Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-01
WON'T HAVE BOXING.
The East End Gymnasts Don't
Want the Manly Art
IN PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS;
President Barber Makes a Statement
of the Clubs Standing.
BALL GOSSIP OF LOCAL INTEREST.
Miller Offers to Join SWartwOod's Projected
Team for the South.
IN PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS;
BALL GOSSIP OF LOCAL INTEREST.
GENERAL SPORTING NEWS OF THE DAY

It certainly will be interesting to the
sporting public to know that one of the
most prominent athletic clubs in Western
Pennsylvania has resolved to have nothing
more to do with boxing exhibitions, either
public or private. The club in question is
the East End Gymnasium. The title is to
some extent misleading, because it is hap
PLY an organization for the physical de-
velopment of everybody who becomes
member of 1t. OF course boxing is a feature,
and a great one of all thorough-going or
ganizations whose object is to make MEM
bers expert in using their arms and legs,
and to great extent their brains. Many
members of the E. E. G. looked at the matter
in this light and were disposed to have models
Of istic culture perform in the clubs rooms
now and again This meant the engagement
of the best exponents of the ''manly art" and
the matter was decided at a recent meeting of
the clubs directors.
The meeting, of course, was an important
one because of the questions at issue. Here
tofore tolerably good exhibitions of boxing
have been given to the members of the club by
outsiders.
NOT A LEGAL CUSTOM.
twas discovered that this custom was no
more legally or morally important than having
AcCafrey and Dempsey there to give an exhi-
bition. The truth is several members, imbued
with a desire to have the best quality of goods
put up, were figuring on having the two promi-
nent exponents the ''art'' appear before the
club
The last meeting of the directors, however,
killed all hopes and expectations in thisdirec-
ton After long discussion pro and con, it was
decided that no more boxing exhibitions of any
kind be permitted in rooms controlled owned
lor leased by the club. The discussion on this
question, it is stated, was interesting and in
structive. The opponents of boxing were, theo-
reticaIIy, in favor of it Just as much as they
were in favor of two contestants competing on
horizontal bar. One gentleman, however, an
ex-newspaper man, very wisely pointed out that
boxing had degenerated to such a low level that
no club of repute could well afford to encour-
age it. He argued that to patronize the best
class Of professional talent was equal to giving
business to men who are simply deceiving the
public whenever opportunity affords. He
further claimed that the members of the club
could learn all the leading principles of either
connecting the club with any professionals at
all, except the instructor.
WILL NOT ALLOW BOXING.
As result it was decided that the club will
not allow or tolerate any boxing exhibition out
side of its members, and then only as an occa-
sionsl incident under any circumstances.
! Regarding the above President Barker, of the
E E. G.. was questioned yesterday by a repre-
sentative of this paper. He said: "of course
I'VE have decided to have no more boxing at our
club, that is boxing exhibitions. Whatever
our various opinions about the art of self-de-
tense may be, it seems that public exhibitions
of that art will not add any prestige to our
club. Personally. may say every member of
the club recognizes the worth of one using his
hands or fists in a time of need We
can however, learn this art at our rooms with
out having public exhibitions. While we are
willing to encourage all legitimate sports by
our patronage we are not inclined to connect
ourselves with aiding systems and men who are
very questionable in their dealings with the
public. We have a wealthy membership, and
gentlemen who are disposed to aid anything
honest that is akin to our organization: but
speaking in behalf of ourselves, l say that we,
in the light of modern transactions, are in
clined to remain free from anything that will
connect us with affairs that none of US care to
synpathize with.
I'VE have engaged an instructor, at good
figure, to take charge of the athletic features
of the gymnasium. He comes from Chicago
and will commence duties tomorrow. His
credentials state that he will teach members all
the features of physical development. Now,
REALLY, that is what we want and that ought to
end all talk"