The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-22
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Is PUGILISM BRUTAL
Reddy Gallagher Says Clever Prize
fighters Do Not Hurt Each Other.

Denver Republican.
81 have had good many prominent
business men ask me why ara pugilist, 4"
said Reddy Gallagher to Republican re-
porter recently; land why don't do some
thing else. They can't understand how a
man can he fighter and not be dead tough
and disreputable. See? of course, most
fighters are not Just the men that you
would care TO introduce in your parlor,
but some of us behave ourselves good
deal better than many of those who affect
10 look down on us. And yet these very
people who have so much TO say about the
brutality OF prizenghting and the low
standard of character among lighters are
only too proud TO be seen in our company
in barrooms and hobnob and drink with
us. They make me very tired. But that
isn't what was going TO say. The other
day prominent business man came 10 me
and said: 'Reddy, I've got some friends
here from the East, all sports, and want
YOU TO come over and meet them.
Il told him didn't want 10 meet any
sports. know too many already.
- But saws he, you're hghter, ain t
YOU? You ought 10 know all these peo-
pie
eyes / says, I'm fighter, but I'm
not particularly proud of it. See? I'm
for money and nothing else. If | had
been educated for the church or the law or
for business, rs 4 good many of these
lighters claim 10 have been, YOU can bet
would never have gone into the ring. But
| wasn't. | know more about puglilsin
than ANYTHING else, and follow II because
| can make a better living ont of IL than |
can al anything else. See That's all
there is % il. | am not hunting for a
rcputa on as a pug, and ! would rather do
something else If ! could make as much
out of it, | take good care of myself,
never drink or use tobacco and Try To be as
much of q gentleman as | know how. Bat
somehow | don't seem To get any credit
Now. they talk about the brutality Of
nrizeitrhtingl Why. lt's all nonsense as
far as the principals are concerned! 1t
NAV not have an eleNatlng elect upon the
spectators 80 see two men go 10 hnish,
bat there isn't anything brutal about II so
far as the lighters themselves are con-
cerned. The hardest thing about a prize
hight is the training. IL Is 4 terrible or
deal 10 90 through thorough course Of
training. 1t i the hardest work a man
ever did, And il is expensive. too. II
costs 4 good deal Of money for man 10
train properly. and then If he loses the
night that is al thrown away.
but speaking about lighting, rs I said
before. there il no brutality IN IL. II a
man is in prime condition 8 blow don't
hurt him. You can strike him as hard as
You like and he feels nc pain. II he gets u
swinging blow on the back Of the head II
makes him dizzy for i moment, but that's
all
THE worst place 10 hit a man is on the
short ribs or over the heart. That jars him
ali over. and though i may not hurt ~ the
time il uses man mp and wins many a
fight. never goi 4 Knockout blow, out
hs.i
and they tell me they never felt il 81 all
either ut the time il was given or after
wards. You Just simply 80 10 sleep. see
The Knockout blow may nc given oR the
law or Oh the neck, but it don't always 10
the business. I've hit men on the jaw al