Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 1 (of 3): Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-40, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863Miles, Henry Downes
History
Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 1 (of 3): Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-40, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863
Miles, Henry Downes
Boxing
In “Fistiana” (we know not on what authority), this battle is elevated
to the dignity of a regular affair, and indexed as “beat Baker, five
guineas, Enfield, October 12, 1801.” Possibly Mr. Dowling, who had
access to every source of information, and was quite another sort of
scribe from “the Historian,” found warrant for the stake and for his
chronology.
With the exception of one Shipley, who is represented as the “champion
of the Broadway” (Whitechapel), whom he met for a trifling sum in 1803,
we do not hear of Sam in the doings of the ring. Shipley is stated to
have been fourteen stone, “a scientific fighter, and to have beaten
every one hitherto opposed to him.” He laughed at the presumption of Sam
in offering to box with him—and treated the Jew in the most contemptuous
manner, by making Sam a present of five shillings to stand before him
for only ten minutes. The Jew pocketed the cash with the utmost _sang
froid_, and after a contest of fifteen minutes, Shipley experienced such
severe punishment that he was compelled to acknowledge the vast
superiority of the arm of this iron-like pugilist. Warren, an East End
boxer of some note, was also beaten, with ease, by Dutch Sam.
Despite “Harry Lee’s patronage,” obtained in 1801, the Hebrew
phenomenon’s entrance upon the regular stage seems to have been delayed
till Tuesday, the 7th of August, 1804, when he met the renowned “Pride
of Westminster,” Caleb Baldwin,[103] at Wood Green, near Hornsey, for a
stake of twenty-five guineas a-side. “On the Monday night it had been
resolved that Fairlop, in Essex, should be the battle-field, but late at
night the amateurs were informed that the ‘beaks’ of the county were up
and active to stop the fight. Accordingly a council was held, Wood
Green, near Muswell Hill, agreed upon, and towards there equestrians and
pedestrians made the best of their way. On their arrival a ring was
quickly formed; but owing to the delay occasioned by their being obliged
to change the scene of action, it was past one o’clock before the
combatants entered. Caleb first made his appearance, accompanied by
George Maddox and Bill Gibbons; Dutch Sam following with Wood the
coachman, the unsuccessful opponent of Bittoon, for his second, and Puss
as his bottle-holder; they immediately stripped and set-to. Odds two to
one in favour of Caleb.”
THE FIGHT.
Round 1.—A little sparring. Sam put in the first
blow with his left hand, but without effect;
Caleb returned with his right, and following it
up, put in a desperate left-handed hit over
Sam’s forehead, and brought him down. (Odds rose
three to one in favour of Caleb.)
2.—Sam shifted, but Caleb stuck to him manfully,
put in two well-aimed blows right and left, and
brought his opponent down the second time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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