davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08
The New STAR

McCoy's leap To the top of the ladder
is bringing out many stories OF the days
when he was an amateur. one of his
friends said recently:
when Mccoy first came To Clevc-
land. he was unknown as a fighter. 4
fellow out there named Rumsey. who
had a gymnasium. saw the Kid boxing
one day. and Immediately put him
against a local bruiser. The college
boy as Mccoy was called. cut tho
bruiser to pieces So quickly that Rum
scy recognized him as wonder Then
Rumsey got BILLY Steffers a Cleveland
pugilist. To meet Mccoy In public. Rum
sey bet all he had ON Mccoy and lost,
as the Kid who didn't know how to be
careful. was Knocked out in a punch.
Rumsey then proclaimed Steflers a
world beater. ana when the latter met
Mccoy again all of Bumseys money
was down on the Cievelandcr. This time
Mccoy won dccisvely. ana Rumscy
hasn't said "a word since"
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08
A Boon to Sportsmen

II is fortunate that the comments OF
many sportsmen while attempting to
untangle a set of decoy ducks and lines
with anchors made from old doorknobs,
railroad spikes. chunks of lead and mis-
cellaneous scrap iron, in the teeth OF
a brisk. icy breeze. are carried away on
the wings of the wind The experience,
as all duck hunters can tell ID - tt;o
last degree eXasperating. A new METH
od of anchoring decoys has been de-
vised which its inventor claims is des-
tined To he a great moral influence.
When this anchor is used. the lines
cannot become entangled. and the set
ting OF decoys is accomplished as rap
idly as a sportsman can pick them up
from his boat and throw them 10 the
desired position. Another advantage
is that when after a days sport the
Shooter starts to pick up his decoys he
finds the anchors unfouled With weeds.
These anchors are made from "a single
piece of cast iron of an elliptical shape.
open wide enough at the broad end TO
drop easily over the head of the decoy
after winding the anchor line about its
body.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08
The Hunting Season In Maine.

Game Commissioners Carleton OF Maine
SAID that the season has been by far
the most successful on record for all
concerned in hunting or i'm the protec-
ton OF Names fish and game. AS 10
new legislation. he thought that n tax
should he imposed upon game of any
description taken out of Maine by yis
iting sportsmen and the money be used
for the support OF the department OF
protection and propagation. Concern
ing the proposition TO reduce the legal
allowance of deer from two to one. Mr..
Carleton said that he was not certain
but that one deer was enough The
guide system had proved To be a won-
derful success. AS for the moose sea-
son. the limiting of the hunting period
To two weeks had gone far toward de-
laying the utter determination of those
animals, but he regarded the moose
and the caribou of Maine as doomed.
The game commissioners are much
annoyed at recent sensational stories
concerning the party of Ohio sports
men who were encamped last fall at
Jackman. on the Canadian Pacific rail-
way. The facts are that some OF the
party did not go into the state to shoot
deer at all. and that the others did not
even kill their legal allowance. let alone
strewing the earth with the "rotting
remains of game killed wantonly."
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08

did monetary field II offered. and l cul-
tivated IL assiduously. l have proba-
bly, made more money by boxing than
any other puglist outside of sullivan
and Corbett. / have always got big
purses OF late years and | back myself
heavily with my own money every
time | go into the ring. BY the lime
am 26 as | have already stated i eX-
pect to be the champion of the world.
That title, II get il, as ] fondly hope.
I will defend for four years against all
comers and more especially foreigners.
Within that time | am confident an
American lad will have grown up who
will be able To hold the championship,
for by that time the present lot of
fighters OF the championship class will
be back numbers. When am 30. / will
quit the ring for good. With the money
| have earned / will travel. Having
been over almost every portion of my
own country, | will go abroad, visit all
the historical spots In Europe, and
then make thorough tour of the ORR
ent / will go through Greece. Turkey.
Egypt, Palestine. Japan, China and ev-
cry country which has historical as
socations. will learn by actual obser-
walton what was denied me in my ear
| ~ udNE, Wtltn L Snouiu nave Dttu ~
school instead of battling with the
world
In conclusion, let me say one word
about my art. or. rather. the general art
OF self defense. Boxing never made a
man any the worse for learning il. II
has never melted men to crime. nor has
IL ever aroused any OF their baser pas
sons. on the contrary. il makes men
and boys brave. self reliant andhoalthy.
Every boy and man should know how
To box AS he knows how To walk and
run. For. besides being the best exer-
else in the worlu, II is sometimes nee
essary for "A man i'm ordinary life to
know how 60 defend himself. say from
the attacks OF "A ruliian or "a robber, and
here LET me say. with all modesty. the
style adopted by the late Jack Demp-
sey, James j. Corbett and your hum
BILE servant is most effective for that
purpose.
By the way. let me here explain that
| did not change my name and assume
the nom de guerre OF Mccoy because
! am ashamed Of my profession. NJ
real name, az every one now knows. is
Norman Selby. not Norman Elijah Sell
/ by as some wag put IL. | took the
name Of Mccoy because ! did not wish
10 cause pain 90 my parents. who as |
j have stated. are deeply religious peo-
/ pie. Unfortunately. however. as I grew
/ in fame my proper name leaked out
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08
PRIZE WINNING WHIST PLAYERS.
The Truth About Leads" and System Playing--MsS
WheelOck the Whist Queen.

When this is done pot hunting" viii
end, and most of the pot hunters will
return 10 the fold. and the worship OF
Cavendsh. Hamilton ct al will become
nearly universal.
In the minds OF many young whist
players the term American leads" is
connected with no very definite idea.
The term is i'm fact rather vague. be-
ing sometimes connected with leads that
were common elsewhere long before the
expression came into use In general
way, however. American leads may be
described as those the purpose of which
IL is To indicate the number of cards in
"A suit and TO give information regard
ing them. They are subject To the fol-
lowing four rules, three OF which are
taken from a paper in Harper's, 1891,
by y. B. Trist, and the fourth being
first definitely expressed i'm Foster S
American Leads"
81. When you open a strong suit with
low card lead the fourth best.
80. When you open strong suit with
high card ana next lead a low card.
lead the original fourth best.
'3. When you remain with two high
Indifferent cards lead the higher. If you
opened "A suit of four; the lower If you
opened suit Of more than four.
a. Never lead king if you have
more than four cards of the suit"
The origin of the first rule is not
known, but seems to have been general
ever since records OF the game exist.
The second is credited TO General Dray-
son and the third was proposed by Cav
endish about 20 years ago. Cavendish
also introduced the term American
leads" which headed a chapter i'm his
book whist Developments" The
fourth rule was not hinted at in this
chapter. With it's exception these leads
have been suggested by Englishmen.
and So have lttla-t4 4aAt- -te-t little.
These general principles are carried to
such a length in their application that
they are thought by many To defeat
their own purpose, i'm the respect that
the object of the game has rather come
To be who can impart the most informa-
tion rather than who can take the most
tricks. However evil the rules may be
i'm an excessive Observance they are
ever at the right hand of n good whist
player, ready for use.
Miss Wheelock whom all whist play
ers know as the whist queen" is very
busy this winter with her classes, teach
ing the game To the north side residents
OF Chicago. Recently she was asked
about herself and how she took NJ
whist teaching as a profession. Her re-
ply is interesting:
II did not think of it. IT was forced
upon me. | am native of Green Bay
but a good many years ago | removed
TO Milwaukee and took a position as
clerk in Chapman's big store. / did not
like IL and broke the thraldom of a life
that was mere drudgery To go west and
pre-empt a land claim in Dakota. Re-
turning from that life of adventure
after eight months OF hardship. | agair
tried To settle down to commercial
career. / had always been very fond
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08
THE COST OF GOLF.

Those who think OF learning tnc
game of golf" says player. often In
quire as to It's cost The sport can be
made expensive IL one has money 70
spare; but. on the other hand IL may
he played with comparatively little out.
lay The FIRST thing To be- aone is to
join club having links, and upon tina
choice depends, in large measure. tho
entire question of cost as well as tho
pleasure To be derived from the sport
There are SO many golf clubs now
adays. with dues ranging all the way
from 50 To $3.50 year. that IL should
not be a difficult matter 10 calculate
which would be the one best suited TO
one pocket I'm the smaller clubs the
matter OF golf clothes does not play as
important part i'm the expense account
as IN the larger ones. All that is need
ed is an outfit that will permit perfect
freedom of every part of the body, and
whether one wears long or short trous-
efs' red coat or no coat at all makes
niue dlHerence so far as the game IN
concerned. The orthodox attire OF course
Is a loose negligee shirt. a stock tie. a
RED coat, heavy knickerbockers cut very
lull al the hips stockings with fancy
colorings only at the tops and the reg
Z "A
To the various implements necessary. n
beginner can get along nicely with four
or hVe clubs. Indeed, IL is better for
him To play with as few as possible un-
III he becomes accustomed To their use.
"A good selection would be n brassev
| cleek, mashie and perhaps a driver. The
last is hardly necessary at first. for
the Drassey viii do very well To start
with and stands better the hard usage
which novice is sure TO give IL. A
patter may also he discarded for a time
anu the cleek used on the green's. These
clubs vary in cost from $3.50 To $3.50.
ana canvas bag in which they are car
rled sells for 50, Other clubs may be
added from time to time, but the first
outlay rs not large. which is sometimes
an important factor to many.
Inc golf Dalls are perhaps one OF the
largest items OF expense for beginner.
as he usually loses them with persist
ent and annoying frequency. The better
makes sell three for 81 or 20 cents each.
But remade or practice balls can be OBJ
/ tanned as low as 81 "a dozen. and these
are good enough for the novice 10 whack
at during the first few weeks OF his en-.
/ thusiasm. The item for caddies js also
one that enters largely into the cost az
| play. AT the majority of courses boys
receive 10 cents for one round OF nine
holes. or % cents for Is holes This does
not include cleaning the clubs at the
end OF the play. for which dime is the
customary fee expected. Then there is
the item of repairs which must not be
overlooked, though of course this grows
smaller as the player becomes more
skillfuL Taken all together, however
the actual cost of indulging To n MOI
crate degree i'm the sport Is not heavy"
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08

with him at any time, as he fights at
about my weight and is only half an
inch taller than I, but is considerably
shorter in the reach. AS TO the other
points-cleverness, generalship. hitting
power and the like-I am willing TO
take all chances with him.
How did | become pugilist? That is
a question asked me every day by new
ly made friends. II is puzzle TO them,
as / don't look bit like lighter, but,
as they say. a clerk i'm a store or a gem
teel idler on Broadway. Well, I'll tell
you Mine has been life of adventure,
and il may do some young fellows
growing up some good 10 tell them
something about il. / was born on a
farm in Rush county. Ind, about %
miles from Indianapolis. My father
was the most athletic as well as the
most industrious farmer in that section.
I can distinctly remember that in the
summer time when the sun illumined
the golden coored fields of corn and
the birds chirruped merrily about the
farmhouse | was happy enough. but
when the black, bleak winter came l
used to long to get away and get a
peep at the gay, beautiful world OUT
side / had heard SO much about My
father, who was BAPTIST and very re-
igious and very stern, would thrash
me as earnestly as he did his wheat
when he would find me thus wool
gathering" as he called IL. | did NOT
become farmer because my people
sold the farm and went to Indianapolis
when / was . years old. where my fa-
ther opened n grocery store. There |
did good hard work behind the counter
for three years. going to school at odd
spells | received SO many thrashings
from my respected and muscular yet
deeply religious father for lodging sun
day school and yielding To the fascinat-
ing game of baseball that / determined
To run away from home at the age OF
Il, and have been practically away ev-
er since although ! am on the very
best OF terms with my parents. whom
/ profoundly respect. and have visited
them three or four times at the old
homestead.
When I left home had TO hustle for
fair. 1 FIRST started to learn the trade
of tailor gave IL up and tried paper
hanging. then painting, following that
with helping a surveyor 10 hold up "a
theodolite and measure distances. In
fact, 1 became a sort OF jack OF all
trades. but always managed TO take the
best of care OF myself and never suf-
fcred for lack OF anything.
About this time the name and fame
of John L. Sullivan had spread through
the west. and when he went TO Indiana
I the old as well as young grew wildly
enthusiastic over the champion. ! was
working then for a spell at Evansville.
and when John l.. showed up at the
principal theater OF the town was
down in front seat every night watch
ing every move he made ia sparring
with his partner. the late Jack Ashton.
I grew enamored OF The sport | had
always been very good with ms hands
1hl invariably thrashed every bOy Who
-nd-ayotod ro thrash lno Such things
az almost daily occurrences With
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08
Golfers Taking to Curling.

Many OF the golfers in the North Jer-
sey Country club win give considerable
attention To curling this winter. n large
pond on the ncw property has been dug
cut and flooded for the sport and sew
cral curling teams will be formed. Hem
~ Hewat. veteran Scotch golfer ana
the pioneer of the game I'm Paterson Is
responsible for most OF the curling en-
thusiasm Among the other able players
Is Assembly Glcdhll. The first curl
inc match will be- played With the Pat
eraon Curling club. and games are be.
ing arranged with Tuxedo. The staten
Island Cricket club and the IIOhokus
curling club.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08

young lads who start to hustle early In
life The weak and timid invariably go
Co the wall, and l never had any idea
at any time of going Ia the wall. |
wanted to become a skilled boxer. so /
managed To borrow n set OF gloves and
put them on with any one i could in
duce TO box me. Finally attracted the
attention OF Pete Treator. who was one
OF the best amateur boxers in Indiana.
He taught me a lot of points and put
number OF good men up against me. l
managed 10 beat them all and then
started out to fight on my own account.
went up through the northwest and
caught on "A match with man named
Peter Jenkins at st. Paul. j defeated
him i'm eight rounds. That was my first
professional fight. i then took on a
score or more.s of lighters. defeating
them alL and only once being defeated
by an accidental blow in one round by
husky fellow named Billy Steffers
whom j easily whipped afterward right
off the reel. My record since is pretty
well known. Many people, however. do
not know that after travelling all
through the west I went over to Eng
land and made "A tour of France, Ger
many and the continent. In London /
once foolishy agreed TO meet a popular
favorite. Ted White, 10 rounds. for
points. and got robbed of the decision,
as every one who witnessed the affair
maintained.
Two years ago I went to South Africa
when the gold boom and the diamond
! craze were at their height, and made a
snug little bank roll by whipping a
| couple OF local fighters and a cracka-
Jack from Australia. Then / went TO
England and came back To America.
and everybody knows how fortune has
smiled on me since.
] first went into the boxing business
as matter Of enthusiasm. Afterward
as grew a bit older / saw the splen-
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08
Hockey Is Very Popular.

The hockey season promises TO be
more successful even than that of last
year. Since ready made ice can be so
easily obtained skating has received
a great impetus II was natural that.
with SO little cold weather. and conse-
quently with So little chance 10 practice.
American skaters were hardly To be con-
sidered experts. The Canadians could
simply run away from us. and in at
tempting To compete with them i'm
hockey our teams We're made almost ri
diculous.
There is a gentle change. however.
stealing over the face of affairs, and
the time is not far distant when our
icemen will be able To hold their own
with those OF any country. Such has
been the advantage of artificial ice. IL
is n singular fact that in our hockey
teams the best players have been drawn
from former tennis men. Bob Wrenn.
who is considered the best American
hockey player. is the same gentleman
who SO neatly won the championship
i'm tennis over the Englishman. The
quick eye, the strong wrist and the
cool head are needed i'm both games.
We want hockey i'm this country. for II
will stir the blood of any OF us To watch
the swiftness and speed OF the play.
The way these men handle their sticks
while circling around on skates is a
phenomenon that is unexplainable to a
novice. The feeling. too. of being i'm the
atmosphere of winter in rink while
outside IL may be raining. or at least
melting, gives one the impression that
an invention will soon be possible ia
control the outside atmosphere.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08

satisfied with my present laurels the
worlds middleweight championship,
which l won by defeating the austria
ian crack. Dan Creedon. few weeks
ago in Long Island City. That does
not satisfy me. | want to get TO the
top Of the pugilistic ladder. ! tried 10
get there at one bound by striving TO
induce Robert Fitzsimmons to make a
match with me at the middleweight
limit (at which he has always foughD,
but he in a very abusive public reply
10 my proposal refused to take me on.
] have boxed many, many times with
FitZsimmons-in fact. he calls me his
pupil at times-and know just what he
can do l do not think him invincible.
| have fought my way carefully and
scientifically to the middleweight cham
p.onship. / propose to do the same for
the heavyweight championship. l held
Dan Creedon off for a long time. for
such a good space of time that some
people thought | was afraid Of him OF
course / never was. ] knew that as
soon as / whipped him no middle
weight would make n match with me.
i would he i'm the same position as
FitZsimmOns after he defeated Jack
Dempsey, Jim Hall. Dan CreedOn and
the rest of the mddeweight brigade.
So l kept on meeting easy men and
picking up easy money. although / oc-
casionally took on heavyweights like
jim DAILY and Steve O'Donnell. Corbett 3
former sparring partners. When the
proper time came and the proper sized
purse with IL | took on Creedon and. as
everybody knows, defeated him quite
handily.
Now ] am in exactly the same posi-
tion FitZsimmons was after conquering
all middleweights. ] must take on
heavywcights. That / am willing TO do,
but l propose 90 pick them and not
have any club perform that kindly Of
flee for me. First and foremost ] am
willing to cross arms with gallant Joe
Choynski. the hero of "A hundred bat
tles--the game, clever fellow all the big
men seem to dodge / will meet Joe AT
any time. at any weight, for any fair
purse and as much OF n side bet as the
fair haired Californian may wish to
contend IL -aAfeat him. as ! am
confident OF doing I would take on
Tom Slarkey. the herculean sailor I
think ] would know how To stop his
fierce rushes Just as I did those OF Cree
don. After that | would pick some man
In the championship class who would
be Of about the same height as l and
only dozen or twenty pounds heavier
such man, say. as Pcter Maher
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-08

or whist playing, and soon after my
return to Milwaukee. now more than
IL years ago, my friends asked me to
form "A class for instruction i'm correct
playing of the game. Whist is apt. un-
der careless conditions. to prove "a great
bore in an evenings entertainment
Where only one or two i'm a party re-
gard the game from the scientific stand
point, the remainder look upon il as n
more or less hilarious means OF recrea-
tion, consequently the mixing of the
two elements brings about confusion
and failure To teach the women t.
become equally good players with the
men was not SO difficult task as YOU
may imagine. Men have been trained in
mental methods which women have es-
capped. but when il comes To putting
both sexes on an equal basis N the ac-
quisition of knowledge. the woman
makes quite as apt and ready a pupil
az the man
From Milwaukee Miss Wheelock' 3
fame soon spread to Chicago. and ur-
gent invitations were sent her TO start
class i'm well known north side cir
clas. The results of her tuteiaga prov
ed gratifying both to pupils and in
structor and Miss Wheclock soon found
her hands full ana the limits OF her
present opportunities reached. She de-
cidcd 10 remove to Chicago through the
winter months. and In doing SO has mot
with gratifying success. Her patrons
number many OF the best known of
Chlcagos choice people
Whist is a game, said Miss Whee-
lock. which attracts the finest order ~
minds. IL soon ceases to be- a fad and
becomes study worthy of pursuit ~
keensst inteilects.'
IL II 20 be compared with chess
No. becsHs- -tli--e+e-fn~nt of chance
is lacking iu chess. thus rendering the