The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-06

the actual blow of the fist. OF course
there are no mans of ever guessing at
I he number of such encounters, Du' amone
the hundred million people OF tne Ensnsn-
speaking nations such daily encounters may
be represented in the four figure column; YET
so insignifcantly small are the Ialal eHects VI
imprOmptu boxing and fair hSt-ngh,lng thaC us
fatalities of year would nor equal lp ,aL VI a
few football cams In single season. why IS
this? Simply because bysaDderS ana splrit
OF fair play prevents lis going 100 lar; oho uiu
IL be different in the roped aIehd' No' "' an
Its risk should be lesSeDed
Professional boxing should not be permitted
except under legal restraint. II pei q
all IL should be under the controi OF DoIa-n n.
athletic associations organized f0r It's eu-
enlargement and not for money-makins puL
poses, every officer Of which should pc Ieiu
criminaliy liable Tor any violation OF tue ia"
and legally liable for any av0ldaDle happeu'
iDgs 1t should be the duty OF It's onlcidis 10
see that every precaution be observed. anu hotIs
but men OF tried and proven skill ana evenly
matched should be permitted 10 take part III
any semi-public exhibition
1t should be. furthermore, the duty OF ine
seconds TO withdraw their principal Wnen
overcome. and the imperative duty OF the
referee TO stop the contest when one OF me
contestants is in an almost defeated state. NO
cognZance or recognition Of bets should be
taken into consideration by lie club. The pet
ting element should cut no figure In the eyes OF
The managers-althOugh as a matter of fact
they are the greatest supporters OF all kinds OF
Sport-as he average betlor is more interested
in the winning of his bets than in The safety OF
the men, and is therefore not lmpasslve enough
in his judgment. No Othcial should be toler-
ated who has any pecuniary interest in the
profits or the betting. The duties of a referee
should be so clearly de fined by liked rules as to
admit of no contradiction, anu any de ce1t prac.
ticed upon the officials OF the club by the par
tleipants as to th cir condition, &C., should be
punished by forfeiture OF all COMPENSATION.
The fooling OF medical and other examiners Is
common practice TO affect the betting. Pro-
fessi0nals may be trusted. but should be mer-
cllessly watched. as they are the rings greatest
enemies. To the conniving and trckery of
those who use the ring aud its pertanIngs for
their living and profit all lis troubles are due
In regard TO the gloves, too much re can.
not be taken. as an improperly prepared glove
may be made a veritable weapon. Too little
filling or too hard filling makes them danger
Gus. A properly prepared glove should be
sufficiently elastic Ia the packing TO cushion
the crushing effect OF the blow. Such gloves
can be made within limit of i've ounces and
be OF fair size by selecting heavy leather for
the smaller gloves and thinner leather for the
larger ones. The packing should be OF cur led
hair, aud from TWO ounces to three and half
ounces. according TO the size and weight of the
men, The gloves should be made TO fit the
men, exactly alike In regard to weight OF
leather and filling. The method pursued by
the old California Athletic Club was to fit the
gloves o the men several days in advance of a
contest weigh The unified gloves, fill them and
have them sewed up, then lOck ed in a sealed
case, "al I'm the presence of the club directors"
and The key handed to the proper official and
only produced al the ringsiGe. Nothing possl-
Die 10 l0foSee Sl0uIQ De leIt 10 cDance. Auto
matte clocks for Ginning purposes should be in
sisted upon, and official timers appointed also
as a precautlOn In case OF accident TO the TIM
ing apparatus.
The clocks should be in full view of the au-
dence and should consist of large open fac,
with one hand marking The minutes ana the
other the seconds, sounding gong at the end
OF the thid ana the commencement of the
fourth minute and registering the number OF
rounds.
A flyback 10-second clock should also be pro-
vided, sounding warning tap at the COM
mencement of the first second aud Contin uOus
roll OF a drum al the expiration OF the tenth
second The sounding apparatus OF these two
clocks should be entirely dissimilar TO avoid
any possible confusion of sounds. These clocks
should be under the Charge of most eX experienced
and cool-headed officials.
The ring should be "a feet square and the
floor padded with hair telling, such as used for
covering OF steam boilers aud pipes. No L In
thickness and covered with we'll ST. etched can
vas, well reSined but not painted. The stakes
should also be padded. A rope ring can be
constructed without stakes. Such a one Is in
use by the Olympic Club OF San Francisco, an
amateur association.
A communication of the spectators with
either principals, timers, seconds or the referee
should be absolutely prohibited. and The
referee should be paid by the club only.
That professional boxing can be safely
carried on was amply demonstrated by the
California Athletic Club during its period of
decision OF championships were of almost
monthly occurrence, while at those of lesser
import too common for remembrance, no casu-
atty or even serious injury occurred.
Under such management and judIciOus legal
restraint boxing could be made popular with
beneficial practice and art perpetuated Re-
specIfully, L. Il. FULDA