The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-08

= decisive victory or defeat has been de-
.'Illlneu. However, 80 Is nothing Ia COM
tailsQu to tac bitterness Of feelings en-
-ehuefeu between factions I'm the olden
gay oI the ring when one or the other
--FoilIe went down Then feuds began
H.l endured Cop years. as witness the
troiracted quarrels Of John Morrisey and
4ankee Sullivan, and Morrisey and John
q hcenau and their respective partisaus.
80 too, with John Morrisey on the ono
manu- anu LON ityer and Sin Poole on the
Other. These fractional feuds lasted for
something like a decade or more and were
pfoYocatlon for many fierce and bloody
battles between the followers of each
clan
Nowadays all feeling OF rivalry and
nate passes away, If not directly at the
ring side, at least not far away from it,
under the mellow influence of time
what Is more the fighters, and those
directly associated with them, are more
honorable IN their dealings with each
other ana the public than they were in
years gone by Then it was "A frequent
occurrence that the best man would not
be permitted to win. Gangs would
stampede the ring and the winner and his
friends be uniustly deprived OF the fruits
of victory. Such a thing in this Augustin
age Of pupilism would be an impossible
event. The reigning powers of any great
association, like the Coney Island Athlet-
lc club or their confreres at the south or
west could Immediately nip any such plan
in the bud.
Again it frequently happened in an
earlier era-althOugh never in the case
OF champions, l beieve-that one fighter
would lay down" to another; in other
words betray his friends and hackers
mat can never be tried with any degree
OF success in our times. And to the
credit Of my profession be it SAID that
Few lighters have ever essayed the feat
IN my country, whatever they may have
done IN other lands In happy, free
America / know that an overwhelming
majority OF fighters are strictly honest.
indeed, whether they wished to be so or
not they would have to be if they wished
to climb the ladder Of success, for be it
known that IN fighting, even more than
In statecraft, honesty is the best policy
a cunning politician can throw down.
his constituents once, twice or even
thrice and yet succeed in life A tricky
tighter might betraya friend and hacker
once, but never a second time. His pugi-
listic, if not his actual days would be
quickly numbered on attempting second
heat.
In conclusion let me say that it is not
for every man to be fighter. A pugi-
list, like poet or journalist, is born and
not made. The qualities Of head and
heart as well as those of skill, strength
and measurement must be a part of
natures outfit. All the professors in the
world cannot make lad a fighter unless
he possesses the qualities of which 1
speak. Besides fighting is not such an
alluring vocation a most of the rising
generation look upon it, Neither physi-
cally nor financially is it a renumerative
business. Unless one pugilist turns com
pletely over another, as John L. Sulli-
van did at one time over all rivals, he
is almost sure to undergo physical
injuries which may discomfort him
greatly in future years. If the prowess
of his adversary does not bring about
this result social pleasure may. For
know, kind reader, that a successful
pugilist is so generously treated by
friends and foes alike that his
stamina in time must be impaired
These same social delights drain the
fighters own purse and in the end he is
likely, no matter how much money he
has had, to 'go broke" Morrisey,
Heenan, Sayers, Perry and Yankee
Sullivan all died without a dollar 1
hope our own great John will not en-
counter a similar fate.
JOHN E. DEMPSEY,