Wrestling and Wrestlers: Biographical Sketches of Celebrated Athletes of the Northern Ring; to Which is Added Notes on Bull and Badger BaitingRobinson, Jacob
History
Wrestling and Wrestlers: Biographical Sketches of Celebrated Athletes of the Northern Ring; to Which is Added Notes on Bull and Badger Baiting
Robinson, Jacob
Wrestlers; Wrestling
A feud of long standing, it appears, had existed between William Litt and
Richardson. This feud no doubt gave a colour to various statements, and
places us on rather delicate ground in endeavouring to do justice to both
parties. Our object, however, is to speak of each man truthfully and
impartially--to let neither colour "the even tenor of our way." The couple
had met at several sports in West Cumberland; and on one occasion, when
drawn together, Richardson had succeeded in disposing of Litt. The latter,
however, was, as he termed it, in his "novitiate." No doubt the fall was
highly unpalatable to the loser, and at length resulted in a challenge
being given and accepted. The meeting ended unsatisfactorily. Both men drew
up to their posts at the appointed time, Litt shewing unmistakeable signs
of being "fresh i' drink." When requested to make ready for the contest, he
gave a point blank refusal, saying he "wad nowder strip nor russell!" Here
was an awkward fix! What was to be done? After a considerable amount of
"higgling" had been gone through, another match was made, for ten pounds a
side, to come off at the Green Dragon, Workington--Litt being backed by his
brother, a medical man of good standing. On the appointed day, Richardson
and his friends were on the ground to the minute. For some reason or
other, Litt did not put in an appearance. His brother--the doctor--went
into the ring, and held his watch till the full time specified in the
agreement had expired, and then very honourably handed the money over to
Richardson, saying: "I can give no reason why my brother has not fulfilled
the conditions of his engagement." In after years, when the bitterness of
old feuds was nearly, if not altogether worn out, Litt expressed regret
that he had treated Richardson's merits as a wrestler somewhat scurvily in
_Wrestliana_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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