The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-18
A KICKING MATCH.


N iNVUAO SPVHt W nus kbCOD ~
trOduced From England.
Reading (Pa.) Eage.l
A Cornish miner named David I. Da-
Wis boasted in a Shenandoah bar room
that he could out "pur" any man in
America. "Purring" is an English
sport, and means kicking an opponent on
the legs. Davis boasts were taken upby
an English miner named Thomas Proud
fit, and each man made deposit of $40
as forfeit in case either should not
come to time. The match was made for
$25 side, and was to come off in a bar
room of mutual friend. Davis has
some reputation as "purrer," wrestler
and boxer, bnt until this affair Proudfit
was unknown among the ''fancy." The
original amount of the bet was raised to
$50 side. At 9 O'Clock at night the
principals and about thirty friends wer t
to bar room, and, for a trifing consid-
Grafton paid to the proprietor, the doors
were closed, and preparations for the
match began. The room in which the
affair took place is of ordinary size, but
in order to economze space about one
half of the spectators were told to take
seats on the bar, and the others slowed
themselves into corners and out-of-the-
way places. The men removed all their
clothing except their trousers. The
referee then gave to each man pair OF
bran new brogans, into which their feet
were thrust. Proudft wore wOolen, and
Davis cotton stockings.
The men then shook hands, and Proud
fit cheerfully inquired, "be ye ready,
ladg "Aye, man." answered Davis, and
the "purring'' began. Although not de-
scribed by Hoyle, there are regular rules
for "purring," but they are simple and
easily understood. The rules in this
match were that no "purr" or kick should
be made at an opponent while he was
down, that kick above the knees was
foul, and entitled its recipient to the
stakes, without further "purring;;" that
nothing was to cover the legs but trou-
sers, and that the hands should not be
used to grappe or punch an opponent.
The man who first cried, "Hold, enough"
was, of course, defeated. Davis was
much the larger man, but he was not
nearly SO agile as his opponent. For a
few minutes both were extremely wary,
and the time was spent in dancing about
the room aud feinting. At length Davis
made vicious kick at Proudfit, but il
fell short, and before Davis got out Of
reach Proudft administered two kicks OF
"purs" Just below one of his opponents
knee-caps, which, by the way, is consid
cred particularly vulnerable point, as &
series of kicks there soon lame man
Davis retaliated by kicking Proudfit OF
the shin.
Then followed rapid exchange o
kicks, lasting about q minute, unit
Proudft lodged out of reach. Boil
men were allowed breathing spell o
five minutes, and during it they exam
ined their shins, which were bruised ant
bleeding. When time WAS called eacl
man took a drink of whisky, and thel
the "purring" began again. Thirteel
rounds were "purred," but they did no
differ much from the one described, ant
at the end of the twelfth round Dlvi
refused to toe the mark, and Proudti
was declared the winner. D'vis wante
to retire after the tenth round, but til
spectators hooted at AMI called him
"dutfer," and he came up twice more
but lie received all the punishment with
out being able to give any in return
The last five rounds were brutal in tn
extreme, as both men were bleeding pro
fusely, and the way they limped roun'
to escape punishment was painful to wit
ness The legs of both men, from thei
knees down, were covered with cuts ant
bruises, and the heavy corduroy pant
they wore were kicked to ribbons.
When the match was decided Davi
sank into chair, thoroughly exhausted
Proudfit was SO elated bv his victor
that he pleased the admiring spectator
by dancing a jig with tugnbIer of waite
on his head. The seconds then washe
} the legs of the "purrers," and covere
the wounds with poultices of rotte
apples, to prevent Inflammation All
: allay pain. The prize money was hande
over to Proudft, who "set up" keg G
beer for the crowd. Davis was carrie
to his home, and Proudfit was not i
much better con ition. This is said
be the first "purring" match that ha
. taken place in the neiehborhood of Sh'
nandeah since d Wis beat noted "pu
! rrr' named Tom Bosley, in 1864 or 1856
| Davis defeat on Thursday night ws
) unexpected, as he was known to b