The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-24
STRAIGHT VS. SWING
George SiIer on Old and New
Fighting-StyIe
ARGUES FOR THE STRAIGHT
Modern Boxers Scarcely So
Clever as 0ld-Timers,
ARGUES FOR THE STRAIGHT

Chicago. Dec. 1s-George siler writes:
''Are the fighters and boxers OF today
cIeverer than those OF twenty or thirty
years ago?" are questions that have
been put to me times without numeber
during the last five years, and to which
I've answered that IN some points they
are and, in others. they are not.
The subject is an old one and I may
also state almost threadbeare, still be-
Ieve a few remarks on the subject with
the boom boxing has at present win not
be amiss. To begin with, I will say that
there are hundred to one more profess
sionaI and ameteur boxers today than
there were twenty or thirty years ago
and as this is an age of progression, the
boxer of today ought to be more scten-
tifc than those of years ago.
But are they that's the question.
The present day boxer viii naturally say:
"Of course, We are" And I'm forced
to admit that some are. but how many?
We have Corbett, Mccoy and Fitzsim-
mons as the cleverest OF the heavy
weights, and with Jeffries, Maher, RUN
lin, Armstrong and Sharkey figuring In
the finer points of the game, following
them.
The first three named have the science
OF the sport down to fine point, as has
Tommy Ryan, George Dixon, McGovern
Jack Root, Young Critic and a score OF
others in the various weight divisions
I have mentioned. But of the hundreds
of boxers before the public In the Unit
ed States, how many really clever ones
are there? Few I am forced to admit.
I am not, I wish it understood. at
tempting to belittle the present day boxer
and laud to the skies the old timers, as
there were but few high class boxers
in the last decade, still there were more.
considering the scarcity of boxers, than
there are in comparison to the numbers
in the game at present. In fact, the av-
erage was greater.
I've followed the game closely since
1863 and I've seen all the clever boxers
perform since then, and I might say
few years before that date. and have no
ticed the changes. In olden times, or to
be more explicit, the boxers. up to the
time Jhon L. Sullivan revoludonized the
pugilistic world, by knocking out his OPP
ponents with right or left hand swing
ing blows, depended upon winning their
contest by straight arm hitting. princi-
pally the left, reserving their right for
a fnisher should the opportunity pres
ent itself
The boxer Of today with few exceptions
like Sullivan, depend upon pulling down
the long end of a purse by landing left |
or right hand swinging blows on the |
jaw or some other vital spot that may
send their opponent to the floor for ten
seconds. Some-yes, a great many
succeed in doing the trisk, but how
many, Oh, how manw fail? It's a case |
of swing. swing, swing. IF you land
all right; If not, swing again. You may
be more fortunate the next time and that !
appears to be uppermost IN the minds
OF the majority of the present day fight !
ers.
I've witnessed hundreds Of contests !
during the last decade and in not one /
in ten did I see boxer with a good /
straight left or right handp unch. II one /
did present himself he was always ad- /
mired for his beautiful straight left lead /
and it was common talk to her the spec /
tators remark: What a corking good I
left that fellow has. Or, Did you ev- /
er see such a straight left?' etc. Now /
If a good straight left hand is something /
to be admired, why do not the fighters |
cultivate their left or right. as the case /
may be? A straight lead, whether It De /
with either hand. reaches its destination f.
quicker than swinging blow. and as land /
ing a blow within the shortest space OF /
time possible Is the most important /
point Of the game, why not learn TO hit /
straight?
The object OF all fighters IS to score as
many blows or points as possible. and /
such being the case the shortest route /
10 the points OF attack Is, Of corse, the (
better. Therefore the object to be hit
can be reached much quicker with
straight lead on account OF the distance
the arm travels than can swinging
blow. which. as every scientific boxer
knows. Is compelled 10 travel ar least
thrice the disanve.
The natural impression OF boxer who
swings IS that be can deliver a more for
chile blow BY that method q delivery /
than he can by hitting straight That
might be the case should he land. cut
how many swinging blows, simply on
account Of the time & takes 20 reach TT
destination. are avoided either oy block
ing or ducking under them?
II. as a Boxer VIII argue. A swinging
-.a-- ra.zr# ar
blow. and finds that n does rot land
one in -el twhy continue swinging
Why not try a few straight leads
While 7 an forced 20 admit that boxer
can get more steam behind a swing. tne
question Sc whether three straight .e,-
hand punches THAI land are not eG1iFz-
lent 20 ten swings, only era ~ w-i-a
lands. It's points scored and labor saved
In o-1ea t.1nes-t-at f.. twenty OF thi--
= years aEo-a sw.uger vas considered
sschunp." ard a clever boxer would
generally force q sEl1Ee- 20 Eal-g
then SNIFF his head. and catch TIA 5ge
on bis head. AMI Up w51l1 = the swing
e-s hand. vim kaEckiez ala s5z-stzlls
a-m broken
T1e danger % swinging vas sxe1e7s-
ed stronger thaa ever last vsek. wh r
JACK 3o1st trese RS lett @-u zEs-
ing and landing "a Gea-ze E4r-a1fs aez-
sn New YORK lzst Tuesday zIgat. ans -
George Ellst meeting ;hs sane k.11 q
an zc-s1s-t ta h8 E.el- az Cared 20
the star Theatre. tziz CTS. l4sr FrlsaF
night These ere tEo eases e ere wsek
showing he danger - s@-aE-1E ara 3
ig wonder = me thzt So ze-a