The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-07-17
JACK MUNRO BELIEVES REVIVAL
Is DESTINED FOR RING AFFAIRS
Butte Fighter, Who Is to Meet Jim Jefres at San Francisco Aug
ust %. Thinks That the Fighting Game Declines and Revives
in Cycles and That 1t Is on TIL Upward Grade To-Day.

Arriving UNEXPECTEDLY from Cleveland
last Thursday, Jack Munro. the Butte
miner, who hopes to make a good showing
against JefFries in their battle August -.
made a brief stay In the city and created
a distinctly good impression in The spor.-
ing headquarters he visited.
Big. bluff and genial. the Miner is one
of the healthiest-looking types Of pugilist
that have even been seen mere. TO all in
tents AID purposes. he seemed a mere big
boy, ready to joke and to have fun upon
ssy occasion that arose. The contrast be
tween his manner and the stolid impertur-
liability Of Jeffrfes is about as striking as
could be imagined.
Munro talked freely Of his plans and
expectations while here. and expressed
himself rather c~onservstiyely upon the
matter OF the coming fight. Briefly stated,
his views are that he has at least an
even break in the battle, and that he
has Just as much chance to win as his
more seasoned and experienced opponent
What proved OF more interest. however,
to a circle of sporting men with whom he
met. were his freely expressed opinions
on the ring Of to-day as contrasted with
that of a decade ago. and the statement
that he did not believe hat the boxing
game had passed its zenith, either in pop
ularity or material.
GOOD MATERIAL NOT FADING.
There's a good deal of talk about the
difficulty Of finding opponents for some Of
the fighters now in the ring" he said.
and this is pointed TO as a sign that the
good material for fighters is passing away.
] don't believe this. In fact, L know 1t
isn't so.
The ring is having a dull period just
now. That's al there IL to it. Take tine
time from aboLt 1885 to the early nineties.
How many new men were developed then?
Tommy Ryan was fighting IN lsS5. FftZ-
simmons had been bathing for quite
awhile, Sullivan had a monopoly on
heavyweight affairs a Bit later. once he
disposed or kilrain. and George Dixon was
known as the best man IN his class even
before he whipped Jack Shelley for the
championship in 1882.
Then came Jim Corbett. the crowd of
Australian fighters and the smaller men
OF the day. like McGovern, Cans and
Erne. Walcott also blOssomed out. But
what am trying to show Is this-that
little known until the revival of the game
in San Francisco in the late eighties and
the introduction OF the Horton law in New
York in the middle niueties gave a good
send-or 10 the pugilistic game.
After each revival of this sort a per
view. They passed away when the game
died down. The lighting game is dull just
now, but We have the men. Once given an
opportunity for fighting and there won't
~ oA- tNNH "a -cAANNAt
"Jeffries Is not ll"uluerahle. He simply
has fallen on a tine when there is no
chance to develop many heavy weights.
Where can A heavyweight fighter get a
match nowadays? IF some city had a
law like the Horton law there would he
a dozen good men of heavy-wetGht ca!iber
in the ring. In Butte alone | known men
who would make fi-st-class material In
any company and who worked by my side
in the mines.
LITTLE FELLOWS TO FORE.
when fighting is allowed. its for the
little fellows. And only a few of them
can find employment in the dull stage of
the ring. In the bantam class. about the
sole man to meet Neil seems to be Abe
Attell. Britt. Young Corbett. Haulon and
McGovern rave the light weight class to
themselves, and would have to battle
again and again, If many matches were
arranged for top notchers. Cans seems TO
have dropped a bit out of sight. There
are only one or two leading weiter-
weights employed, and the middle weight
class .Tbi Is h fsni to ,r find lust is, nov w.. ~.
plenty Of good men ready. 1t simply
means that these men can't find the game
profitable enough to devote their whole
atteneion to 1t. In Chicago. for instance.
] have seen men in semiwiudups who
would be cracker-jacks II they had an
opportunity to fight constantly. But most
OF these men followed the game as a side
line, and worked elsewhere III the day.
Just have q good revival of the sport
Let a good opportunity be
AFFORDED for men of the heavier classes
for men of any class. in fact-and see
what the result would be. We would turn
out more good men than ever before.
In my mind, the game in England Is
not in a bad way on account of the men
being less capable than formerly. OF
course, the English are conservative or
bull-headed. whichever you choose to call
it. and they will stick to old styles of
fighting merely through stubborness and
unwillingness to let 1t be said that other
countries can teach them anything. But
they. would be whipped into line mighty
quick IL tie game revived, and / believe
the country would turn put good men
yet. for they have several points in their
boxing which are really high-class. One
of these is the manner in which they can
duck.
ENGLISH GOOD DUCKERS.
lover here 1t would be thought foolish
TO duck a quick, snappy left jab straight
for the face. An American fighter would
slip that blow. He would thus be ready
with either hand for the counter and
would not put himself cut of his posture
of defense. In England they can duck in
e fiashy style that is beautiful TO watch. |
They never seem to have awakened to
the fact that 1t is not only highly danger
Ods to do this. for the man ducking might
butt right into the punch and actually
knock himself out. whereas he runs no
risk in slipping the blow. but that it is a
lot OF wasted effort.
Now II this skill of theirs was turned
to a right direction. they would have good
boxers yet. The game hasn't any chance
over there. You need to have high-class
men fighting to help IL along. But IL
the British would allow some matches
under regular control, they would be turn !
ing out hign-class men to this day.
"Amtrican Jockeys went over there and
whipped them into line in the matter of ,
riding. The English seat in the saddle is
rarely seen on their race tracks now.
American fighters would do the same thing
in case opportunity was offered either here
or there, and the game would get back
to a higher plane then ever before.
Boxing always has gone up and then
gone down. 1t declines and then has re-
vivals. / believe il is due for another re- |
Niyal Som and L think this anaIeninp Mill |