The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-05
LOU H(|U5ENAN' 5 GOSSIP
OSCAR GARDENERS DAY AMONG THE
FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHTERS
HAS PASSED
AMBITIOUS YOUNG BRIT1sHER
Report That Fitzsi1nmons May Again
Meet JefTries Interests Ring Fol-
lowers-BOxing in the
Philippines.

CHICAGO, May 4-(special)-It is
probable that oscar Gardner finally
realizes that his day as a star among
| the featherweights has passed. Tie
mauling he was subjected to by Terry
| McGovern at San Francisco last Tues
day night ought to have convinced the
once formidable Omaha Kid that the
hour has come for him to quit the fight
ing business His contest with the Brook
Ign wonder was only interesting from
the fact Of the champion of the feathers
being one of the principals. 1t was q
foregone conclusion that Gardner would
be returned loser, barring an accidental
punch, or the very unlikely chance of
McGovern having agreed to lie down"
For once in way the dope held
good and the form students who backed
their opinion were consequently happy.
Betting on the battle was light, as was
to be expected when the rumorS of fake
that gained currency concerning the af-
fair were taken into consideration. That
nothing Of the kind transpired Is for
tunate for the boxing game on the coast
as the authorities of the Golden Gate
were not sparing In threats of a quick
shutdown on pugilisTn within their ter
ritory If anything crooked came to
light in connection with the first APP
pearance Of the featherWeight champion
in San Francisco.
Chicago sport followers were unani-
nous in predicting Gardner's quick de-
feat, principally on account of his poor
| showing against Ole Oleson in this city
last year On that occasion Oscars
footwork was slow, his judgment of dis
lance wretched, and the local boxer
came within an ace Of putting him out
towards the end Of the bout. Oleson
was declared winner by Referee Siler
DTr-4.
sides to have ben an eminently just
one.
a month after his defeat by Oleson
Gardner received a terrific beating from
Jack Hamilton, and last January. was
knocked out in fifteen rounds by Tim
Callahan. These repeaied thrashings
did not conduct to the welfare OF Gard
case OF a pugilistic ''has been" travelling
nleekly to slaughter when he bucked up
against the young and vigorous Terry
It Is to be hoped that Gardner will
have the good sense to retire now that
he has reached the end of his fistic
tether. He has fought over 108 battles
since his first recorded appearance in the
ring in 1891, and not being an improvi-
dent fellow is said to have sailed away
a goodly portion Of his earnings for a
rainy day. He can never regain his
old prestige and it would be a bitter
pill for him to swallow should some
husky aspiring novice wind up the ca
reer of the Omaha Kid by sending him
on hurried trip to Dreamland Youth
must be served, and although Oscar
claims to have been born in 1872 he is
prematurely old by reason of much
strenuous life in the squared circle not
to mention the merry clip he has travel
ed outside of the ropes
Meanwhile it will be interesting to
watch how matters will develop on the
coast as regards McGovern and his
| manager. The San Francisco sports,
| having seen Terry perform once, will
| assuredly call for another exhibition Of
his prowess, but against a more for
midable opponent than Gardner proved
to be. The chief difficulty Is to find
/ man worthy of the little champions
mettle. He has disposed of all his RI
walls in the featherweight ranks with
such ease that none of the lads in his
class can be considered seriously as
match for him.
Frank Erne is still clamoring for
trial with his former conqueror, but
whether Harris will allow McGovern to
| take on the Buffalo boxer at 1873 pounds,
ringside, is dubious question. Yet
this is a contest that the fight fans are
DESTROYS of witnessing above all others,
although most of them are of the opin-
! ion that McGovern can dispose Of Erne
| at almost any weight.
George McFadden Is also calling for
recognition by McGovern, but Harris
claims that the New York lightweight's
unpleasant mode of fighting with his
elbows debars him from consideration
by the Brooklyn champion.
! George Chrisp, who recently won the
rather barren title of heavyweight cham
pion of England, has issued a challenge
to any OF his countrymen to box him for
$500 side and his new found honors.
Chrisp betrays a laudable amount of dis
erection by adding the cautious proviso
| Nobody but Americans barred" to his
defiance.
1t seems that shortly after the new
champion was created, by virtue of his
victory over one Ben Taylor, the aggre-
cation Of British sports who promoted
the contest were struck with the brilliant
idea that Chrisp could gain fresh laurels
in the United States and actually formed
a syndicate for the purpose of defraying
! their champions expenses while en- route
| to the promised land.
There are perhaps a dozen or more mid
dleWeights Of third rate grade in this
country who could put Chrisp out of busi-
ness in short order. What would happen
to him if turned over to the mercies of
an American heavyweight with any pre-.
ity to contemplate. Chr1sp is the first
pugilist that England has owned as
heavyweight champion for many years,
as Mitchell contested himself with the
title Of boxing champion and Jem
Smith proved a rank and dismal failure
as Queensbury glove fighter.
What Mitchell thought of Chrisp and
Taylor, from a professional standpoint,
may be inferred from remark he made
during his recent visit to America when
questioned by reporter as to the abili-
ties of the twain.
"Chrisp and Taylor" said Charley with
an expression of unmitigated contempt,
want to know what HI think of 'em?
Well, Hill tell you straight, cid chap.
They're a pair of bleedin old cows
AS Mitchell is unquestionably a good
judge of pugilistic merit it is safe to as
sumo that the longer the British sports
keep Chrisp safely beyond the reach ct
his Yankee professional brothers the bet
ter lit will be for their champion and MS
hackers.
The Knockout administered by Dave
Sullivan to Jack McClenand, of Pitts,
burg at Louisville last Monday night was
a decidedly unpleasant surprise for the
friends of the lad from the Smoky City.
McClelland has been showing unusually
good form of late and many of his adj
herents were beginning to figure on him
as championship possibility among the
feathers. Yet his defeat by Sullivan al
thouh an unlucky setback for the bilious
little Pittsburger, will not injure his repu-
tation to any great extent
When the irrepreSSible Dave is in good