The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-22
PUGrLrsM AVID THE STAGE.
Sam Harris Gives Good Reasons Why Boxers
Should Keep Away From the Footlights.


Terry McGovern. 4The stage has been
and always will be the undoing OF boxers,
champions or otherwise. It Is singular
fact that the Thespian idea never strikes
a pugillst until after he becomes cham
pion. 1t strikes him good and hard then,
and 1t Is many moons before he RECEIVERS
from the blow, too. Whenever you hear
of a stage struck fighter, you also hear OF
men in his own profession who will do all
in their power to dissuade him from going
on the stage.
"On the opening night of r show in which
a pugilist is the star you will find at least
dozen fighters in the audience criticls-
ing every move the star boxer makes,
and hauling him over the Goals from the
time the curtain rises till the end OF the
show. They think it is ridiculous and
wonder how such aud such fighter had
the nerve to go on the stage and appear
before an audience. Yet these same critics
are seized with a desire to act as soon as
they gain reputation or become cham
pions.
If pugilist Is well known, big induce
ments are offered to him to turn actor.
Some get a guarantee with percentage,
and altogether it is easy money for them.
the pugilist is only asked to give sparrlng
exhibition of three two-minute rounds.
Sometimes he is required to do this twice
day, but il is mere play compared to some
of the bouts which take place in gymna-
Sums daily.
1.-THE average fighter is vain. He takes
great pride in his physique and likes TO
pose. These boxing exhibitions give him
q fine opportunity to do So When he 10
introduced to the audience. he usually
folds his arms. throws out his chest ana
seems to be inflated with his own import
ance. If he receives plenty of applause
it only aggravates his desire to continue on
the stage. The life he leads behind the
footlights is conducive to laziness. DE
gradually neglects his training and becomes
and dangerous admirers. friends who
mean well, but who ever leave open the door
OF temptation, and, in order to ingratlate
themselves in this fighters good opinion
lead him along the wrong path. Conse-
does Is to on keep n5sE late hours While he may
not take to drinking at first, he Will remain
up for some time after the show closes
and arise about dinner hour. II he has 10
give two performances day he does not
have much time to do any exercising, be-
cause before he knows 1t he is due at the
theatre.
He is making money all the time, far
easier to be sure than In a twenty round
bout. which required from four to SIX
weeks Of hard training to get into condition.
course until he gets so used to 1t that by the
time he Is matched again he is different
sort Of an athlete. Consistent and conscl-
entious training Ia a hardship to him. de
shirks his work at the slightest pretense
and takes things leisurely. The late hours
and lack Of proper exercise have considera-
BILE influence on his vitality, and he does not
often recover his wasted strength. What
is the result2 Why some strong young
fellow in his class comes along and either
fights him draw or whips him. When
ever a champion only secures draw in
mill it Is an infalible sign that his powers
are on the wane.
even il the champion wins, his longing
for the stage Is all the more pronounced.
He will cast aside challenges from amhi-
wants rest. But all the time he Is plan
ming for a campaign as star. II his repu-
tation has been enhanced through an i'm
portant victory he will endeavor TO go Into
the acting business with q vengeance In
stead OF a mere fistic star. he Graves to bios
som as full fedged actor, and induces his
manager to star him In play written
around his own life. At the termination
of the season he may. engage in another
work and enters the ring weak and out OF
condition. He then gets whipped, and his
dethronement Is complete, That is the
whole and true secret OF the downfall OF
men taking UP the profession OF boxing,
Some pugilists are capable OF taking
care OF thenselves-for instance, Bob
Fitzsimmons, Jim Corbett and Terry
McGovern. But their stage career has
than anything else, McGovern does not
| drink to excess, nor does he dissinb'e. But
| his stage life made him careless in many
WAYS, and robbed him Of his natural speed,
which he could only have maintained by
Corbett is fairly. good actor. He is an
| intelligent man and has made a success on
the stage But think that Corbett would
still have been the champion had he kept
away from it Terry, likes the stage very
much and from WHIT ne tells me Ne
| has made better impression In some of the
| parts he has played than some other fighters
| know. He is always natural, and is will
| ing to improve on his art. But am sorry
| that ever induced him to act, for it has
| somewhat deprived him Of his fstio ambi-
| tons.
Jim Jeffries despises the stage, more
than any one. He likes to fight. .Jeffries
can make plenty of money by showing.
but he prefers the ring for his. He has a
| fine physique, an Incompatible record and
excellent stage presence. Jeffries never
! allowed temptation to bother him while tour
ing the country, but guess he would have
| lost his form had he continued, or course,
Jeifries gives exhibitions occasionally. He
has to do this. because it costs lot OF money
| to remain idle. But ] know Of instances
where he cancelled stage engagements that
would have netted him over 81 900 a week
just to keep away from the glamour of the
footlights.
Il have had many years experience
managing pugilists and athletes, and my
advice is to keep fighters away from the
stage. II Is strange but true that | made
what some folks think was my best stroke
in the matchmaking line when ! induced
George Dixon to meet Terry. McGovern.
| You see Dixon had been on the stage for
years, and knew his theatrical career
had helped to rob him of all his form and
strength. So i realized that McGovern
would have no trouble in whipping him,
and my calculations proved correct. Dixon
was model young man before he became
an actor. But 1t was the same old story
He became loose in his habits and dissi-
pated. forgot the lesson Dixon's down
fall taught when I allowed McGovern to
play the boards. but 1t was brought home
to me in all its seriousness a fow years later
when Young Corbett knocked Terry out at
Hartford, Conn.,
STEEL HAWSER IN HER SCREW
Liner yaderl and Held Up a Day nj Dover