The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-23
SWELLED-HEAD FIGHTERS.
Over-Confdenco IL Dangerous in Pugi
lism as in other work.


lism as i'm other work.
For tho success If anything man under
| takes IL is not wise TO be over-confdent
Confidence, like all other things. should
have its limits. and to no profession does
| this apply more forciby than that Of pu-
! gilism. / doubt 81 there is a crack pu-
! Ellst to-day Jack McAuliTe excepted
! who has not had al some time or other
! in his career what is termed in pugilistic
! parlanCe a "sweled head" McAuliffe.
/ with a fairness that IS indisputable, and
a Foresight that IS commendable. has never
| yet entered the fstic arena above the
! lightweight limit. nor has he ever been
| cajoled or persuaded into conceding TO his
! opponents n single ounce over 135 pounds.
! I'm consequence Of this ne stands to-day
! the indicated champion Of his class with
! half a hundred well-earned Victories 20
/ his credit and IN him we find a splendid
eXemplihcaton Of the old axiom "Dscre-
/ tion is the better part of valor."
The first one of our modern cracka-
| jacks 10 become affected with this moral
expansion Of the CRAM I'M was Jack
Dempsey, the erstwhile idoized nonparel
He it was who while in ST. Louis some
few years ago publicly announced his
willingness and boosted his ability 10
meet anu NfiftA the great JONI L. ilIll-
self, and later when he went ont Of his
class AND consented TO fight George La
Blanche before the California Athletic
club, he did not stop 20 think that Demp-
sey boxing with pillows on his fists was
not Dempsey fighting with bare knuckles.
or that the Marine far bigger and
more powerful than himself (who, on a
previous occasion had succumbed 70 the
jabs and uppercuts of his lance-like
l. = f.- l.
SO easily while his Jack's) best friends
were imprisoned behind five ounces Of
leather and curled hair Poor Dempsey
Tie was over-conhdent UP TO the moment
when the pivot blow resOunded through the
rafters of the clubs great building, and
the echoes answered Waterloo. But you
see? The halter had for some time been
making Jacks hats on a larger block.
and there you are. Even John L. Sulll-
van has found what a sad mistake II is
to imagine half-trained pugilist is In
vinc.be. although l doubt if I'm his
palmicst days he would have made a bet
ter showing against the perpendicular
haired STRIPPING from California. In the |
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 60 at New Orleans we
find another enlarged think tank" At |
the commencement of the fourth round !
Jims features fairly beamed with conf |
dence, and az matters progressed his face |
took on q smile which widened his jaws |
TO such an extent that lanky Bob could |
not have missed one of them. had he |
tried. Less than a week ago another in |
stance OF this kind was furnished us, |
when Johnny Griffin and Sol. Smith |
fought before the new Columbia Athletic |
Club at ROby, Ind. The Braintree lad |
had his man groggy and almost out at |
the close OF the third round. But i'm the |
fourth, while ne was chucklng with glee |
at the "cinch" ne had, Soly. with all the |
eagerness and despair Of a drowning man
e1'a sping a a straw, literally flung him
sci at his antagonist. knocking him down
and out. and leaving D cash i'm the ply
of Johnny that will serve him
as "a reminder of the folly Of over-con-
ndence 10 his dying day Jack Skelly
had a bad case Of "swQlcd head when
he faced George Dixon at New Orleans,
as did Leeds when ne attempted to mix
things mp with McAuliffe a Philadelphia.
] ~ sad indeed, az this late day, 10 see
50 many champions and would-bes i'm
hucd with this same spirit Of over-cOn-
hdeuce. but sadder still Il IS when we
reflect that James j. Corbctt whom the
sporting fraternity Of the world ever
looked upon as a model of discretion and
sound sense. has voluntarily enlisted him
self I'm the ranks of the "swcll head"
army. and betrays unmistakable evil
lenccs Of his over-confdence. when he
announces his willingness TO take on"
Mitchell and Jackson within six weeks
Jf each other Such uncalled-for state
nents on Jim's part seem 10 me the very
acme Of foolishness. since 10 is universally
conceded that Jackson and Mitchell are
ar from being mere nOvices I'm the
science Of self-defense. and in the event
f Corbett meeting one Of these two
hunters. IL Is just possible
though by any means probable) that
When the time came TO face the other
oe. he would realize that frequently II
axes six months for a fighter to get over
that tired feeling" let alone six weeks
fore anon. WELTER.