A signed manuscript letter by the 19th century heavyweight boxing champion of the world John L. Sullivan dated 28th October 1910 and addressed to Mr E

A signed manuscript letter by the 19th century heavyweight boxing champion of the world John L. Sullivan dated 28th October 1910 and addressed to Mr Ernest Isitt and a personalised photograph of Sullivan aged 53 that was an enclosure with the letter, two pages in ink written on headed paper of the Van Nuys Hotel, Los Angeles, a letter to an old friend that Sullivan had not seen for many years, having retired from boxing some 18 years before hand Sullivan makes the reference HAVING NOTHING TO DO, Sullivan states ENCLOSE YOU A TOKEN with reference to the photograph he sent Mr Isitt which is inscribed in his hand JOHN L. SULLIVAN, EX-CHAMPION HEAVYWEIGHT OF THE WORLD. AGE 53. YOURS TRULY, TO, ERNEST ISITT, the letter goes on to encourage that the friend stay in touch and express a hope that they will meet again one day, although in retirement Sullivan ran a saloon, and gained work as a Speaker as well appearing on the Vaudeville stage, umpiring at baseball and filing sports reports, he did fall on hard times due to lavish spending and heavy drinking, and would eventually die a pauper at the age of 59, the significance of this letter is that Sullivan makes reference to his POOR MAN'S ABODE and COMING DOWN FROM THE HILL OF PROSPERITY from being one of the wealthiest sportsmen in the world Provenance: Annie Howard Isitt was the maiden name of the present vendor's paternal grandmother. The vendor's father at one time also had a pair of Sullivan's gloves that he kept hanging on the wall of his study. Sullivan's friend Ernest Isitt was living in Trenton, Philadelphia, when Sullivan wrote him this letter in 1910.