The Saint Paul globe., 1904-12-27
CALIFORNIA LEADS
IN FIGHTING SONS
Golden State Holds Record for
Output of Pugi-
lists

An expert on fistic affairs figured out the
other night just what state has turned out
the best pugilistS during the last ten
years. 1t took him just ten minutes to
hit on California. Not being satisfied
with this, he calculated what state came
next, and he picked out Massachusetts,
and chose New York for third place.
Pugilists are usually developed in the
localities where boxing Is allowed by law,
or where the sport has plenty of encour-
agement Little fellows with ring am
bitions, who want to see their names In
the newspapers and enjoy the praise that
is the lot Of the successful fighter.
take to the game quicker than the big
men, and consequently the business has
more representatives among the smaller
fry than among the heavies. When
New York state was in the swim as
fighting center nearly every week some
new pugilist would spring to the fore.
Sometimes he disappeared as quickly as
he came, and sometimes he would forge
on until he made name for himself.
This was the case as long as the sport
thrived thereabouts AS soon as boxing
public exhibitions went. the budding
scrappers sought other fields or other oc-
cupations and were soon forgotten.
Thick In Golden State
California has been the stamping ground
of bruisers for years, and that is one OF
many of the boxers who have made fistic
history. Natives of that state point with
pride to the fact that Jim Jeffries. Jim
Corbett and Joe Choynski came from Cal
ifornia. Jeffries was born in Ohio, but he
was 50 young when he left that state that
he objects to being called anything but
Californian. Jeffries is champion-the
best man, experts admit, that the ring has
seen, or will see in many a day Other
big men came from California-Joe Nc
Auliffe. the Mission Boy; Toethpick Kel-
", six-footer; Joe Kennedy. Hank Grif-
fin. Sam McVey, T. Van Buskirk. etc.
With the exception of McAuliffe, they did
not reach within hailing distance of the
championship goal. But there is another
heard from later on. Although but an
amateur he has in him the making of
great fighter. He is Sam Bergen, a six
footer; and a very powerful young fellow
such fighters as Solly Smith, who at one
time fought George Dixon for the fea ther-
weight championship of the world at
Coney Island; George Green, the original
Dal Hawkins; Jack Clancy. the hero of
many contests in England; Al Neill a
clever middleweight; Alec Greggians. who
fought over eighty rounds with Martin
(Buffalo) Costello during the good old
fighting days at Coney Island; Dal Haw-
kins, the lightweight, who could punch
like a heavyweight. and others.-Of the
recent men who have done well with the
gloves it has produced frankie Neil. the
former bantam champion of the world;
Abe Attell, as good little man as ever
put up his hands,; Jimmy Britt. the pride
of San Francisco; Eddie Hanlon the
youngster with the heavy blow, and Monte
AtteIl, brother to Abe. who many think
will shine as a boxing star later on. This
is an array that no other state can
boast Of
Eastern Fighters
Coming East Massachusetts looms up
as the locality where some great fighters
came from. First we have the once
mighty John L. Sullivan; then the late
George Godfrey, the good negro and the
pride of his race; Patsy Sheppard a king
pin in his day; Dick OBrien, a cerking
good middleweight. and Mysterious Billy
Smith. Then there are the Sullivan
brothers. Spike and Dave. Irishmen by
birth, but true citizens of Boston. just the
same; Joe Walcott. George Dixon Jimmy
Briggs, Moffat Flaherty Martin Flaherty
Johnny Griffin, the Braintree Lad, who is
now dead; Ike Weir, the Belfast Spider;
Johnny Murphy as game a fighter as ever
breathed; Austin Rice, the original Iron
Man of the ring; Martin Canole; the
Gardner family of brothers, Jimmy
George and Billy, and others.
Frank Erne the former lightweight
champion. made Buffalo his home. al
though he was born in Zurich. Switzer-.
land.
But in the days gone by. the times OF