It is characteristic of all pugilists, and people connected in any way with what the newspaper fellows call “the sporting arena,” that they must always be worshipin’ somebody In their own pugilistic line, either ‘emselves, when they are in good condition and in the heyday of their glory, or else some other pugilistic champion, after they t’emselves are played out.
Marshall Rynders, a good amateur fighter, always worshiped Tom Sandford, the pugilist. Jake Somerindyke, himself a good ‘un with his fists, worshiped Tom Hyer. Bill Harrington likewise adored Hyer. Frank Speight, in his early days a pugilist, worshiped Secor, another pugilist, who fought Yankee Sullivan, and so on up to the present day.
The latest and perhaps most strikin’ example of how one pugilist worships another was given by poor Joe Goss, who has just handed in his checks.
Joe was “a good ‘un” in his day–one of the best. He sparred beautifully–beat Sullivan to nothin’ in the way of science. He lived here in New York a long while, and was very much liked. He was as generous as a prince, and never bore malice. He was treated real mean about that mill of his with Tom Allen, but never complained. Allen jumped his bail and fled, but Joe stayed here in New York, kept faith with his bondsmen, and was arrested and put in “the stone jug” for his pains.
A pluckier fighter never drew breath than Joe Goss. He never squealed, but took his punishment as if it was gruel. His stayin’ powers, too, were tremendous. The only thing he ever did to bring him into disrepute was that farce of a fight he had once with Jem Mace, for which he was always sorry afterwards.
But the main thing in Joe Goss’s recent career was his fondness for and adoration of John L. Sullivan. If ever one man worshiped another, and lived in and for another, Joe Goss worshiped and lived in and for John L. Sullivan.
I always thought that there must be a good deal in Sullivan, just on account of the high esteem Joe Goss held him in. Goss was no fool to throw away his worship.
Perhaps, as we always hate those we have injured, and love those we have helped, Goss may have taken a fancy to Sullivan because he was really the first to bring Sullivan into notice.
Sullivan and Goss had always liked each other from the first time they set eyes on each other–a kind of love at first sight, which is not as uncommon among men as it is among women for each other. Sullivan, too, was just beginning to get talked about when he first met Goss, but it was not till Joe Goss gave John L. Sullivan a prominent place and a first-rate chance, at his farewell benefit, that Sullivan got to be really famous. The Goss benefit was Sullivan’s big start.
Goss, at his benefit, sparred with Sullivan, and did all he could to bring out the good points in Sullivan’s style of fighting. John L. had the sense to take advantage of this good send-off, and played himself on that particular occasion for all he was worth. He probably did more scientific work at this Goss benefit than he has ever done since, or, unless he changes his course, will ever be likely to do again.
His good performance on this occasion set the pugilistic world a talkin’ about Sullivan, and from that date on his career was a success, and from that date on his warmest friend was Joe Goss. Sullivan was always on Joe’s tongue and in Joe’s heart. Nothin’, in Goss’s idea, was too good for Sullivan; nothin’ too good could be said or written of him.
If anyone wanted to get Goss mad, all that body had to do was to say a word in Joe’s hearing against Sullivan. That settled it. Joe would never forgive the slight to his idol. He ordered a man out of his house some time ago and told him never to put foot in it again, just because the man said that Sullivan was “an overrated bully,” or something of that sort. Mutual friends tried to settle matters amicably afterwards, but failed. If the man had said anything against Joe himself, Joe would have forgiven him readily enough, but to speak against John L. Sullivan was in Joe Goss’s eyes and ears to commit the unpardonable sin.
Joe, although averse to the trouble, absolutely took the trip to Mississippi City just to be Sullivan’s second in his fight with Ryan, and was “behind him” in several other of Sullivan’s big glove fights.
I do believe that he would have died for Sullivan, and now that he is dead and gone, we will see what John L. Sullivan will do (besides sending flowers to the funeral) for the widow of the man who worshiped him.
[Editor’s notes: The May 1866 fight between Jem Mace and Joe Goss last just one round (lasting an hour), in which both fighters threw so few punches that the referee stopped the fight and called it a draw. This is why the column refers to it as a “farce.”
There was no official heavyweight championship title when Goss was fighting, but he was recognized as the champion between 1876-1880, when he suffered a loss to Paddy Ryan.]
