New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-19
SPORTS or THE WRONG KIND.

The dishonest, short-track, slxday bicycle
race has been followed by przefght In Long
Island CITY. Some Of the admirers Of the slug
gers declare that the contest In Jacksonville On
Friday night was not savage and feroclous,
hut any such assertion is made absurd by the
detailed reports printed in several newspapers
which describe all the incidents OF the struggle.
The various accounts agree In saying that Me-
Gov early in the fight struck Creedon tremeD-
dous blow which injured one of Creedons eyes.
Again and again as the rounds went on Mccoy
succeeded in smashing the battered eye Of his
miserable victim. Blood flowed freely, and
the combat was shocking 10 every spectator
with lingering sense of dcccncy John l.. Sui
Ivan is reported as saying that /: was a gen
tlemanly" fight. The remark OF this besOtted
hruiser is enough In itself to determine the true
character of the mil" But this was not all
Mayor Gleason, who is sugger Of the Sulli-
van type himself, ruffian who has been guilty
of many assaults, and who has been behind
the bars in his own city, made a speech from
the prize-rlng platform. He told his hearers
that he was proud to be there. and proud Of
the fac. that this fight (which was in reality
revolving battle between law-breaking scoun-
drels) had not been prevented in the municipal
ity Of which he is the executive head. Any
thing which Gleason is proud OF Is usually a
thing of which reputable people are heartily
ashamed. The true meaning and intent Of the
State law in regard TO boxing were plainly ylO-
lated In this affair.
| This State ought TO be sufficiently advanced
in civilization to suppress slx-day bicycle races,
| especially when they are fraudulently con
Quoted on short tracks when they are infa-
nous for avarice, extortiOn and swndng as
we'll as for cruelty and brutality; and it ought
| to make II impossible that any such vile prize
| fight as that between CreedOn and Mccoy
should ever occur hereafter within it's borders.
| If Tammany had not been successful in the cleo
ton last month II is likely that the men who
msmanagcd the short-rack, six day bicycle
race would not have been so bold In their
wrongdong; and 1t Is also probable that the
prizeGghters Mccoy and CreedOn, would not
! have been allowed to use much violence and
/ 10 affront public opinion 80 audacously as they
| did on Friday night. Many Of the Tammany
leaders are enthusiastic devotees of prizefght-
/ ing in its worst forms and delight in any sort
of contest in which extreme pain Is inflicted or
in which blood flows In streams
Now there Is Tammany scheme on foot to
allow championship baseball contests in this
city next year on Sundays. Every respectable
citizen will hope that the Legislature will tnke
such action that no Sunday baseball within in
closed areas and with admission fees charged
at the gates, shall be allowed in any part OF
this State on Sundays. II the NewYork nine
is permitted 10 play championship games on
Sundays, bicycle races, trOtting contests, run.
ming races, athletic games OF all kinds, and
even prizehghts, will soon be common on
Sundays No argument In favor Of Sunday
baseball be thought Of which does not
apply equally to Sunday races with horses
and Sunday races with bicycles. In recent sea
sons n great deal OF disturbance and disorder
has taken place on baseball grounds In the prin-
cipal cities Of the country. The management
Of the professional players has been so lax and
so careless that the services OF the police have
been called upon in many cases TO prevent act.
ual rioting. Baseball as It was played In New.
York and other cities last year was not always
a peaceable, orderly quiet, harmless sport. II