Digital Bob Archive

Boxing matches were one of the drawing cards at the Juneau Opera House which opened at Second and Seward Streets in the summer of 1887. At that time John L. Sullivan was the world heavyweight champion under London Prize Ring or bare knuckle rules. The matches at the Opera House were mostly between local amateurs although there was an occasional challenge from a traveling pugilist who may have been a semi-pro. Gloves were not mentioned in news stories about the 1889 and 1890 boxing matches and they may have been bare knuckle affairs. Starting in 1891 two-ounce gloves were used under Police Gazette rules.

The manager of the Opera House, George T. Snow, offered a small purse, usually $50, winner take all, for the early bouts and they were referred by his brother, J.A. Snow who was himself an athlete but not a boxer. In 1891, however, the winner was receiving both the purse and all gate receipts. There was heavy betting on some of the ring events. Wrestling matches were also held on the Opera House stage from time to time but they did not get much attention in the paper and perhaps were not as popular as the boxing events.

These two spectator sports, stage plays, vaudeville acts and dances were among the entertainment offerings of the Opera House. It did not offer billiards, bowling and roller skating, all of which were available elsewhere in town.

But the Opera House management did sponsor at least one outdoor athletic event, a marathon of sorts, and tried for a second one. Snow and his assistant, C.F. Farnsworth, offered a purse of $100 for a 24-hour \"go as you please\" to start at the Opera House door at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, October 3, 1889. A small track had been laid out somewhere in the vicinity. It was, in fact, very small indeed if the weekly paper, The Alaska Free Press, correctly stated that it measured 43 laps to the mile, or approximately 123 feet to the lap.

There were four entrants, each of whom put up a $10 entry fee. They were C.P.
Burton, a member of a troupe of Tsimshean jugglers and acrobats who were appearing at the Opera House; B. Jasper; a man identified only as \"the Greek,\" and J.A. Snow.

Jasper took the lead but after making 26 miles, 10 of them by running, he fell and sustained an injury that put him out of the race. Each of the others took some time out to rest and eat. Snow won the race by going 87 miles and 5 laps in the 24 hours, Burton was second at 66 miles 9 laps, and \"the Greek\" covered 57 miles 14 laps.

Inspired by his brother's win, George Snow issued a challenge \"to any present resident\" to match J.A. Snow in a 48-hour go-as-you-please race for any sum from $500 to $3,000. There appear to have been no takers. The Opera House was not in.
volved in another challenge issued by John C. Wilson and Dave R. Price. They offered to put up $100 to $1,000 for anyone who would put up a like amount and pack 100 pounds for 100 miles, go-as-you-please and winner take all. The Free Press did not report any takers for that, either.