The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-12-18
A "Purring'' Match.

A "Purring'' Match.
A CORNISH miner named David T.
Davis boosted in q Shenandoah BAT
room that he could OUT" purr' any
man in America. "Purring" is an En-
glish sport, and means kicking an oppo-
nent on the legs. Davis boasts were
taken up by another English miner
named Thomas Proudfit, and each man
made a deposit of ten dollars as for
felt in case either should not come to
time. The match was made for twenty
five dollars a side, and was to come off
in the bar-room of q mutual friend.
Davis has some reputation as "purr-
En-" wrestler and boxer, but until this
affair PrOudfit was unknown among the
" fancy" The original amount of the
pet was raised to fifty dollars side.
AT nine o'clock at night the
principals and about thirty friends
went to bar-room, and, for
trif1ing consideration paid to the pro-
prietcr, the doors were closed, and
preparations for the match began. The
room in which the affair took place is
OF orttifiary site, but in order to econO-
mlze space about half the spectators
were told to take seats on the bar, and
the others screwed themselves into cor
ners 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 bro
gans, into which their feet were thrust.
HDpsrSp
stockings.
The men then shook hands, and
Proudfit cheerfully inquired, ..Be We
ready, lad!' "Aye, man, answered
Davis, and the " purring'' began. Al
though not described BY Hoyle, there
are regular rules for "purrihg, 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 a
kick above the knees was foul, and en-
titled its recipient to the stakes, with
out further '.purring''; that nothing
was to cover the legs but trousers, and
that the hands should not be used to
grapple 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 passed in dancing
about the room and feinting. AT
length. Davis made vicious kick at
Proudfit, but it fell short, and before
Davis got out of reach Proudfit admin
istered two kicks or "purrs'' just be-
low one of his opponents knee-caps,
which, by the way, is considered a par
ticularly vulnerable point, as a series
of kicks there soon lanes man.
Davis retaliated by kicking Proudfit on
the shin. Then followed rapid ex-
change of kicks, lasting about min.
ute, until Proudfit lodged out of reach.
Both men were allowed a breathing
spell of five minutes, and during It
they examined their shins, which were
bruised and bleeding. When time was
called each man took drink OF
whisky, and then the "purring'' be.
gan again. Twelve rounds were
"purred," but they did not
differ much from the one de-
scribed, and at the end of the
twelfth round Davis refused to toe thu
mark, and Proudfit was declared thu
winner. Davis wanted to retire aftel
the tenth round, but the spectators
hooted at and called him a "duffer,'
and he came up twice more; but he re
ceived all the punishment without be
ing able to give any in return. TIL
last five rounds were brutal to the ex
treme, as both men were bleeding pro
fusely, and the way they limped aroun'
to escape punishment was painful t,
witness. The legs of both men from
their knees down were covered witt
cuts and bruises, and the heavy cordu
roy pants they wore were kicked to rib
bOns.
When the match was decided Davi
sank into chair, thoroughly exhausted
Proudfit was so elated by his victor,
that he pleased the admiring spectator
by dancing a jig with tumbler o
water on his head. The seconds thel
washed the legs of the "purrers' AM
covered the wounds with poultices o
rotten apples to prevent inflammation
and allay pain. The prize money wa
handed over to Proudtit, who "set up
key of beer for the crowd. Davis wa
carried to his home, and Proudfit wa
not in much better condition. This j!
said to be the first "purring'' mattel
that has taken place in the neighbor
hood of Shenandoah since Davis beat
noted "purrer'' named Tom Bosley, il
1864 or 1865. Davis defeat on Thurs
day night was unexpected, as he wa
known to be agile, game and expert
enced.-Reatliag (Pa.) Eagle.