Charlie Mitchell

The Best Barroom Fighter in the World

By most people's estimation Charlie Mitchell was the best barroom fighter in all the world. As the he courted the last big inside the ring fight of his career, against James Corbett, outside the ring he was defending his crown.

"Jim Corbett ...could never be induced to fight outside the ring. Charley Mitchell on one occasion hunted up Corbett on the Bowery, where the latter was showing in a theatre just after he was matched to fight Sullivan, and waylaying James in a barroom next door challenged the latter to a rough and tumble battle then and there.

Mitchell had Paddy Slavin with him and both were drunk. They called Corbett all sorts of names, but James simply would not fight, and finally withdrew from the scene, but not until after a bystander punched Slavin in the mouth, white Fatty Langtry, a Bowery tough, had threatened Mitchell with an empty bottle.

Not long after that incident Mitchell and Slavin fell out. They clashed in a London resort and though Slavin had an immense advantage as to age, weight and condition, Mitchell treated him to a terrific, rough and tumble beating. In fact , Mitchell for years was regarded as a champion barroom fighter both here and in England."

-Police Gazette,

"...Mitchell says he will be in New York city during Christmas week, when he expects to come into contact with William Muldoon...He proposes to take Muldoon to task for the stories circulated by the latter detrimental to his character." 'If Muldoon will only resent an insult' said Mitchell, 'I will give him ample opportunity to show his fighting and wrestling ability. I class Muldoon on a par with an old woman, and feel satisfied I can throw him at wrestling any style, and am dead certain I can whip him.'"

-Police News, December, 1885

"Charley Mitchell, the pugilist, made a violent attack on Lord Mandeville in a London restaurant last night. The Lord was severely mauled before friends could interfere. Mitchell first struck as Baird, Smith's backer in the Slavin fight, but Baird dodged, and the blow fell on Mandeville, who was standing behind Barid. Mandeville resented it and was punished. Mitchell subsequently chastised Baird. The other sports present interferred, and Mitchell and Pony Moore had to make a hurried exit. They were hooted by a crowd on reaching the street."

-Milwaukee Evening Wisconsin. January 9, 1890.

"While Chesterfield Goode and Charley Mitchell, the pugilist, were drinking at the house of George Baird, a sporting man, they became involved in a quarrel and finally resorted to blows. They clinched and in the scuffle they both fell down a flight of stairs.

Baird, who was standing by, egged Mitchell on. The fight was resumed at the bottom of the stairs. Finally, Mitchell seized a poker and struck Goode two severe blows on the head. Goode was removed to the hospital, where his injuries were pronounced serious. Mitchell was arrested this afternoon."

-Los Angeles Times. March 6, 1890

"The trial of Charley Mitchell,the champion pugilist of England, for assaulting Bill Goode came up in the Marlborough street police station today and attracted a tremendous crowd. ...Great interest was manifested, and bookies let odds that Mitchell would be fully committed. Chesterfield Goode and Cockburn, whom Mitchell also assaulted pressed the case but after the evidence of Abington and Mitchell had been heard the pugilist was discharged amid great cheering."

-Oregonian. April, 11, 1890

"Charley Mitchell continues to enhance his unenviable notoriety as a "common brawler'. At the conclusion of a recent billiard match in London between J. North and John Robert, which was won by the former, Mitchell and his companion, Frank Slavin, the Australian heavy-weight, took exception to the referee's decision. Michell, who was considerably in his cups, denounced the match as a "bloody swindle.' One of the swell spectators shouted, " Throw him out.", to which Mitchell responded ' Come on and try it, six or seven of you." The defy was not accepted."

-Police News. March 14, 1881

"Charlie Mitchell has again come to the front as a disorderly character. He was drunk at the Sportsman's Club, London, at midnight last night, and when the servants in the discharge of their duty, interferred with his antics, he attacked them furiously. Finally, the attaches of the club managed by their united efforts to throw the pugilist down, and for a moment there was a tangled mass of strugglers, from which the hall porter presently emerged minus a piece of his nose. A second club underling retired with a chunk bitten out of his leg, while a third had his teeth smashed in..."

-Milwaukee Evening Wisconsin. July 22, 1891

"Charley Mitchell, pugilist, appeared in Bow street police court, London, on July 28, to answer the charge that he had beaten and nearly bitten off the nose of one of the porters of the "Spooferies" Club. The charge was, however, withdrawn. Father-in-law, Pony Moore squared it with the porter."

-Police News. August 8, 1891.

And so it continued to go for Charley Mitchell, in December of 1892, he was sentenced to two months in Pentonvile Prison for assaulting an old man. Scrapes with the law, barroom brawls, ill -tempered remarks and finally articles signed to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world against Corbett. By the time, he Corbett reached the ring Mitchell had so completely enraged Corbett that the result was more a brawl than a boxing match.

Oh, when Charlie Mitchell, Pony Moore and crew arrived in Jacksonville to prepare for the fight within hours they were arrested for disorderly conduct.