The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-01
MAYOR FAVORS FIGHT
THINKS PROPOSED JEFFRIEs-RUH-
LIN BOUT A GOOD THING.
ACTING MAYOR APPROVES 1T.
A BIG THING FOR SAVANNAH AND
THE STATE FAIR.

Nj. Dixon Is wilIimg-PugiIists of
Less Consequence Have Done
stunts Here without Any Howl
Being Raised. and MIR. Dixon Says
There Is No Difcrence-The Big
Men Command More Compensation,
but That Is AlI-City Father Wires
the New York World That the Pro-
test Against the Bringing of the
More Famous Professionals Is Lit
tie More Than Feeble Now-The
Retail Merchants Association VIII
Not Boom Fight OmciaIly.
Acting Mayor James M. Dixon IA
vors the proposition to bring Jim JEFF
fries, the worlds heavy weight cham
pion, and Gus Rubin, the Akron giant,
to Savannah during the State Fair,
and has placed his stamp of approval
on the plan. He believe that such an
exhibition would help the Fair. and
bring money to Savannah that would
not be otherwise gotten. There is no
law against such a performance and
Mr.. Dixon, who is not narrow mind
ed man, can see no harm in the men
giving a bout such as is proposed.
The following telegram was received
at the City Exchange yesterday and
was promptly answered:
New York, July 81, 1901.-The May
or, Savannah, Ga: VIII you please
wire the World whether you will ac-
cord with Gov. Gambler in granting
permit to Jeffries and Rubin to fight,
and If it is your pleasure give us your
opinion on pugilism as a manly art.
THE World"
The acting Mayor replied as follows:
Savannah, Ga, July 81, 1901.-The
World, New York city: The city of
Savannah has no ordinance prohibiting
sparring contests within its limits, nor
is there any probability of the passage
of one in the near future. Sparring
contests have been held here frequent
ly, both amateur and professional. 1
can see no reason why any distinction
should be raised as to Jeffries and
Rubin. They are merely more scien-
tific and more skillful opponents of
the art of defense.
There have been no objections rails
ed as to the minor sparrers, and APP
parently but a small protest so far
against the more noted professionals
giving a scientific exhibition here.
There is no reason why the city au-
thorities should interfere with the
proposed contest if it is purely a scien-
tihe boxing contest as advertised. and
l do not think there will be any in
reference.
There has always been considerable
interest manifested here in sparring
10 al h lot p
amuseInents, and the community does
not seem to have suffered as a result.
agree with Vice President Roosevelt
in his belief that the world has not
vet reached the stage where some
strenuous manhood is not needed.
James NJ. Dixon,
chairman of Council and Acting
Mayor"
Acting Mayor Dixon stated that in
this telegram he expressed his per-
sonal sentiments and opinions. He
could see no reason why the city should
interfere in the matter of a scientific
boxing exhibition merely because the
participants happened to be men who
stood highest in that line of business.
If Zeigler and Corcoran could give a
boxing exhibition here, and others of
lesser prominence likewise, he could see
no reason in excluding Jeffries and
Rubin, merely because they are men
who demand and receive greater COM
pensation.
If there were law against sparring
contests, and it had been used to pre-
vent such exhibitions in the past, it
would be different, but there is no such
law, and the exhibitions have been
given time after time without interfer-
ence and without protest. AS he under
stands the proposed match, Jeffries and
Rubin are to spar for twenty-five
rounds.
Champion Jeffries will meet Tom
Sharkey, the sailor pugilist, in San
Francisco in September, and Ii is pro-
posed to have Jeffries come direct from
that city to Savannah and begin train
ing for his bout with Rubin.
A. l.. McMurray who, with T. o. Nc
Bride, is in the effort to have the big
fellows meet in Savannah during the
State Fair, says that the contest will
not be prize fight, and that 1t would
come well within the objections of
Acting Mayor Dixon and of the Gov
ernor.
There is a valid distinction" said
Mr.. MucMurray last night, between a
prize fight and such a boxing contest as
we are anxious to have b. re between
Jeffries and Rubin. The contest we
expect to have is to be of a limited
number of rounds, twenty-five, for
points, and in accordance with the pro-
visions of the only law regulating such
contests ever passed-the Horton law
of the state of New York. This law
declares that contests shall be govern
ed by the Marquis of Queensberry
rules, and does not permit the boxers to
use gloves weighing less than five
ounces.
There can be no punishment of one
of the boxers while he is on the ropes,
nor after one of them has been floored
is his opponent permitted to stand over
him, ready to strike again as he at
tempts to rise. He must give his OPP
ponent a chance to get on his feet
There is all sorts of difference be-
tween such n contest as this and a
prize fight. That is a fight to a finish,
fought either with bare knuckles or
with skin-t tight gloves, until one of the
men is either knocked out or is so much
punished that he cannot continue lon
ger in the ring. / can demonstrate the
difference between a boxing contest and
a prize fight to. any one who takes a
real interest in the matter and really
wants to know.
IF we have the match here" said
Mr.. McMurray, 1.-The best referee in the
world will be in the ring with the men
He is Charlie White of New York. and
there is no one better or as good"