The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-03
BOXING BOUTS
ON THE BOOM
Have Been Put on a Good Basis by
Legitimate Clubs.
FINISH FIGHTS IN MANY CITIES
Two Months Ago the Sport Was Dead
But 1t Is Now Permitted Through
out the Country--In New York state
1t Is Legalized by the Horton Bill.
There will Likely BE a Reaction.

1t is not so very many months ago
that the admirers of boxing were be-
walling the fact that the sport was
seemingly on the down grade, owing
to the fact that it had been frowned
on to such an extent by the authori-
ties that there was hardly a state or
city in the country where two men
with mitts on were allowed to face
each other for the purpose on finding
out which was the better man.
At San Francisco the sport had been
tabooed, and all that was left to the
admirers of boxing on the coast was a
memory Of the glories that clustered
about the old California Athletic club
in the arena of which Fitzsimmons and
Peter Jackson had made their Ameri-
can debuts and big Joe McAuliffe,
Patsey Cardiff, James j. Corbett, Aus
tralian Billy Murphy, Spider Weir,
Frank Glover and host of lesser
lights had done battle.
FAMOUS OLYMPIC.
The boxing clubs at New Orleans,
among which the most famous was the
Olympic, had had their doors closed by
the strong arm of the law, and all that
was left to the lovers of the game in
that section of the country were the
memories of the great contests that
had taken place in the Crescent CITY
between such famous eXpOnents Of the
art of self-defense as Sullivan, Corbett,
Kilrain, Jack McAuliffe, Fitzsimmons,
| Hail. Maher, Myer, Goddard and Dem
Yer Ed Smith
Even in Boston, where boxing
matches had been pulled off almost
every night for years, the glove men
were under a ban, and, though a
match were now and then pulled off
on the sly yet there was no public
| boxing, and the same thing was true
of Philadelphia, a city that in spite of
the brotherly love that is supposed to
prevail there, sends out as many box
ers to the square inch as any city in
| the country,
| In Chicago, st. Paul and other west
ern cities it was simply impossible to
| get permit for even a boxing exhibit
tion, and the outlook for the boxers
and their admirers was indeed a
gloomy one. What change the past
few months have wrought however.
! In New York city limited round box
ing contests, practically to a finish,
are now of almost nightly occurrence,
| while every city, town and hamlet al
most in the Empire state boasts of its
athletic organizations, thanks to the
Horton act that legalized boxing under
| proper restrictions.
In San Francisco the sport is again
in full favor and the halcyon days of the
California Athletic club are being for
gotten in the rush to the new organiza-
tions that have usurped it's place in the
| world of sport. At Philadelphia box
ing is allowed under police protection
and though knoCkouts are neither de-
sired nor looked for and bouts are linn
tied to ten rounds or less, yet the
game meets with a great deal of favor
IN THE WEST.
At Denver, Cripple Creek and Salt
Lake City limited round contests are
allowed, while in Nevada, the gates
have been thrown wide open to the
boxers. The contrast between this
state of affairs and the one that pre-.
vailed a few short months ago is start
ling, and that boxing is enjoying &
boom cannot be denied.
The boxer that cannot have a banl
account Of his own in a short space OF
time under this condition of affairs i!
unworthy of the name, and he will bt
wise indeed If he takes time by tn,
| forelock and gets together as quickly
| as possible for a reaction is bound t
follow and the boxers occupation, lik,
that of Othello's, will be gone.