A Secret Prize Fight in the Southern Woods
A small group of spectators gathered in a secluded nook to watch a 'scientific contest' between two local pugilists.
A small crowd of invited guests took their way in great secrecy last evening to a secluded nook in the southern part of the city, where impromptu arrangements had been made for a prizefight. It was a 'scientific contest' for points, with a $10 gold piece in the distance, and the principals were Ed Williams, the clever pugilist, and Paddy Meagher, who, according to the story, was looking for honors. In the second round, it is said, Meagher was fairly knocked about like a football in a basket ball game. About that round or in the next the question seemed to be how often Meagher could touch the floor. He was counted out, and thus ended a fight that was not a fake.
“Meagher was fairly knocked about like a football in a basket ball game.”
Prize fighting was often illegal or strictly regulated in the 1890s, forcing enthusiasts into the 'secluded nooks' of the city. This clandestine culture of underground sports persists in the modern era, though the venues have shifted from the woods to private gyms and digital spaces.
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