....It almost never fails. Whenever there's a world heavyweight championship fight, the phone here rings off the hook and on the other end is some fight fan who wants to know something about Joe Lewis, Rocky Marciano, Floyd Patterson etc.
....And the Ali-Coopman fight Friday night had the usual questions being phone in.
....However, there was one gentleman who really gave us a test. He said that All the hoopla over the Ali fight always proves interesting, but were we aware of a big championship fight held over in COLLIERS back in 1890?
....Much to the surprise of the gentleman I replied yes, I even gave him the date, the fighters and the other information he desired. I think he may still be in a state of shock.
....There's only one reason, though, I am familiar with the fight. A few years ago, while in Weirton, Ray Waldo, former Weir principal, gave me an old, old typewritten story about that fight in Colliers. Ray didn't remember where he got the article but felt I could use it more than him.
....Exercising our editorial prerogative, here is that story. Today, the community is known as Colliers, but we'll leave it the way if was in the story as COLLIER.
....The quiet little t own of Collier, West Virginia, was in the gay eighties, a sport center of no little importance. The bustling railroad and mining town was host to at least three major prize fights and numerous dog and chicken fights.
....Colliers as it is known today, is peaceful and quiet. The mine at the southern end of the town in the Village of Logrow is still in operation. The railroad locomotives take coal at the tipple, to Weirton Junction, leaving only a skeleton of the huge yards of former years.
....There were several reasons why Collier was chosen as a site for holding those activities, particularly boxing. Nestling among the West Virginia hills, in a sheltered valley, it had some good physical advantages.
....Then, the fact that the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad being here, furnished transportation facilities. In those years, traveling on a passenger train was not enjoyed by everyone, and many boxing enthusiast would make the trip by freight train on those special occasions.
....This mode of travel was simplified to a great extent because practically every freight stopped at the Collier mine for fuel and water, thus the danger of alighting from a swiftly moving train was greatly reduced.
....The general behavior of the crowds at these fights was not always the best. The last fight of importance held here ended in a free-for-all. The majority of the spectators were in unusually high spirits due to the frequent visits to the numerous whiskey barrels present on or near the grounds.
....After the fight was over, the fighting spirit manifested itself among the bystanders and rough and tumble affair ensued. Many of them fled in haste but it seems that no one was injured seriously.
....Business was good as a whole and money was rather plentiful. This was also an asset to be a successful boxing match. The promoters of the fight guaranteed the winner a certain sum but there was no provision made for the loser. It was a custom to take a collection from the audience and give it to the loser.
....Naturally, in a town where work was good, this purse was usually a very reasonable amount. The promoters had little trouble in contracting men to fight in Collier for they were sure of some money if they lost the bout.
....But undoubtedly, the main reason for the town's prominence along this line was the degree of safety from the law. Both Pennsylvania and West Virginia prohibited public boxing matches and for this reason it was impossible to hold a bout in a city of considerable size without incurring the risk of arrest.
....Collier is practically on the boundary line between the two states. If the Pennsylvania authorities came to make problems for the crowd, the participants would move a short distance over the line. The reverse would happen if the West Virginia police appeared.
....Deputy Donovan notified the participants of the illegality of the contest then he wired the Brooke County Sheriff at Wellsburg as to what was occurring. The sheriff returned the wire saying that his horse was sick and would be unable to give him assistance, therefore, Donovan located a stump near the scene to observe the fight. It was also said that seventeen of the Hindman boys perched in a tree where they could see without being noticed.
....This condition made things much better for all concerned. They were almost sure they would not be hindered by the officers.
....The most important fight ever held here was on June 1, 1880. It was between Jos Goss and "Paddy" Ryan. Goss was considered much older than Ryan, being 52 while his opponent was 28.
....They both weighed about the same, 180. It was a finish fight, no gloves, and the winner was to receive $1,000.00.
....The fight was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Due to the fact that it was a law-breaking event, the fight was not publicly advertised. About the only was it was announced was by word of mouth, lest the authorities might learn of it and interfere.
....The ring was staked out on the bare ground in the field some distance south of the present Collier station. This strip of land was bordered on one side by the railroad tracks and on the other by the hill.
....Spectators found seats on the railroad and on the hillside. Others crowded around the ring while some perched in the trees nearby. A crowd of about 500 showed up.
....The bout got under way without any delay and continued through 86 rounds. A round constituted a knockdown or the fighters were permitted to go down on their knees for the count of 10. The only letup in the fighting were these seconds when one of the men was knocked down or was down for a rest, which could only be 10 seconds.
....Ryan was hammered unmercifully by Goss. His left ear was nearly torn from his head and one eye was severely injured. Practically his whole body was black and blue from the terrible punches delivered by Goss.
....The only mark left on Goss after the fight was a small cut on one of the fingers of his right hand caused by hitting Ryan. Goss was much the better boxer and he had the best of the fight all the way....until nearly the end.
....Due to advancing age, Goss had to quit after 86 rounds had been fought because he was out of wind. Goss was uninjured and by no means exhausted in any other way.
....After the bloody affair, Ryan, the new champion collapsed and he was carried to the station and laid on the platform battered and torn, blood pouring from his nose, mouth and ears; having won the championship at a terrible price and punishment and suffering.
....A year later when Ryan was in business in Chicago, one of the witnesses of the Ryan-Goss fight had the pleasure of meeting him and discussing that particular bout. Ryan gave the impression that if Goss had been able to hold out for a few minutes longer, the decision would have been his, for Ryan could hardly stand on his feet when the older Goss gave up.
....After the fight was over and before the crowd started to leave, one of the followers of Goss stepped into the ring and made a speech stating this was probably the last time Goss would appear in the ring.
....The speaker stressed the Goss sportsmanship and asked for the fans to consider this when the collection was made. The sum of $350.00 was raised and presented to Goss, the fallen champion.
....Two other fights of interest held in Collier were those between Crowley and Dillon and Hickens and Campbell. Hickens was trained in Steubenville by Ned O'Baldwin, the Irish Champion.
....O'Baldwin was supposed to fight Joe Mace, champion of England at Collier but the fight never materialized. The day and hour were agreed on but the selection of a referee couldn't be decided by the fighters, thus the fight was canceled.
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