New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-04
INTEREST IN BOXING.
Dates Back to Days of Olympic
Games-PreSident Latest Patron

uted great deal toward d healthier glow an 49,
countenances Of those who are naturally fncI,,e6 :.
lie OF physical Incidence but who IN or,t.- -
DC correct make an attempt at least to follow ~
PRESIDENTS somewhat strenuous example Tts
cent engagement of a New-York boxing ips,r,,..o-
mas given the manly art OF seIf-defence q po,-.-
iul impetus. and the supply OF teachers OF tsa ~
t''ce Is scarcely sufficient to satisfy the de-na,5
to'. IN washington especially. everybody seems "a
De taxing up either boxing or ferc.ng.
The history OF single combat dates baok q, -,
tiquity Boxing or cutting. as il was - -,
some. was part OF the solemn performance ~ -,
Soi'S OF athletic exercises. held every fs.Is.N
H4oi'h AT olympia. a city belonging 20 the D.
s,e"hs All Greece and neighboring countries con-
Sluered II patriotic duty TO attend and yyi-r..
these games which brought great honor % 49,
VINO carried the victory in them Those wbo -
te4'ueu 10 take part In the boxing contests vvsr a.
Hseu 20 present themselves so many DAYS oef,-.
-'N 70 uhoerSo an examination as TO their country
Pafehtage and manner OF life No slave m nal.
FACTOR or notorious criminal was admitted ror an,
related 70 such. II was A great horror 70 =. -
iu4tted 10 participate IN these contests The ,,hr
encouraged them that they might not be van,i7-
ueu ana stout champions for the defence OF
their cities and privileges should necessity, 49,
when the victors in these games returned y, tr..
respective homes. II was TIE custom, AZ -b.4- -.
INTO the city 70 break down part OF the cir m
Ie'iiatlng thereby that walls we're not so 1sras~.
Ehen such persons within for defence ~,
F'icrt'tastse. or boxers before the contest bep.7
were drawn out by lot. So many small b.rf- -.
put into box. each Of which bad re,ta--
me hrst two who drew balls OF the SAM. rs.+. -,
= III ana continued the combat TIL one Of them ~
u''o"h down or voluntarily yielded by holdi-, -,
- inc Laceds-IEoniaus. IL is said slrbssa
TINS latter practice of holding I'd the -7rga- -
''e 0pdIt tan COURAGE should degenerate and no 1o,
oy teaching to yield tamely on any or,.zf w.. =
oiiO I4e-Aeo or was overcome the other Vas No, -
lowed to withdraw. but was Obliged 70 &C. -, a.
ceIVe an that had listed themselves ami -. -
Win theIn till either he overc1re +p.-- ~ =
him. He to whom the victory vas al1..t,sz -, -
crowned with garland an bo-.- - = "ss
oiIy the person himself but his .1r.rtr,. - -, -
dred were proud -''' -'4 An
az -Ifs' no weapon was used in these ,-er7ta-s ,,
- "-' 'Ae fighters carried sometimes sr~ar
O@As OF stone iron lead or brass IN tb.,-. I.I- =
give greater force 10 the blows ~ -. ,-7 %
SION Tor these. however after tra -----,..,., - -
cestus by AmycUs. king OF The l{s,.-f.f,
temporary or the ArEonauts -Tra ....-... . ~
'U u nave oeen thick and str11e l1,,...-
- -. - oU' Oh the hide Of Wild b,u which
were studded with nails and pellets % trasy -
ana lead. and rolled. seved or tfef 49,,
SO as 20 come over the fingers back cy ,t- -
anu wrist sometimes up to the elbow. ans -
ing purposes ~ 1-'-Oy-
Inc Greeks were of so rough A rsr,,-. A. a..
Romans. neither did they take such No..
tUeI ana bloody exercises Yet this exerclsa ~ ~
1IlcIat4uIa or boxing seldom ended w!tbou- SOM
violence or cruelty TO one or the other NJ tbs -,
oa'ahts' which made Anacharsis. the Scythian say,
Iha1 ne wondered how the CIrecans coIId 80 49,
hohor and encourage this exercise when nv ,hs,-
laws violence and injury were severely rDr,sEaJ
some received a mortal blow before they Welded
| or were niseTably manned or wounded Son,s-f17s,
me victory was purchased with the loss OF lie
Aelan reports OF a CrOtonlat boxer who d-uDDey
DEAD while they we're carrying him before tie h1+x.
l hEy.
MS blood and spirits were quite exhausted Tha
same author tells OF another whom he calls Eurv
daiIaS Cyreneus. who. receiving a blow upon n,
mouth which beat out all his teeth swalIovvas
then' with the blood which followed. to conceal
from MS antagonist lest such wound should har.
encouraged him to continue the combat in bo7es -
gaining the victory.
Pausanias relates two strange and reuarkabl,
passages OF these cOmbats. The one Is Of ARA.
chiOn. who had been twice crowned at the Olvrvi,
games Presenting himself the third time for ira
palm IN this exercise. he fought and conquered al
who entered the lists. TIL only one remained Thin
one violently ran upon him. at the same time en-
/ tangling him with his feet. and with his hand,
grappled his throat which strangIed him. Befcrs
Arrachlon expired. however. he broke toe Of tbs
other. which gave him such pain that h died Ike
wise upon the spot. The Cleans who then sat ~
! Judges ordered the dead body OF Arrachioa 70 De
crowned with the palm OF victory. The other pas
| sage gives an account of two corbltants al ths
Numean games namely. Creugas OF py-rachium.
a city IN Macedonia. and Damoxenus OF Sy-a-use
| These two having fought till the evening with
equal advantage. both of them agreed in the hear
ing OF all the spectators that the conf a. should tni
| and be decided by two single blows upon the same
/ part; that IS. he who gave the first should suffer
| the other return II the same place Il teI
by lot Creugas TO strike first He gave his blow
| upon the head Of the other almost stunning him.
| But DamoxenuS instead OF observing the co-d.-
| tons agreed upon. seized CreUsas under the rts
and with his nails got into his bowels AID ,oVe them
out. of which he died Notwithstanding the ludses
gave for the victory 20 Creugas. and ban shed d.
| moxenus for MS tTeaChery
BY these historians It appears that those exercises
| had often a cruel and bar5aroCS issue. 20 WHICH
empty applause was The Only motive. as also
| that killing in those com6ats WIS judged ne'el
criminal nor punishable. unless vsibly Witl~ L'eA
then Punishment for some time was only inHlc'el
/ as shown In the last instance. Homer and Wis"
both describe these combats the first IL his account
| of the fictitious combat Of the ceStus ott"Ve'i
| Epeus and Euryalus. at the cele0F'1'''- - 80
/ funeral obsequies Of Patroc!us. Whsie Fps
| made 10 hit Euryalus such a DO" UA'" $50"
as TO strike him 10 the ground SO lA4' re -
ried OFF by his friends hanging his Het". sP'~-.7
blood and trailing his legs. being too "e'H 20 S-1
/ port himself In imitation o. Homer Ni-F" - -
| q combat or boxing exercise with 'Nv V'S"S :.
| tween Dares and EntelIus upon the t--i'''
the burial OF Anchises In this combat tAe N-c''..
| Is given 10 Entellus. and pares Is mace I"
| taken away badly wounded and weakened
Boxing is said TO have been patronized IN Els
by Alfred the Great (S71-9oL and Richard III -
| $50. II was made profession early IN l"e Is
| teenth century the first public eNh'oit'H 80 -,
place about I740 A theatre erected cor o'NS
exhibi ions IN TOttenham Ccur,-B~, usht llS Sl-.
| theatre-behind oxford Road his wIs II =
| Schools were opened In England TO teach ooNl's
| as a science IN 1890 Nicholas. afterwtrl EAApe'
| Of Russia witnessed q prizetght ut Coonoe va
! rem in ISl7. Tom" FiSg, the man who n'Fou~,,
| pugiiism into England. its arSt Champion -