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MR. EDITOR:&endash; Allow me, through
the columns of your interesting jour-
nal, to reply to the letter of "Alleghany," concerning the
game of the Be-
nicia Boy. He says he is a friend of Heenan's, but don't
want to see Mor-
rissey underrated. He says the boy was whipped in twenty-two
minutes,
and asks what improvement has he shown since that time. Any
friend of
Heenan's must know that he displays much better science
since the fight
than before. He has certainly not been idle since that
event, and flying at
such game as he is after. He says that Morrissey has done
everything that
is honorable towards Heenan. Now this is false, and
"Alleghany" knows
it. What caused Morrissey to boast, in a saloon in Albany,
that he could
whip any man in the world, and Heenan in particular? Was
this in ac-
cordance with his former declarations&endash;never again to
appear in the ring as
a principal? It was done without any just cause or
provocation whatever
at the time. Heenan was astonished to hear such news as
this, but imme-
diately took up the bold defl. Morrissey answers this, and
agrees finally to
fight Heenan should he whip sayers. This was the only chance
of escape
for Morrissey, as he was aware the Boy was unable to carry
on both matches
at once. Heenan offers to waive his fight with Sayers, in
order to accom-
modate Morrissey, which he declines. Now, if that was not a
clean back
down, we cannot image what is. All the sporting journals of
the country
award the championship to Heenan, and this alone should
satisfy every-
body who is properly entitled to the office.
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All honorable men who witnessed the
fight at Long Point, should concede
one fact at least, that the Boy is dead game. Could any man
on earth do
more to satisfy his friends? Although advised and urged to
forfeit, he
strenuously refused, and entered the ring when he should
have been in bed.
Why did Morrissey not accept the $1,000 offered, to postpone
the fight
twenty days, in order to give the Boy a chance? Oh no, he
might get licked
should the Boy recover. Morrissey had him foul, and kept the
advantage.
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We have never yet seen anything to
show or convince us that Heenan is
not dead game. We feel perfectly satisfied that the coming
fight will con-
vince all who are in doubt on the point. He may possibly be
defeated,
but not disgraced for want of courage. Let him win or lose
with Sayers,
we want to see him and Morrissey fight once more, and both
men in good
condition. We know many men who won on Morrissey are now
ready to
back Heenan. We have no fears as to the result, should there
be a clear
stage and no favors.
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Yours truly,
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Sam
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