Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-08-02


Some OF the difference arises from the
increased money value OF pugilism. When
I was boy, n Iirize-hghter usually had
some trade or calling which supported him
and fought for the love OF II or to gain
honorable distinction. To-day he poses a.
pugilist and makes q handsome living
by giving glove fights. Joining u theatrical
company or taking some other position
that was unknown thirty years ago.
Modern professionals speak OF thousands
OF dollars toIlay as famlliarly az mer'
chants or BANKERS do fn this old days
they seldom nspired to hundreds.
II IL hard to realize the vast sums spent
IN this way upon the ring In 1888. what
with stakes, benefits, bets, lessons, glove
fights aud exhibitions. Il ran over two
million dollars. so far as the figures have
been published. How much more II was
can only be guessed. As a result tho
average prize-ilghter has become we'll
dressed aud atfable gentleman, who takes
ms much pride In his appearance, habita.
manners. speech and associates NJ any
member Of the "40O."' Time aud again
have seen parties OF boxers in the great
hotels aud club, OF the country who TO the
eye aud ear were not to 10 distinguished
from those who surrounded. them unless
Il was by the superiority OF their get-up.
ou the other hand the man OF thirty or
forty years ago had no such pleasant
times a few grert stNrs like Jem Mace,
Ned O'Baldwin. John O. Heenan and Tom
Sayers were always well of. m worldly
goods. but the rank and file had to work
hard aud occasionally hustle for Il 10 get
along There was joe Wormwsli. =
splendid heavy weight, In fact one Of the
beat OF his time. who seldom made az
much money 10 ayear A. some OF these
toy boxers do in u week. John Dwyer, OF
Brooklyn, is another illustration. He was
superl, fighter aud yet during his entire
career his income ~ professional never
equaled his expenditures. He lived by
employment III totally different helds.
Another great Brooklyn pugilist. or sx.
pugilist, who is another instance, is Jim
Dunne, now M active politician and. I
believe, properiy.owner. He was, whom
first came over here, one OF the hand.
soonest aud most brilliant men who ever
entered the ring His sparring was won.
derfully clever, his wrestling admirable,
his gameness unsurpassed. and, besides all
this, he was 80 eompanionable. interesting
and weilbred asto gain the goodwill and
esteem OF all who met him. Yet. uotwith-
standing all these advantages he would
have starved II he had relied upon pugil.
ism for y livelihood.
Bully Clark, who even to-day, At nearly
seventy. Is mora than match for dozen
modern so-calisd fighters, had the sams
experience. He not only never made any
money In the ring. but for many years
worked ms hard as he could to meet the
expenses entailed by his calling as q
fighter iJf @
Another great element Of difference Ia
In the style OF fighting. The old school
fought with the greatest caution. Il was
like the present practice Of ''sparring for
points.n The professional expected TO win
by greater skill, better wind aud quicker
strength. His training was devoted 10
these ends aud was far strioter. severer and
harder than that Of to-day. When IN the
ring he strove to close his adversary's eyes
by repeated blows. or TO produce exhaus-
tion by continued striking over the heart
and upper stomach. Under such auspices,
u fight between first-class men lasted for
hours, and In many instances the contest.
ants were almost as fresh and vigorous
after thirty hard fought rounds as they
were at the start Tom Allen, John Nor