The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-06
BOXING.
Olympic Clubs special Match Con-
tests-Fu Ida on Professionals.

The Olympic Club will give its next boxing
entertainment In the early part OF February.
and as special bouts Will be feature of the &C.
cason, the members can rely upon seeing
some excellent sport, as only trst.class ath-
letes will be selected to perform.
The following interesting article from L. r.
Fulda-the faith e r OF professional boxing clubs
in this cty-on hsticutfs will certainly interest
all lovers of the manly art:
There is boxing and boxing In pugilism, APP
parent 10 those who properly understand the
science and can appreciate II. 1t has It's good
ana evil Side-much to commend and condemn.
No tair-miDded man would like TO have it elm
mated from physical culture or discontinued as
an art worthy of practice. II worthy OF en-
couragement il must have Its able professors
who must gain their experience through actu al
practice. even II 1t entails al occasional sacrI-
flee. | will admit that 1t is not wholly free OF
danger. but under proper control and regula-
tons Its risks are small compared Win many
OF the so-called innocent games so largely at
tended and vocler6usly applauded by the ten
drr-hearted opponents OF boxing. Baseball
claims its constant victims; likewise horse
racing, running, jumping, wrestling. fencing,
etc.-the ordinary practice in the gymnasium
while the wholesale butchery OF football, "a
game pracltced almost exclusively by the re-
fined and cultured college student and graduate
and so enthusiastically enjoyed by the elite of
sociey y" would fill professional pugillst with
horror.
As matter of fact all contests of physical
supremacy Of whatever kind are more or less
dangerous or brutal. and many are won but
little short OF Deaths door. They should never
be undertaken except under most careful super
vision to prevent fatalities. Regarding bru-
tally, there is very little choice between many
of the games. and the fair and tender hearted
danes and maldens of the grand stand little
dream that to win their applause and favor,
many fatal injury Is sustained under the lex
element Of the moment, of deliberately and
murderously inflicted.
Boxing as an art and practice Is most worthy
and hPnptiniAl-ttS abtlse OnlV 10 be Q0OI0re0.
1t Is commended and encouraged by the most
eminent In the land, and many OF our greatest
statesmen boast OF their proficiency. The &C
Qurement of the art by young men is not
brutaliZlng In Its influence, but rather tends 10
give them certain degree OF confidence, self
restraint and mutual regard for each others
nrowess. more likely to prevent than encourage
QUAR- cling. That IT. has influence upon the
character of a nation Is beyond dispute, for
strange as 1t may seem TO tue minimizing.
1t Is the outgrowtn Of civilization and
a national disposition to avoid the use
of deadly weapons. Its practice Is
utterly unknown to savage aud sem-cvliZed
nations. but is confn almost exclusively TO
tile a-cOnquering ana most humane fighting
race OF the world, the AngloSaxOn. AS mat
ter OF history. innumerable are the instances
where he has laid aside his weapons. rather than
Gaining an armed foe. 1t Is a misnomer to call
the fists natures weapons. for mans natural
weapons are sticks and stones-ail savages iu-
stinctIvely resort TO them, likewise his more
of the English-speaking countries where boxing
is most practiced and encouraged are the most
law-abldlng and progressive. The effective use
of the fist Is an acquired art and man who
has not acquired that art in some way can
hardly strike even an injurious blow with il.
Boxing and fighting, In and out of the ring,
and fatalities compared, Is a curious and con-
Trajectory study. Man Is more or less a fight
Ing animal, ordained by nature TO conquer the
animal Kingdom. and, by inclination, his
fellow man; In MS savage state deilghting TO
destroy his single foe and in his advanced
state whole natiOns-it Is a matter of degree
only. Combativeness cannot be eliminated
from his nature; it can only be controlled.
How Dest to do this without destroying his
martial spirit is question OF national i'm.
portauce.
The Anglo-Saxou Is great devotee of ath-
letlc sports, In which boxing has recognized
place. Ii is taught in public and private edu-
catonal institutions ana is practiced by large
proportion Of the youth. Fatalities in the
gymnasium are almost unbeard or, though
hard "scraps" are of almost daily occurencr.
bare fist fights among schoolboys and street
gamins are constantly going on. while vicious
encounters among adults are too common TO
mention, yet there are very few fatalities from