Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-16

toric battle, which took place in OCTOBER,
1899 English sports had always scoffed at
the "savate," not only as manly exercise,
but also as system of defense.
81 could not give you a better IDEA OF
English opinion previous to 1899 than by
citing the boxing bout at the Pelican Club
when they matched a French professor,
whose name 1 forget, against Donaghue,
said one of the two Englishmen. "Dona-
ghue had never seen 'savate.' but the gold
tempted him. So they told him to look out
for kicks and turned him loose on the
French professor, who wore canvas SHOES.
''Well?"
"Well, a kick in the stomach sent Dora
ehue flying before he realized what he was
up against"
other worn heavy shoes!' observed my
young Paris sport.
Got There at Last.
"The next time the Frenchman Tented
with the gloves. and though the Irishman
retreated seemingly out of distance. the
Frenchman, swinging round on one leg.
caught him unawares with another singing
kick The Irishman went down again. His
seconds told him to get close; but Dona-
ghue was still at sea with the method of the
visitor, and went to the floor third time.
But at last in the fourth and final round,
Overwhelmingly warned 10 get close
and stay there'-punched the professor so
around the ring that the latter asked per
mission to put on his heavy shoes"
THAT settled it!' concluded the English
man. "a general murmur went up from
the Pelcans. They gave the fight to Don
aghue. That was all right. But, for the
life of me, I cannot understand how that
match proved the inferiority of French
boxing as a system of self-defense. Yet
you will constantly hear the Pelican Club
match referred to as such proof; and the
majority of EngIishmen continue to have
false ideas of the 'savate.'
The celebrated Charlemont-Driscoll fight
to finish in October. 1899, had one serious
effect on French boxing. 1t abolished as
a great" blow the heretofore dreaded
coup de pied bas, or low lick on the
shin bone of your adversary.
II was told that Charlemont could break
my leg in fifteen seconds, but that could
have a bit of fight and then lie down in
the first round said Driscoll afterward.
This sort of talk showed the French con-
were leading Paris sports. The fight came
off in private riding academy; tickets
were 500 each; half the gilded youth of
Paris was present; and young Baron Henri
de Rothschild who acted as doctor, had
full line of bone-setting material in readi-
ness.
Wang! Charlemont's heavy foot came
crashing down on Driscolfs tibia, in the
wore heavy street shoes. Wang and biff!
Three times he came down Driscolls
tibia-yet there nothing broken.
HE must have legs of ironv' exclaimed
Prof. Victor Casteres.
It's Kick is Great.
A brief account of this fight will give the
best possible idea of what French boxing
is not-because it's most effective kick was
barred. True. Charlemont has always
been blamed, in their hearts. by English
men. because in the last round his adver
sary was laid out by a disputed blow in
the forbidden spot. They seem to forget
that had 1t been a fight for self-defense,
the blow could have been frankly delivered
in the first round-as the low kick" was,
in fifteen seconds
Round 1. Driscoll. an experienced
bruiser, once the pride of the British
navy" took three bad shin kicks and got
back only once, on the Frenchman's heart.
Both wore eight-ounce gloves. After re-
ceiving the blow on the heart, the French
man, clinching. got him by the neck in a
peculiar wrestler's grip
Break away!" called the English pres
emit.
Break his neck!" cried the French The