The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-21
PuGlLIsTs SHAKE HANDS,
But Their Subsequent Actions Seem TO II
dictate Insincerity.


| But Their Subsequent Actions Seem TO In
dictate Insincerity.
Ordinarily the handshake is regarded
asan evidence of friend illness on the part
of those. who perform the operation,
but when two pagiists, prepared for .
desperate contest, clasp each other by
the hand the action looses all its friend
ly significance and becomes nothing
more than hollow moclery.
| Two men have signed articles to fight
| to finish. which means until one or
the other has been pummeled so hard
| as to be unable to continue. Each is
! determined to inflict as much physical
| injury on his opponent as is possible,
| with due regard for the rules under
which they battle. and yet before they
begin the work of battering each other
| they shake hands with great show Of
| apparent friendiiness.
The spectators hare of course aware
that the fghtefs are simply going
through form. and that the subse-
! quent battle viii lose none of its fierce
ness because Of the show OF temporary
| good feeling.
|
somewhat farcical the ceremony per-
! formed at the close of the contest is the
most pronounced burlesoue. 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>es 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, if not too badly injured,
sit with their necks 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 look of extreme pleasure on his
bruised and bleeding face, rushes across
the ring to the corner where his OBJ
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 a 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 a 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 thrown
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
knuclSles, after which they pull it on
the hand, and tie it at the wrist, SO
there is no possibility of a 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 affirma- |
tive, and he remarks with emphasizes. |
'Shake 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 snake hands, according to |
the instructions of the referee Then |
they turn and start toward their cor
ners.
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
large towel, and this fills the air with
rosin dust, which settles on the clothes
OF the onlookers.
Another unpleasant feature 10 the
practice some seconds follow of taking
q nouthful of water and squirting II 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 o. the
con ests-N. i. Sun.
Nothing Wasted
Nothing is made in vain Not even