Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-20
Important Action Taken by the
Various Promoters at
Detroit.
WILL IT Be SUCCESSFUL
The Scheme Now Launched Is to Con-
troll All Ring Events Fake Fighters
To be Blacklisted.

What will be the result OF that meet
ing held at Detroit recently by num-
Der Of prominent boxing promoters?
win the organization Of the National
Boxing association prove successful?
The association was formed to regulate
boxing in general and guard against
fakes of all kinds, and also TO adjust
weights, This is matter that many
Salt Lakers are interested In. The or
ganizatIon was brought about after
many months OF weary discussion.
Finally an effort was made to organize
and a call was sent out for confer
ence at Detroit. Many well known
promoters responded others shook
their heads, smiled and-.did not attend
the meeting. Since the association was
effected, there has been a great deal
Of comment all over the country. Some
well known sporting authorities think
the scheme feasible In its entirety,
while others say that part Of It Is i'm.
possible. About the only feature they
seem TO be agreed upon is the adjusting
OF weights. II Is thought there VIII
he little difficulty In that matter.
But when II comes TO regulating the
sport throughout the country, to control
the principals in prospective bouts, we
may ask with some degree Of misgv-
ings, how Is II to be brought about? No
one will dispute the fact that boxing Is
sadly in need of regulation. Those who
met in Detroit a few days ago declare
they have solved the problem. But how
Is 1t to be brought about? 1t Is not
difficult to control the bicycle racing
game baseball, football, horse racing
and other sports, but boxing Is differ
ent Why? For the simple REASON
that the sport has no permanency. In
the sports mentioned above there are
promoters who stick to the- game so
long that they become thoroughly iden-
tilted with II, but the fight promoters
do not. They pop up here and there
and are soon forgotten. There are sew
eral reasons for this, One is that In
a majority of the states the game IL
unlawful Another is that just as soon
as man jumps into the game, gets II
open and on pretty sound footing,
less courageous men begin hammer
solo on him, knock, In other words,
and force him out Of business In order
to butt In" themselves, For these
reasons fighters are driven from pillar
to post.
This article should not be construed
as defense Of the game. II Is simply
plain statement of facts that can not
be denied by any well informed per-
son. Take Salt Lake, for instance,
where tho troubles mentioned have
been felt by every man who has at
tempted to manage the sport. Unless
the game were on pretty sure footing
here, how could II be benefited by the
rules laid down at Detroit? The only
protection the promoter has Is to de-
mand guarantee Of from $3.50 TO $500
from each principal and make them put
It up with signed agreement 70 for
felt 1t II they participate In any crook
edness; take every known precaution
90 see that the bouts are absolutely on
the square. and match only boxers of
reputation.
But going back to the subject OF the
organization and its probable effects on
the game In general, the following COM
ment by the well known authority,
Malchy Hogan, will be read with inter-
est
The promoters will have the SYM
patty OF the fight fans II they succeed
In getting the game on firm basis, II
the association can eliminate takers
and crooked managers and promoters
from the sport 1t certainly will be de-
serving OF a vote Of thanks. But can
this be done? | doubt IT, am afraid
that when II comes to shutting out Ger.
tain managers and promoters the anvil
chorus VIII get too strong for the as
ISOLATION. Then II must be taken into
consideration that the game practically
depends on the favors OF politicians.
What chance would the association
stand against a bunch OF city politi-
clans?
am not trying to throw obstacles
in the way OF the promoters. but sim
ply wish 10 point out what may be ex-
pected when the association tries 10 put
It's Ideas into force, | hone thew will |