Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-23
FOR THE BIG FIGHT
The Olympic Club Has EIe.
waited Pugilism
TO A HIGHER MORAL PLANE
a. immense Amount II Money Placed
co the sullivan Cor5etg
Battle.

NEw ORLEASs. Aux. -. The biggest
event, or rather series OK events, IN
puglnsEc eEclss since the days Of the
Roman cestus VII De the pIzs ngnts
o. come on before the Olympic CLUB OF
TINS city tue week beginning september
A. Ihls great "pugilstlc carnival" a.
New Orleans delights g. call l., has ere
sted sensation Throughout tue world
and vel iL mgaL There are So 500
offered 10 prizes, $50 GOO "a side bets
and some $50 900 scent on other prepz-
rauOns. and SIR. sullivan or Mr.. Cor
bett viii be $1,000 richer when il -
over. Itisa bg affair, moreover. aside
from the u0ney involved. more than
ever before dreamed ~ Loo pugli-snl, Tor
10 Is neN departure iu ''tle a,auly art
OF self-detensa, an effort 90 MAKE the
prize ring relned aud respectable
something that gentlemen can patron
&c.
The Olympic club mas already done
much g., rescue pug.l.sm from the
rUugbs and t0uEu. who formerly con
u0Hel .-, aud Tie bad Tegute INTO
wn ia 10 had fallen. IL hopes 90 make
"g.0ve contests as reputable form OF
,pOEt aud athletics 4s wrest ng, foot
ball ald other popular games-ln all
Ot when. The C.do claims. there IS the
same amount OF physical danger aud
possible injury -lr not mOre-as 10 the
r.ug wlere broken bones are most m
frequent. The O.ympics believe. with
tae creeks Of old. tuar pugilism - an
important part OF athletics. aud ought
q be encouraged and patr0nzed, ald
that &c vii he II It can DE separated
from the dIsagrseab.e features that
have hitherto surrounded %.
Resort for society.
Under IT, management an the rowdy-
ism aud dlsagreeatie features OF the
eli "prze ring have been done away
win. The glove contests. as tney
are now called. are gwen under the
authority of tle state " LOUISIANA.
under -pec.a license from the mayor
Of New Orleans, with the chief OF police
or other police OIhcer. with tit-y men or
more under hlm. presiding TO see that
every hing ia fairly, honestly and or
derry conducted.
Moreover, "t1e contests" take place
III one Of toe most comfortable clubs
N New Orleans, IN an Immense amphl-
theater, lard Oft Ike az opera house,
with numbered seats, private and pros
cenlum boxes. easy chalIs and every
comfort imaginable.
The Olympic ring "a sO orderly that
no one need hesitate about going there
and no one IN New Orleans does hesI-
tate The president OF the club.
Charles Noel,l a leading manufacturer
and prominent member of the city
council and the other gentlemen hay
lug charge OF the contests" are solid.
substantial and respected business men.
At least three fOurths of the audience
on the night OF "a contest are of the
better classes--lawvers, doctors. bank
ers, merchants and men OF that kind;
and the other quarter of sporting men.
mainly from the east,are kept N order
Proved IL be Orderly
An investigation made by the Louis
lana legislature a few DAYS ago proved
the Olympic tights" TO be thoroughly
orderly. Some OF the religious people
people tried % break them up, and a
resolution was offered IN the legisla-
ture prohibiting them. A legislative
committee investigated the matter,
and some Of the hest citizens of New
Orleans came forward 10 testify that
tleY Aad Ocen pFehchL at thtse prize
tights and saw nothing Objectionable
in them. They were scientific displays
they sad. and not brutal. Perhaps a
little blood was sput, but no one Was
seriously hurt. They had given,
moreover. an immense impetus
20 asheletIcs IN New Orleans.
When the fights began there was
but one athletic club IN New Orleans.
Now there are ten. with membership
of 5000. bat their best work was done
in abol shing New Orleans the revo.-
YER as a settlement Of disputes. For
merry 10 was the fashion when you
were lnsuited tO shoot the insulter, now
you knock hlm down because You
know how % 30 O. And on tins testi-
mony tue leg stature decided not to IN
terfere. ont 90 let the oiympics 90 on
with their lights.