The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-02
PLEA FOR 'PUG|L|SM
Champion James COrbett Has an
Appointment.
With Members Of the Minnesota
Legislature
HE MAKES 4 TALK
Showing the Beauties Of the
Pugi1istic Field,
And Claiming That There is No
And Claiming That There is No
Brutality in It.

ST. PAUL, Mimi, Feb. 2.-Jas. J. Cor
bett, the champion pugilist of the world,
met large number of the members of
the Minnesota Legislature last night to
discuss sparring matches, several men,
bers desiring enlightenment with a view
to a modification of the Minnesota law
as to prize lighting As soon as the
members were seated Corbett said:
GENTLEMEN:-I hope you will believe
me, when l say that the brutality so free
ly alleged by people who have ever seen
prize fight, or a fair stand up fight of
any kind, is almost entirely lacking. A
rough and s0mble fight between school
boys even will develop more of the
brutishness of civilized man than we'll
ordered boxing match possibly can.
When the ordinary bar fight
or drunken street brawl is
considered, while men throw each other
down and kick, gouge, scratch and even
bite, then such a meeting as l will en-
gage in with Fitz5immons becomes
mere feat of cleverness and quick
ness"
But why should men train SO long and
arduous for these matches if that is the
case, Mr.. Corbett?" asked senator
81 will partially answer your question
by asking another, Yankee fashion,
''Why do men like Depew, Breckin-
ridge, your own Donnelly and Davis al
ways want ample notice if they are to
deliver an oration?" simply because they
must go into training. They must read
up, study, think out the various lines or
branches of their subject; in short pre-
pare themselves to do justice to the &C.
casion, their audience and themselves.
1t is for the same reason that a boxer
must put himself under the often harsh
and always laborious task imposed by a
conscientious trainer 1t is a matter of
plain duty that l, or any other boxer,
should become as sound, alert, quick and
strong, as perfect physically, as we
can. And training of the head, restraint
of the passions, tempering of the
mind and those very important organs.
the heart and lungs, are decidedly as
important as the mere development of
muscle and hitting force"
"How do you account for the fatalities
recently occurring in the prize ring?"
asked a member of the delegation.
Easy enough. Stranger things hap
pen every day in almost every eommun-
ity. A man is sitting quietly in chair
and his life snaps in an instant. Physi-
clans say it was heart disease, apoplexy,
over exertion, bursting of blood vessel
in the brain that caused death.
Whatever it was, the moment came
when the thread of life could not longer
withstand the strain. Any one of US is
liable to these things. 90 with the pu-
gilists. Ninety nine fights may occur
and no person will be hurt
enough to keep him in bed an
hour. But one of the participants
in the hundredth will be fatally deficient
in some vital part, even though appar-
emily sound as you look at him.
THE warmth and excitement, chance
blow, with a big glove, any one of a
score of causes, weakens the man, the
nerve force leaves him, collapse follows,
| and then the end"