he suddenly stopped advancing, and since that time—now a matter of eight or nine years—he has simply been rated as a good third-class exponent of the “ game that is never learned.” He has gone under to John Roberts, jun., repeatedly with long starts, and has also fallen a victim to Peall, Cook, North, and Mitchell. But, for all that, the break recorded by cable is a phenomenal one.