Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-27
Pleasing Features of the Settlement
of the Harvard-Prince-
ton Troubles.
A LETTER FROM QUEENSBERRY.
lie Ras Few Interesting Words to Say
About the Use and Abuse Of
His Roxing Rules.
BATTLE BETWEEN CARROLL AND KYEI.
General Baseball Affairs and q Few Eemarks About
the Home Club

One Of the most pleasing things among
sporting events during the past week, and
] venture to say one of the most important
In more WAYS than one, has been the settle
inert of the differences between the Har-
ward and Princeton athletes, or at least
those who represent the athletes We all
know the chasm there has been between
Harvard and Princeton for long time and
how that breach has been an embargo on
amateur athletics TO a very great extent.
The estrangenent in question simply left in
doubt more or less OF the end of the season
the comparative merits of our three leading
amateur centers Regarding the causes of
the trouble l have not one word to say, nor
DO feel inclined to express an opinion as
10 whether or not Harvard was in the right
or that Princeton was in the wrong. Suf-
fee it TO say that both parties few days
nco met and displayed a give and take
spirit that soon brought about settlement
end all of the 'fNew England resolution"
was soon sent to oblivion.
Now this settlement is of the highest i'm
portance TO the smsteurisn of the United
States because the harmony resulting will
letics in the three leading universities.
Their example cannot but have the very
best of effects, particularly because we e1-
pect TO have a three cornered contest IN al
most every branch of sport known at the
Universities. OF course the majority of
people seem to think that Yale is the
Boss" in almost everything, but there are
very conflicting opinions as TO which is the
superior between Harvard and Princeton.
In many respects the question is difficult
one TO decide. and l dare say that it Will
require actual contests between them be-
fore anything like true comparison can
be made.
Queensberry's letter.
Readers Of these reviews will know that
for years nave been a fault-fnder with the
so-called Marquis of Queensberry rules. 1t
Is not at all necessary to recite my objec-
tions to them again, but want TO draw at
tention 10 the fact that the Marquis of
Queensberrv himself has comr to the front
end discarded he code of rules now known
rs the Queensberry rules 4 few days ago
lie had the following letter put before the
public in reply to criticisms similar to
those that have appeared in this paper from
time to time:
''May 1 be allowed to say one word, as
certainly the father Of these rules and as
part originator also of them, for they were
drawn up by Mr.. John Chambers under my
supervision and ratification to be applied to
Judging the contests for the Queensberry
challenge cups given bv myself. and were
believe, the first of the kind which attract
ed public attention to amateur boxing. AS
to the sentence quoted above, the rules NAV
be merciless as regarde glove contests or
fights with gloves, but they certainly never
were framed for such purposes nor to give
tatisfaction 10 the authorities at Scotland
Yard, who never dreamt in those days of
interfering with the Queensberry boxing
contests, where scientific sparring was con-
sidered the chiefquality, and round-arm slog-
ginc and kRocking-out rather went against
s man than in his favor. No doubt better
rules could be made for the glove fights and
contests of the present day, which main
tain are entirely different thing to anna
teur boxing, where the points to be consid-
cred are as to vino is the most scientific
sparrer, not who can knock the other chap
out. 1t is not the fault of the rules, but of
tine people who try TO adapt them for what
they we're never intended for. As for their
being miscalled, it is really a matter of
Queensberry rules, this query, Whose are
they? 1 should like to know. I not only
helped TO draw them up, hut, naturally,
they were named after the cups gave, and
for which they were framed"
The Leading Fault.
Vow trust that the fauIt-fnding, even
By Queensberry himself, Will have good re-
suits. / know of nobody in this country
who has definitely criticized these rules,
and, if there is something done to amend
them, it is to be hoped that everybody will
not rush to the front and exclaim that they
had known all along they were wrong"
The noble gentleman draws attention to
the great fault of the rules when he SAYS
that their shortcomings lie more in the fact
Of people adapting them TO what they were
never meant for than in the rules them
selves This is what / have argued for
nearly four wears, and this is the feature
that makes them the most brutal rules that
ANYBODY can fight under. Queensberry never
did intend his rules for brutal prize fighting
and his letter leaves no doubt on this point.
The truth is lie conceived the rules as
something entirely distinct from London
prize ring rules. The latter are for fighting
and for fighting only; Queensberry's rules
were for boxing and boxing only; that they
boxing rules under which almost all the
iguoble and brutal contests of recent times
have taken place, is no fault of Queens
berry's.
The time undoubtedly has come when some
thing like rational rules should regulate the
big rolic contests of to-day. A change is
needed and if there is not one the battle
may be stopped entirely. 1t Is nothing
short of outrageous to have contest such
as that between Carroll and Myers guided
by our Queensberry rules
Another Feature oft
While have been doing nv fault finding
about these rules, Mr. Goblet, on the
London Retsree, has also been doing his, and
here is what he says about the letter of
the Marquis:
''The fact is We hav e here reversal of the
wise child knowing its own father: the
wise father does not know his own (puta-
tive) child. Like the police and the pub
lie, be has Tor so many years passed rs
Queensberrv what is not a genuine article
that he mixes the right rules with the
spurious imitation. said the conventional
regulations were arranged for Scotland Yard
and endurance. Now 1 will give chapter
and verse to defend my assertion. Years
ago Jem Goode, son of the Oldest of old
'uns. and Mickey Rees, who lacked but one
essential to be worthy representative of
Mendoza's race, made a match to box with
gloves just about the time, too, jovial
cabdriyer OF Lincoln fancied himself
boxer. and flew at high game He took on
Tom Allen, the Midland pugilist contem-
poray and opponent of Joe Goss, etc.
Allen was in England, after So
journ in the States, where in vari-
Gus WAYS he had been getting
q living. Tom jumped at the opportunity
and a match was made TO box with ordinary