The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-25
UNIQUE FIGHT INVITATIONS.
now PROMOTERS TIP Off"
PROSPECTIVE SPECTATORS.


Mock Wedding That Was Really .
Private Miil--slow Q society Man DE-
ceISed 1lis Farcuts--IlUding Police.
Promoting private prizefights in Greater
New York at present In view Of the strenu-
Gus activity Of the police Is difficult task.
but not SO hard apparently as is the labor
OF distributing the necessary tip to pros
pective spectators This has to be done
by way Of invitations, cleverIv and carefully
~orded. TO dsarm suspicion and keep
caple-eved sleuths Of the scent
Even in the old DAYS before the advent
and passing of the Horton Jaw, which per-
mitted boxing In public 06roit means we're
used TO inform the sports OF an impending
fistic battle. This was usually done in a
personal way, the promoter going from
one sport TO another and telling them to
gather at a certain place at certain hour
on certain night Printed invitations
were not considered necessary then. Now.
however. such procedure is essential to
the financial success OF fight, no matter
whether the principals have regulations
or not.
Those who engineer prizefghts nova
days are usually men who have consider
able experience in this field. What they
may lack in intellectual ability is made up
for in shrewdness and craftiness. They
make sure OF their ground before they
proceed, yet often their p ans miscarry
and fall into the hands Of the authorities.
Many fights have been decided in New
York and vicinity during the past three
years, OF which the police and general public
have heard nothing. Invariably these
battles have been for side bets alone. only
a handful Of sports. mostly intimate friends
of the contestants and promoter attending.
A budding pugilist is looking for all the
noto"iety he can get. 1t is his stock in
trade. 80 to speak, and il is his ambition
to get his name in print as often as he pos
sibly can. This medium Is the newspapers;
and his manager or sometimes himself will
visit the sporting editor and tell him Of
a fight that is soon to be held in which he is
10 be one Of the contending parties. end often
he will ask for preliminary notice. or
course, he will insist that no correct date
Of the impending mill be mentioned, Then,
after taking the newspaper into his con-
dence, he will ask one Of the obIiging
scribes TO write out an invitation that will
appear innocent enough on the surface.
but which has a clear and well defined
meaning to the one who receives it,
The success of a fight in private often
d.nand. m the Ingenuity and construc-
:. L.. ;,,,i.,,;o,s Thor
'ion Oh SOME y, 'n.'' n'Il..'e
must be orlginai ana cAicuh'eo 70 h'''ac'
a prospective spectator Very often the
recipient of one Of these invitations. usually
.;,,,., -, o.rds ~ tbo width md engtb of
p p.h;.s. ham ,io,,ats 10 husiress man
ORDINARY oat tTkele' " n,si'nsa ma u
with penchAnt lot witnessing tlS,lc en-
counters. He Is often recommended to
the promoter by some wen known Sport
who will vonch Tor ms honor IN keeping
a secret. After reading, the invitation;
which seems az meaningless as some OF
the hieroglyphics on the obellsk to the
uninitiated mortal. he invariably com
mrnicates with the sender; ana. II con
WINGED that there Is GOOD sport ahesd
will forward the price OF admission. which
gilistic ability OF those VINO are going &c
tight. ~
ihese nEhts Go nov a.~nys SsSh o ~,
schedule .ie' me e Spots not ARE o maits ' ~,
| IN gathering ne anonu ~, ha sbo,,'r
| them, because IT If necessary that ne shou
| do So II is his aim to conduct the battle
| in a way that will not reflect on his man
agement. as he ia looking for future patron
age. and he knows he will not secure 1t un
less he gives his followers run FOR thei
money.
| Most of the invitations which have beef
issued lately for private contests Of the
manly art have been calls to attend tn
meeting Of some mythical association o.
/ lodge They dir ect the recipient to b.
present 1T such and such time. at such ant
! such = place, and are invariably signed
"The Committee Not long ago loca
1 - hka FDl1nwIH n fpn