New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-11
BOXING OFTHE PRESENT DAY
TAKING ITS PROPER PLACE AMONG
AMERICAN SPORTS
GREAT ANTIQUITY or THE ART or SELF DEFENCE
ITS RAPID EVOLUTION rNDER THE MAJ
OTIS or QrEENsgrERY RrLEs

OTIS or QrEENsGCERY RULES
one - our mos, honored poets Homer tells i'm
The tweniy-third book OF the Had Of ceebrated
fstic encounter which 'ook place as long ago a
1884 t. 9. Virgil. h his I'neld. Grh book also re-
irrS p" the trials % strength and sku between
warriors. IN which natures weapons played the
most prominent part. so thai boxing az a science
ana sport, has hr~i Of all the prestige Of great
antiquity. Some authorities STATE that wrestling
and running follow boxing az - natural sequence
the FIRST impulse of e man attacked being hi-
hsis; falling 2" defend himself with these. ne
sorts 10 wrestling. and Il this. too ne insufficient.
! lie has eft him the privilege of running away from
his enemy.
In the Middle Ages the church indorsed boxing.
J. is related Of celebrated monk s. Bcrnadine.
That IN i' 80 great was The loss OF life by duens
and hshtne IN Italy. the dinereut States OF that
country being constantly strife with Zach other
inai 10" inauRuraied boxing me bod 10y which
al disputes should % settled. The orawlerS were
rnd under certain res tons and The wise monk
,ugg"s .ons resulted IN a great l"ssenng Of the
fatalities % the day
ln ancient days the power Of the ns.s Nss aug
inented rather than ios-ened a. j. the case now.
Instead OF tn h"ayl. padded boxing glove Of the
pfestnt. The covering OF me tisl was intended and
designed 10 rend'r helpless the man struck When
Il bout wa@ begun O. understood to end ia
death OF in complete disabiomenf % one both
OF the contestants The ccstus. the early form of
our pr"s"n, boxing glove. was In Itself pou.
The" wor" several forms Of the crstus. but tho
one mos generally known Nas composed of thongs
OF rawhidc bound around The fs, d wooen glove
being fir; placed on the hand. To the thongs 81
fa"n hide were generally attached kuucA.es % brass
blunt points o. iron or plummcts OF lead Virgil
d'scfiu'- one OF these weapons Is follows
The glove Of death with sov,n distinct folds
-, Ign huIlldc, the space within Is spread
WIN lyon or with loads nf heavy Lead
FAVORlTE SPORT or THE BRITISH
The British have oyer been ardent lovers OF box
Ing Th'r ctotion 90 all he manly sports j. a
national trait and they have Away, led the world
il football. rowing wrestling, boxing aud the
lighter sp1r,s. such tennis sof and cr.ck"'.
Within NJ last genera ton. however. Americans
have been leading more ieisurey lie and
tor na- b" ON" more important feature Of IN
National existence. To-day America is seriously
coutrst.ng :he supremacy OF the mother country
boz many branches % spor' and athletics. and in
none nas she made sresicr progress than IN boxing.
10 an tnglis Imdu. however. mus, he given much
OF 'he credit for 'hr higher plane upon which box
ing now stands Un-u wi;hin d comparatively re-
cent Dat" au contest. with ns's we've governed oS
tie old London prize ing rules A. long as these
rules were 10 cNiSt,ucr and n,tc encounters wrre
conducted by them. th"re was necessarily
more or Jess OF brutality and lt'le chance Tot he
elevation of th' sport so one bar professionals
Jared .. 'ngage 10 contest. 20, ,h~y frequently.
.nI ou, ingl. -et invariably. r~suit-d ia the
n1a.lnrl %. Do. dl.nguriuG for NE - III. psrtc.-
psuf. '.'t'iuir up man who cared for his POI
s,rtl apj-af4u.- would ran The ri-k oi
counter ~lfh th~ nstcd MSS 90 boui where
wrestling and o.n.r worse practices were allowed
md .n l'... part OF me business
aARQtls OF gUEENsbCRl RULES
The Marquis n Queensbury 4 vsll-kuown and
popular sporting noblcmsn. NAV properly be called
the father ~ boxing :, Is praotised to-day WITH
-, ,f.frl.
the 'urtluci- 81 gentleman. ami 80 himself 'n'
-Hsk %, tryiug 'o eliminate the brutality that was
q necessary .oucomitanf Of the sport under he
old rul,s As result Of the Englshmaus -1or;-
thc nov famous Marquis OF Que"usbury rules were
formulated and INTRODUCED. Like all innovations
90 long time before thc public generally a.
acpt.d them. and 10 fact many boxers never dbl
take to hem but insisted on their contests being
condu,tcd by the ola London rules. In this coun-
49,. whore tradition ana custom bad no. 80 strong
q hold "a. Lew rules were fayotabN received. AM
oven ~ mat earl, day there We're Americans WIN
Jaw zoe advantages and merit of the he" resula-
lions.
The QIeensbUiy rules prohibited many foIl tdcdc@
and practically compelled the boxer 20 depend IN
tlrely Oh his ability TO strik. clean fair hloN
with his hst II the beginning OF the higher
scl,nc. - the present day. bIt only beginning
Time Was necessary II Is hard hing 20 teach
IN old dos new tricks and m. English boxer
not change their methods But IA. rules had merit
ana The better -ad, 81 tngshusen recognized hat
fa.t. and gradually "a" younger men began 30 take
nom tip and matches mad. after whii- ~
frequently hy The new rules a. the old
SULLINANs WONDERFrL tot RS
That great American John J.. sullivan he
raia 10 be- tine next most important factor In he
evolution OF boNius. Aft"r conquer.ng some OF The
greatest men OF the day pc began starring OF
ile country that IN rs way one OF the mos,
markable eXubi Ions ever given. For months he
travelled the contin'u, from one end TO the other
win the standing challenge and or"r 10 nut out
au, aud all men 90 four-round bout Win soft
gloves failing which ne would forfeit liberal sum
81, tnr man " no wn- .tn On his feet aS,he end o,
the match II Wa a game hat fascinated the pub
n,. and touched the pride OF athletes "verywhero.
Hundreds OF strappins iclloH, donnnd tae glove
tremendous bu-k" PUSHES. his great strength
and activity and his blazing eye were invariably
too much FOR Ms opponents. and the results were
nouoi ouou- IN their regularity.
SuI,va"~ tours -et peopI. TO thinking. Wonderful
fighter and athlete as he was there must he SOM
"f choking him metnoo mus ne ,Su , ia
earn me tempting prize neld out " strength "oul'
u , n,f'' nh%so,,e ana temperament OF Sullivan.
But science WAS thing that all might acquire and
fn,r rounds And here was he next important
ytcp in the evolution that was taking place .
sullivan made win open rhaIrnse 10 box a.
would be deemed crazy Had h. twice the ability
OF sullivan i. would YET be Insufficient, Ihers ar
hundreds OF men now who would jump a. the OPP
nortupltv 10 stay fodr rounds for purse, "hp
possrss sucien, science and knowlcdge OF OF. me me
gam. 10 stand on the best man that ever nNed Tor
four SIX OF even eghi or ten foundS
RECOGNITION or BoNING.
l. must be evident 10 every one that ooNlhs' !"
rh- highest sense of the wcrd. has become ii Sport
that must be- recognized 10y the American public.
The day OF ihc prize-hghter. he man who pun
meled his adversary with his bare ast-, has gone
forever. In his stead has sprung up a race or
athletes quiet geutlemanly well-dressed man VINO
are welcome in nny company, although thtOearn
their livelihood by their knowledge ot the of
"hit. stop and get away" From sport that WAS
carried on only under cover. has come TO he