The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-04-04
PuelLlsTs SHAKE HANDS.


But Their Subsequent Actions Seem to Ins
dictate Insincerity.
Ordinarily the handshake is regarded
san evidence of friendliness on the part
of those who perform the operation,
but when two pugilists, prepared for
desperate contest, clasp each other by
the hand the action looses all its friend
ly significance and becomes nothing
more than hollow mockery.
Two men have signed articles to fight
to a finish, which means until one or
the other has been pummeled so hard
as to be unable to continue. Each is
determined to infict as much physical
injury on his opponent as is possible,
with a due regard for the rules under
which they battle, and yet before they
begin the work of battering each other
they shake hands with a great show of
apparent friendliness.
The spectators are of course aware
that the fighters are simply going
through form, and that the subse-
quent battle will lose none of its fierce
ness because of the show of temporary
good feeling.
While the preliminary handshalxe is
somewhat farcical the ceremony per-
formed at the close of the contest is the
most pronounced burlesque. When the
last round is over, the exhausted COM
batants are dragged to their corners by
their seconds. and the work Of spong-
ing and rubbing the fighters goes on
vigorously.
Meanwhile the referee, with knotted
brow, is pacing about the ring endeav-
oring to decide which had the best of
the encounter, and where fight has
been close this is no easy task Hav-
ing decided, the referee whispers to the
announcer, and the latter holds up his
hand as signal for quiet, and when
the buzz of talk has ceased the an
nouncer says: 1.-THE referee decides that
Bangs has won the fight.
Thereupon there is loud yell from
the persons who bet their money on
Bangs, while those who wagered cash
on the other fellow express their dis
approval with Kisses The referee has
become used to that sort of thing, and
he merely smiles at the Kisses. 1t is
when the announcer has spoken the
name of the victor that the pugilists
become objects of exceeding interest
While waiting for the decision the
contestants, il not too badly injured,
sit with their neclSs craned forward in
an effort to catch the first word When
the successful man hears his name
spoken he springs from his chair, and
with a look of extreme pleasure on his
bruised and bleeding face, rushes across
the ring to the corner where his OPP
ponent sits, seizes the hand of the lat
ter, and wrings it with an air of the
greatest cordiality.
The defeated pugilist sits sullen and
disappointed He feels that he has
been robbed by the referee, and he
permits the other fellow to do all the
Misunderstanding. As matter of fact,
the winner does not shake hands be.
cause of a friendly feeling for his de-
feated opponent, his action being more
in the nature of spontaneous out
burst Of exultation over his own vic
tory.
Occasionally, where one of the con-
testants is completely knocked out, the
victor simply shakes the nerveless hand
of his victim and climbs out of the
ring.
The few minutes between the time
that the contestants enter the ring and
the beginning of the fight are full of
interest The pugilists sit in their
corners, and before each stands sec
ond, who flaps towel in lazy sort OF
way in front of the fighters face
The principals have coats threwn
over their bare shoulders, in order that
they may not become chilled before
hostilities commence Then the work
of putting on the gloves begins The
seconds first push the hair away from
the back of the glove, just over the
knuckles, after which they pull it on
the hand, and tie it at the wrist, so
there is no possibility of slip.
Then the announcer says the specta-
tors will have to stop smoking or the
fight will not go on. With general
growl cigars are smudged, upon which
the referee looks at the men and asks
if they are ready A nod in the afiirma-
tive, and he remarks with emphasasis:
"Shalke hands"
The men rise from their chairs, their
coverings are snatched off by seconds,
and the pugilists meet in the center of
the ring and shake hands, according to
the instructions of The referee Then
they turn and start toward their cor
nerB.
Before they have taken three steps a
gong gives out one sharp. harsh stroke,
which is the signal for the beginning of
the fight. The men wheel about, put
up their gloved hands, walk around
each other warily, all the time watch
ing each other like cat does a mouse.
The floor OF ring is always sprinkled
with powdered rosin, and at the close
of round the spectators, who sit close
to the ringside and near the corners,
receive an unpleasant surprise.
Tanning the pugilist begins as soon
as he sinks into his seat, and is con-
tinued until the next round Is called
The Tanning is usually done with a
large towel, and this fills the air with
rosin dust, which settles on the clothes
of the onlookers.
Another unpleasant feature is the
practice some seconds follow of taking
a mouthful Of water and squirting 1t at
the pugilist In the form OF spray. The
spectators frequently receive more Of
the spray than the pugilist. There are
many interesting features of pugilism
that do not appear in the reports Of the
contests- IN. Y, Sun.
ssoonumsuas.