Sullivan
Text:
Character Key:
Display Name:
Sullivan
Sort Name:
Sullivan, John L.
Race:
White
Gender:
Male
Class:
Lower Class
Rank:
Peripheral
Vitality:
Dead
Occupation:
Other
Specific Job:
Professional Fighter
First Mentioned:
Date of Birth:
Wednesday, February 2, 1859
Other Texts:
Biography:
John L. Sullivan was the last heavyweight American prizefighter to win his championship without wearing gloves ("bare knuckle"). He won the championship by defeating Jake Kilrain at Richburg, Mississippi on August 7, 1889. "Boon and the conductor and the brakeman talked about Lion and Old Ben as people talked about Sullivan and Kilrain or Dempsey and Tunney" (187). The narrator Quentin's comparison elevates the great dog and the great bear to national championship figures.
Ontological Status:
Historical/Real
Individual or Group:
Individual
Character changes class in this text:
digyok:node/character/12461