Frank Slavin, Klon
diker, Famous Prize
fighter in His Days
The Ring, a sporting publication of
London, recently contained an article
about the lighting career of Frank F.
Slavin, a pioneer of the Klondike, and
well known to many old-timers of that
district and other parts of the North.
The article follows:
It seems that, boxers now adays
haven’t the picturesque aspect that
characterized the old-timers. Times
have changed. The old days had
strange ways.
Take Frank Slavin, for one. lie was
a roarner, a wanderer. He fought be
cause lie loved fighting and because it
was the easiest way he knew to make
a living. This husky Australian made
his American debut in Madisoi Square
Garden in 1891, sparring with Charley
Mitchell.
A couple of months later, on June IT,
he appeared in his first fight here.
He didn’t pick out a sucker, eith
As a matter of fact his opponent was
Jake Kilrain.
Slavin was dubbed the "Sydt... u
stalk,” for he was born in Sy N.
S. YV., and resembled a cor: i :• ;n
general appearance.
He was pretty generally re d
as the heavyweight champion <.t Kn;
land at the time. He bad wo i the
title in 188b, though officially it never
was bis.
It happened something like this
Slavin had landed in England that
year, after having cleaned up every
thing in his native land from the time
he had started fighting in 1 ’84. He
fought a bout in London with Bill
Good and had knocked him out in five
rounds. He did the same thing to
Frank Young in one round.
This made him eligible for a crack
at the heavyweight title, then held by
Jem Smith. In those days the boys
Itnight it out with bare knuckles under
London prize ring rules. This bout ;
was staged in Bruges, Belgium, on 1
December 29, 1889.
Smith was a heavy favorite. He was
backed'by the fans almost to a man, so
imagine their.consternation when they !
saw Slavin winning by a mile!
There was a fellow of the name of
Jem Garney, who had sunk his bank
roll on Smith, and when lie saw the
way events were going he signaled toj
some of his henchmen, and they jumped
1ftto the ling in the fourteenth round !
and started a free-for-all fight. In the
melee Slavin was roughly handled.
Machine, Black
smith and
Sheet Metal Work
All Kinds of Repairs
Stoves Built
and Repaired
Robt. E. Lowrie
Tokotna, Alaska
Among other things someone “crashed’’
him with a pair of “knuckles.’’
The oflicials weren’t taking any
chances, so they called the bout a
draw. The verdict caused a good deal
of adverse comment, and the sporting
public conceded the title to Slav in.
But he couldn’t override the oflicial
decision, though he did collect his end
| of the $5,000 purse.
Be had a couple of more lights, and
when he landed here he was ripe for a
hard battle.
Slavin was a hard hitter. Id had a
crushing right hand that played havoc
with his opponents, hie/ air Kilrain
met in the afternoon at th< Granite
Athletic Club in Hoboken. The club
I house was jammed with fans, and they
I were treated to a rare scrap.
Slavin outpunched Kilrain ar.d had
the better ol the light in the lb.-., eight
rounds. Kilrain took terrih punish
ment, but came back gamely round
after round for more.
But in the ninth Kilrain was finished.
Slavin sent in a right to the face that
staggered Kilrain. Jake wobbled and
almost fell, yet came on agait . endeav
I tiring to land Mow himself, although
| he was nearly blinded. Slay shot a
1 right to the wind that double Kilrain
up and sent him floundering Mi uly.
Slavin stared at Jake when ■ drain
failed to go down.
Kilrain w a - one of that typ that re
fused to believe lie was dt ■> ted so
long as he could stanu on his he .
Slavin determined to end th thing
then and there, and swung a terrific
right into Kilrain’s rios. 11 blow
resounded through the hour- a id died
down as Kilrain toppled to the floor.
Jake was-out Mr 1 second- accord
ing to the timing of JohnKcln. Kil
lairj’.; seconds Muldoon am < learv.
dragged t teir man to his crimi' and
restored him to eousciousnes- Slavin
had made a great hit.
But he took on one job soon after this
that was a bit too much for him. He ;
was challenged by 1'eter i kson, and, 1
being a mau who didn't bel ve in the)
color line, Slavic accepted. The bout'
was staged in London on May JO, ISOfl,
and Jackson knocked Slav!:, out in ten i
game bat
’7 minute
era! bat
rounds.
Slavin fought a glorious!
tie against Jackson, but in
Jackson had mastered him.
The Australian fought
ties after this one. bio a »r he had.
lost to Jackson the smell of the resin
seeu.. .1 to have lost a lot e its attrac
tiveness When the. rush for gold in
the Kionoisu came, Slavic couldn’t re
sist the wanderlust in his v ans.
He was born in Sydney, N. S WM in
1802, and begau his riDg career when
he was 22 yea < ; age. Between then
and the tin . h fought Jem Smith he
had beater; lhi Kranan (his first
fight): Harm Late had knocked out
Tom Burke, the heavyweight cham
pion of Queenslai : defeated S. Burke,
of [lickingham: Professor liabbs, of
Brisbane; Ivo Id mi. and Tom Taylor,
and twice drew % ith "Buffalo” Cos
tello, and defeated ink Donley.
Among others, too, who faced Slavin
was Jack Burke, he who fought for
seven bouts with Andy Bowen at New
Orleans. Burke v .,t to Australia in
1888, and Burke and Slavic fought an
AH Kinds of
Rough Lisn jer
Tokotna [Delivet
‘I
John Heine
eight-round draw. This battle was
refereed by the Marqi s of Queensbury,
the man responsible for the modern
boxing rules.
PERSIFLAGE.
The only sure things of life are the
things that have already happened.
The world will sometimes take a man
on bluff, but. it is better to have a re
turn ticket.
It may he all righ; to follow the
crowd, but it’s a mighty poor way to
get to the front.
Of course, foresight is a good thing,
but it won’t keep a t an from being
stabbed in the back.
Any married man will tell you that
a woman doesn’t have to get on the
scales to have her owt way.
Accepting gratuitous advice proves
that the fellow who gt t- something for
nothing must pay dearly for it.
You never can tell. The woman who
is talked about is apt to be almost as
unhappy as the woman who isn’t.
it is doubtful if there is any simi
lari tv between a fait weather friend
ami the one who makes hay while the
sun shines.
•‘Honesty is the best policy,’’ quoted !
the VY ■ tiny. “Yes. but you’ve got to 1
keep vo ;r premium paid up,” added 1
the Simple Mug.
The Cynical Bachclo, observes that
inasmuch as inarriagt is a tie, it seems
quite natural that a matrimonial alli
ance should have a string to it.
Seer tea ry of Agriculture Wallace,
during his recent vi- t to Fait h nks,
almost missed speaking on one occasion
by his intense desire to visit all the
farms possible. In these visits he evi
dently was impressed with the fact that
too many Alaska farmers art bach j
elors. as he said: “Bovs. I trie d farm- j
ing alone for a year, but at the end of;
that time 1 got a wife. Take my ad-;
vice and don’t try it, singl handed.”
Notice..
'Having been appointed adminis
trator of the Alaska estate of Jacob VV.
Schnairla, who died July 10. Ktl’d, at
Clinton, Mich., notice is hereby given
ro a . persons to presets any claims
again.-: said estate within - x months
of this notice.
Kit WARD SCHNKiRLA,
Admit i-t rat or,
Opt;ir Alaska.
McGrath, Alaska
Provisions M: l/'r.v:;
Indian Mitts, Moccasins and sees
Furs Bought and Sold jWhite F; ; and Dog Feed
Dog Harness Collars Sle! Icc’.-it;,, Tank Heaters
'^rn<s '•af
3 S\
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DIRECT SERVICE
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Via Inside Passasre
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for the Kuskokwim. Send i i \ our ( tiers.
For Hates and Accoinmi*.!a!;- as apply •< ■
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