San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-12-17
ANDY BoWEN's DEATH.
It May Prove a Death Blow to the
Prize Ring in This Country.

Prize Ring in This Country.
"DAILY Light! All about the
murder"
"What MURDER?
"Why de murder in New Orleans
Any Bowen, what was knocked out
by kid Lavigne, died this mornin',
and de LIGHT tells yer all about it,.
Want one? Only five cents"
Such was the cry on the streets
Saturday afternoon and it was the
first intimation received here Of
the result of the Lavigne- Bowen
| fight. Yesterday it was the sole
topic among all followers OF ath-
letic sport, and especially among
the admirers of the manly art Of
self. defence.
at is hard blow to prize fight
ing and may prove fatal one. 1t
may result in Congress taking hold
OF the matter and settle pugilism
forever" Such and many Others
similar were the expressions heard
yesterday. A question which
seems to be a very important one
is, whether it was the blow or the
fall that killed Bowen. The floor
on which Bowen fell was of pine,
stretched over with canvas, and in
falling, the back OF his head struck
the floor first, and with terrific
force. There is no doubt but that
it was the fall which caused Bow
ems death, but the fall was caused
by the blow, and if the blow hadn't
been struck Bowen would not
have fallen. Another question
Had the floor been padded, as it
was in the Fitzsimmons-Ha mill,
Bowen would have been alive to-
day.
Two knock-outs of a similar ma
ture can be recalled in San Anto-
MO, and they could have resulted
in the same manner as the fight at |
New Orleans. To followers of local |
pugilism it is not necessary to |
mention names. The victims in |
both fights are still here and are
today as hale and hearty as ever.
1t has always been contended |
that it should be made rule that |
in all fights the floor of the ring
should be padded, and if prize |
fighting is not entirely suppressed,
those engaged in it will no doubt |
make it a rule hereafter never to
enter ring unless the floor is |
padded.
The sad event at New Orleans has
put damper on the Dempsy-Ryan
fight, which was to have taken
place Saturday night. This fight
was Of more than ordinary inter-
est as it was to open a new
field for the middleweight cham
pionship, Bob t'itzsimmons having
entered the heavyweight class. 1t
will also affect the Corbett-FitZ-
simmons fight, probably mas
much that the mill will never take
place. There will surely be no
prize fighting or glove contests in
New Orleans for the next few years
on that account, and as far as
jacksonville, Fla, is concerned,
that's now entirely out of the
question. Governor Mitchell, who
has always been opposed to prize
fighting, will now take a much
tirmer stand, and will be supported
by many others, who were hereto
fore somewhat inclined to favor
the sport. Sioux City had also put
in bid for the big fight, but now,
as the mittS were instrumental in
wiping out two lives within a
month, it would be nothing less
than scheme for free advertising
to attempt to arrange for a fight |
between Corbett and Fitzsimmons.
If the fight really takes place
within the boundaries Of the Unit
ed States lin '95 it can be chron-
icled as one of the wonders OF the
present decade.
non