Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-29
GCopyrishted.

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tive Of the Golden STAG, have been asked to
write something about them. And at the out
set may say, with all due modesty, that our
young California fighting men. like our two
year-olds, are the best in the world The men
and the horses Of that section are perbaps more
distinctively American than those of any other
part of the country, and this fact. with the ad
ditional advantages of climate which helps to
keep them in condition all the year round, may
possibly be what gives them their superiority.
Another thing that contributes to make them
clever boxers is the fact that they pay. and pay
literally, to attract to their state the best pro-
fessional talent Of the day. They will hesitate
az no sacrihce OF money to bring about meet
ing of champions in order that they may have
the advantage OF observing their style and prof.
iting by the experience. 1 may safely assert
that more famous fighters Of the present gener-
alton have boxed for the pleasure of the gen.
tiemen athletes of California than for any other
state In the Union, New York possibly ex-
cepted. The rewards are bigger there than
anywhere else, and men will always go where
the largest purses are offered. The result of
all this has been to stimulate the young men of
California to acquire skill in the use of the
gloves. Indeed, may say that there is hardly
street in San Francisco without its famous
boxer, hardly club or cafe where athletics Is
not leading topic at all times, hardly club
man who does not take lessons in the art of
boxing. 1t is just as much part of the educa-
ton of young westerner today as any branch
| OF study in the curriculum of high school or
college.
SCIENCE IN BOXING.
1t Is the fashion among a certain class to be
| moan what they are pleased to call the decay
OF science IN boxing. hold no such opinion
| On the contrary, think there is a great deal
more science in boxing nowadays than ever
Take the movement Of the feet for examples;
the old style was to teach the novice to move
about as little as possible, and 4 man who
shifted much on his feet during a bout was
called coward or a dodger and was told to
stand up and fight" Now, the feet work is a
| very important feature IN good boxing and is
! taught everywhere. Hit and get away" is a
| good MAXIM and almost the first thing teach
pupil is to use his feet properly. showing him
| his guard. how to lead with his left and to get
| away. 1t is very important to have the left
foot always in front, to have his right and left
guard continually in easy, natural mo-
| ton and to have good stride, not resting too
| much on either leg. but rather balancing be-
tween the two and keeping the whole body
! elastic. None of the limbs should be kept
taut and stiff while boxing. Some men strain
every muscle Immediately they put up their
| guard; but this Is great mistake. 1t is a
useless waste of energy when it is uncalled for
and, besides one cannot either hit as hard or
| as quickly when the muscles are rigid as when
they are kept in an elastic condition. with the
| whole body swaying lightly and ready to stiffen
instantly when the blow is given. The hands
| need not be clenched when one is simply play
ing for an opening; the moment you spring
them.
| THE VALUE OF THE cleft"
As rule, other conditions being equal, a
left-handed man will be more than a match for
a risht-handed man, and good left is far better
than first-class right. Indeed, the battle may
| be said In majority Of cases to depend upon
| the left. But the right should be kept con.
stantly in motion and both the arms held
| loosely. The Office of the right is to remain
| in reserve until it Is needed to finish up the
work that has been done by the left In every
| bout ever fought l have always depended
mainly upon the left hand.
| 1t is mistake for man to stand either too
much spread out or with his feet too close to-
| gether while boxing. He should endeayor tn
acquire an attitude that will not strain his legs
and tire him out, besides weakening the force
of his blows. With his feet too near each
other the slightest tap from his opponent may
send HIM over backward; with them too far
| apart he finds his own blows short and his gen.
eral action impeded. Celebrity and force are
secured BY medium position that will come
| naturally after few trials.
| WESTERN CRACKS.
These few hints will furnish an idea of the
style Of boxing that prevails in California. II
differs in many respects from the models OF
the east, but think it is fully as effective. The
best evidence Of this is that our western box
ers are able to hold their own with the crack
amateurs Of the east without difficulty. Among
the cleverest men in California are Joe Co
hinsky Of the Golden Gate club, l65-pounder.
| who is about the best wo-handed heavyweight
boxer ever saw. He lately has been matched
against Billy Wilson, st. Paul man, weighing
lS5 pounds. Besides possessing wonderful
science Cohinsky is a rusher. Another splendid
| two-handed fighter is J. L. Lafferty, Q light
weight, who has made a remarkable record.
Jack Kitchin OF Oakland is heavyweight,
| who tips the scales at $50, stripped. Like Laf-
slider him good deal cleverer than many men
who are travelling around the country posing
as champions and making a show Of them
selves. l might easily mention q hundred
ifornia clubs who could divide the honors with
the best men in the east il they did not capture
them outright z
THE KnRAIN FIGHT.
am often asked concerning my fight with
Kilrain at New Orleans and pressed to pass
judgment upon the merits of my late oppo.
nent. This do not care to attempt One
little word OF explanation, however, may moi
be out Of place: Much has been said by Kilrair
and his friends about his condition when be
fought that battle. He has claimed that wheI
he fought with Sullivan he was out of condi.
ton and should never have entered the ring
and the same statement has been made regard.
ing the New Orleans fight When he entered
the ring at New Orleans there was no word
not even whisper--about his being out Of
condition and he looked in perfect form. HI
bad been keeping himself in trim, boxing
daily with his combination and being undei
the care Of his trainer. He did no travelling
immediately before the match tool
place. When he entered the rims
he. weighed 40 pounds-his regular
weight On the other hand
had to travel 2, 500 miles TO reach the hghtins
ground and to endure all the fatigue Of jour
ney by NO means calculated to put man Il
trim for match with one Who has sspired :,
championship honora I had practically q.
training ct all for several days before the meet
ing. Ny weight was l6S pounds We Tough
J six rounds and / can truthfully cay that I hsv,
had several harder fights In my time. Although
am only twenty-three years Of age, since
6rst began boxing, eight years ago, I have ha<
the good fortune to spar with many Of the bss
men-amateurs ana profeasionals-in the Unites