The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-13

quarters where Smith is known and
more or less popular. This match and
the one with Mitchell will surely be
easy money and will probably launch
the new champion quickly before the
English public, but on this side we
must be shown by seeing them against
some of the good ones before we will
accept them as the real thing.
The ring is responsible for more
negro equality" with the white race
than all the politicians have effected
since Abraham Lincoln penned and
promulgated the emancipat ton procla
nation. There used to be what was
considered ''inextinguishable hostility
between the Hibernian and African
races, but Tom O'Rourke and Parson
Davies, both of Irish origin owe most
of their wealth to negro fighters they
have managed. O'Rourke always sec
onds his negroes. and it is sight to
see him sponging off or towel-wiping
George Dixon, Bob Armstrong or Joe
Walcott. The first named pair are
chocolate brown. but Walcott is blacker
than a stack of black cats in black
bag up dark alley on moonless
midnight. While they are fighting Tom
is as attentive as though they were
sweethearts and not pugilists. He is a
veritable prince of seconds and his
black proteges get the full benefit OF
MS skill ana care. mere WAS an ottt
sight at one of the New York clubs. A
negro and a white man We're boxing.
Two negroes seconded the white man.
while a pair of white men squirrel the
negro This is fact and not pipe
statement. Verify this is fistic millen-
ium.
That clever sporting writer, Jack
Drohan. the referee Of the Boston
Traveller, in speaking of the difficulty
of most boxers to recognize the fact
that they are has been" gives utter
ance to the following, which is most
timely:
Funny how long it takes an old-timer
to realize he is no longer in the game.
They cling on persistently and refuse to
acknowledge their best days have been
passed.
About the one conspicuous example
of an old-timer who knew he went to
the well once too often was John Law
renee Sullivan when he went out in
that memorable night in New Or
leans.
He accepted the situation in a grace
full, manly way.
Il have had my whack at the glory,
he said II have been on top for Il
years. 1t is quite time for me TO step
aside and give the other fellow
chance
Neither did he ask for another fight to
demonstrate that he was not yet quite
the first citizen in Hasbepnville. He
just quit the rank of champions ana
went on the road to earn his living.
He has been engaged in that work ever
since.
That it was a good method is evident
to those who follow sporting affairs.
There is not a man in the sporting
game to-day who is better thought OF
than Sullivan. When he was the cham
pion he was looked upon as the real
thing. When his honors were taken
away from him he still remained pic
turesque figure-a much bigger man
than the one who conquered him.
What is the value of a preliminary
at a boxing contest. This is question
often asked and one hard to answer
says the Denver News. Managers, as
a rule, say they are worth Just what
the men would draw If put forth as a
lone attraction. On the other hand,
the fighters say they are worth many
times what they generally get ana
give as a reason for this fact that a
preliminary often proves better imam
the chief event. There is no question
that the men who take part in the pre-
lminaries at boxing contests often get
an exaggerated idea of their value.
the greater part of the time eking out
a mere existence, and a meal of good
beefsteak is a rarity. They are ready
and willing at almost any time TO go
in for a lively mill for $40 and even
less. l have seen many rafting
round. some of them with bare
knucks, where the spectators Clipped
in for the fighters and the total amount
in the hat did not exceed 81. | well
remember one occasion in which two
Iusty fellows who We're to fight with the
bare knucks refused to go on because
there was not SO in the hat. Since
the organization of boxing clubs, ike
those now in Denver, this class of
fighters have grown lordly in their de-
mands. Let a manager approach them
with a proposition of $75, $50 to WIN
ner and $25 to loser, and they stand
back and eXclaim: Wat do yous guys
take me fur. anyhow? l amt hght-
in fur nothin'. If yous wants me fur
to put on de mits yousll pay hun
dred, see" and then they swell out
about two sizes bigger, while their
stomachs are bowling for something
else besides stale beer. If put forward
in some hall they would not draw as
much as the hat collections spoken or.
But to say that they are only worth
what they themselves would draw, as
some managers assert, is not fair. Some
of the best fighters in the ring have
been developed from sturdy young fell
lows who have made their start in
these preliminary events. These lads
must live, and to only offer them SO
apiece, as has often been done, is un-
Just. On the other hand, they are not
worth a fancy price. sliding scale
of from 800 to 800 to the winner and
$40 to $25 to the loser according to the
work they do and the showing made,
would seem the most reasonable way
of setting a price for preliminaries,
In knocking out Jack Dempsey in
three rounds Jack McKenna's UNI
known, Eugene Turner, the colored lad,
has shown that he is a feather weight
to be reckoned with in the future. Tur-
ner has knocked around Denver for
several years, but no one took any
stock in his ability, Notwithstanding
that he had fought some pretty good
battles When McKenna finally picked
him up few weeks ago the boy was
on his uppers, and good beefsteaks and
he were not close companions. Nc
Kenna put him into training, gave him