The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-22


the other day came across some
pictures OF the fighters of a hun
dred years ago, and they put me in
mind Of the difference there is between
the fellows that stepped into the
squared circle in those days and the
lads that put the gloves on now.
When a fellow looks back that way
he sees a few changes that set him
thinking. I don't know how long It Is
since men got together in a personal
encounter TO eight with their fists, but
should guess it was about the time
that the old swords and dirks went
out of fashion. I've been told that the
tournament was about the closest thing
10 modern prize fighting and there
hasn't been a tournament In long
time, but the idea looks reasonable.
OF course, men have fought ever
since they've. been on the earth, but
the fights 1 am talking about are the
ones where there was a purse held
up, and where the chaps that fought
were not settling some old gIudge. As
far as know the first Of the regular
boxers was Tom Figg and he did
some tall work from 17l9 on TO l13O,
when a boy named Greeting took his
measure. Those were the days when
a man stood up against his adversary
and did what things he could TO him
before the other fellow knocked MIN
into a cooked hat. There was mighty
little footwork i'm those days, and the
science of the business was a whole
lot in the future. From all I've been
able TO find out about, they Just used
10 pound away at each other and
mans ability was gagged by his stay
ing qualities-in other words, on his
oft 70 a tsh
a great game and a fellow didn't go
into IL unless he could stand the gan.
As the years went on ! believe some
attention was paid 10 guards and blows
of a different order but IL wasn't untii
we'll along into the fifties of last GEN.
tury that the modern fighter began 10
sit up and take notice.
About this time the rules began TO
look up and 1t got 10 be considered
rude to whale a man over the heau
with a club because you had your
money on the other lad. This used to
be a favorite pastime when the nights
were held on the turf, and I'm told II
used to breed some very neat and et-
1ectiVe little discussions on the SIDE
However. ii was Jem Mace who was
the first man TO invent real punches.
sidesteps and the like and he is to be
credited with the modern pugilism.
one might say.
The old-time champion was fellow
who would stand up with funny
guard and beat his man down by main
strength and awkwardness. 1t used to
be a favorite idea 10 catch fellow in
a wrestling grip and then grind him
down into the mud, but that dropped
out after awhile. The rules began 10
provide that skill was the thing that
was needed more than strength ana
the bite and chew, kick-in-t he-stomach
idea was asked TO take back seat.
When certain alleged noblemen used
10. keep a stable of lighters. just like
they would horses, things were lot
more brutal than was necessary be
cause these folks seemed to want blood
and lots Of it.
Coming down TO cases, however, IN
the last fifteen years or 50 the game
has gone through a lot Of changes
and perhaps the difference is more 10
be noticed during that time than dur
Ing any other. To go back to 1852 Wnen
John L. Sullivan beat Paddy Ryan
down i'm Mississippi, you might say
that John was about the last of the
old guard of.fighters. He was the boy
who would stand up and hight to the
last gasp, and his greatest trouble was
IN getting the men 10 stay where he
could hit them. London prize ring
rules were never meant for John, and
a lot of people made the mistake of
thinking Sullivan was champion of the
world. He never was. for he failed to
whip Charley Mitchell when they
fought at Chantilly in France for the
championship. That was the last time
I think that the L. p. r. rules were
used. and 1t was good thing fol
Mitchell that he fought under them
then, for Sullivan had him going a
whole lot of different times and If il
h 1n't been for the rules and the
ID, that made 1t hot for John, a
mt story might have been told
and Sullivan might have been the
worlds champion.
Well. az ! was saying, Sullivan was
the last OF his style. He used 10 stand
up and pound away at his man until
he had him down and out. and he was
a shifty fighter at that, was John
but there was a change coming along
Jim Corbett went after Sullivan down
in New Orleans and tried a new sys-
TEN on him, a system that had been
growing fast. II was the hit and gel
away idea, that is said to be the acme
of science. and COFbett, then a likely
lad, was about as shifty on his feet as
a cat He soaked Sullivan any time
he wanted 10. but he never on the
spot when Sullivan wanted TO hit him