Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-20

to the Athletic Club at San Francisco for a S.
900 purse for which he and Dempsey can tight,
believe that McCaffrey is thoroughly in earn
est. The probabilities are that the club will
offer the purse named. The two men would
certainly make battle as full of national in
Dempsey is afraid that McCaffrey will hold out
Tor division of the purse, that is,
that the loser receive part OF 1t
1t is to be hoped that McCaffrey will do no such
thing. but proceed to Frisco and meet Demp-
sey on conditions that cannot possibly be
termed other than the fairest. Readers of
these reviews will know that deem neither
McCaffrey nor Dempsey frst-class pugilists.
They are unique boxers, no doubt, but there is
a wide difference between prizefghter and
boxer am mindful of the fact that Dempsey
has come out victonous.in many good battles,
but in no one of them can anything be found to
prove that he is irst-class prizefghter; that is
If We assume such man as Jem
Mace in his best day, to be the standard 1t
took Dempsey over two hours to defeat the
Marine" No man who knows anything about
pugilism at all will contend for a moment that
the Marine" could have stood before Mace
80 minutes. However, all of us must admit
that Dempsey is a clever fellow and possessed
of plenty of pluck and intelligence to class him
considerably above the average. McCaffrey, as
have often said before, has to great extent
10 prove whether or not he is "a fighter to
finish" However, if he and the Nonpariel
meet and both are in their best condition ex-
pect the winner to turn up in Mccartney. There
all be stated should match be definitely ar
ranged between these two men.
1t may not be out of place to here remark
that all opinions expressed in these reviews are
the result of impartial thought. Personal SYM
pathy is for tie nonce put to one side, and,
while criticisms may be definite now and again,
every effort will be made to keep them free of
insult and unfairness. AS the famous DIR.
Chalmers would say: We should be prepared
to follow the light of evidence whether it causes
us to oppose, criticise or defend friend or foe
A public man who cannot tolerate Just criticism
had better retire into obscurity, and the same
applies to friends of public men. Time and
time again men for whom / have very high
opinion, and who are intimate friends of mine,
have been criticised in these reviews just as
severely as men for whom l may have little
1t seems to be settled fact that Jake Gau- |
daur and William O'Connor are going to row |
for the American championship. The contest
is to take place at San Francisco on March i, |
and both scullers are on their way there now. L |
am much afraid that the proposed race is an
other that will add no glory to aquatic history.
really cannot avoid the conviction that the |
TWO oarsmen are out west for the money there
IS in it; indeed am informed on excellent au- |
5hority that the race is to be one for receipts"
Dnly. or course nobody who has been at all in |
terested in aquatic events during the last few |
IS not for stake. ] certainly will be very |
much surprised if any stake money, without
string to ii, be put up at ALL OConnor has rea-
ION to think that California is something like a |
yold mine for scullers When he rowed and |
defeated Peterson there his share of the gate"
vas about 81, 600 and, doubtless, his expectation
for larger sum this time. But what OBJ
ect to is the action of dragging the champion
hip title into a contest for receipts only. am
ware that il the public, that gigantic victim
AN be persuaded that the contest is
hA Al,
will be thousands in it for the CON
estants. However, it is only such questionable
that have caused the decline of
professional rowing in this country during re-
ent years.
The Britishers are becoming hot under the
eet again to have another international con-
est This time they want to match A. Whar-
on to run Bethune, of this country, 10 yards
or 800 side. l haven't much hope of a
match race taking place between these run
ers, mostly because l fear Wharton is little
90 fast at the distance named. However, l
Tould certainly like to see Bethune and Whar-
on run a match race. According to reports, |
ach sprinter is possessed of remarkable speed. |
'ome good authorities state that Wharton is
aster than Hutchins used to be and considera-
ly faster than Ghent. If these reports are
rue Bethune would probably be beaten, but |
he probability is that Wharton, while being a
emar kable sprinter, is not such phenomenon
S he is reported to be.
There has been little or nothing to excite the
aseball enthusiasts during the week. One of
he pleasant announcements regarding local
fairs was that relating to movement geing
n TO give the Australian players a grand
eceptlon here. Al Pratt and others are arrang-
lg the programme, and ltis to be hoped that they
ill be assisted by all who take an interest in
he National game. Certainly the players who
re now away will have merited more than our
hanks by the time that they get back.
In the early part of the week there was ru-
Tor current to the effect that the local club
as negotiating for Deacon" White as well rs
.owe. 1t seems, however, that the rumor was
ased on a misunderstanding At any rate.
lanager Phillips told me plainly that no ef-
lrts at all have been made toward securing
White, nor has anything of the kind been
alked about by the officials of the club. One |
the blessings that the opening of the season !
ill bring will be some definite fact about |
White and Rowe. 1t would appear useless to
~ anything more about these now famous
len.
1t seems that Jim Mutrie, the amiable mana
er of New York's champions, has been the
rst to violate the new rules He signed
1agonhurst without even communicating with
resident Young on the matter. However. it
eems that everything was put right in very
niQue fashion, because after James had signed |
1agonhurst he informed President Young of |
lie fact and the latter then singularly enough |
eputized Mutrie to do what had already been |
one. This Interpretation of the new rules
axes them very handy. PRINGLE.
Donnelly n Winner.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE D1srArcH.I