Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-08

Special Cabegram TO The Star.
LONDON October Autumn is here
and with autumn comes the season for box
ing, perhaps the chief sport Of the short
days and the long nights Those who fol-
low the noble art as well as others who
take no part In 1t, have no cause to grum-
BILE at the term allotted them, for generally
speaking the square is occupied for eight
months in the year, while in some quarters
here in London it is never taken down. No
matter what the temperature may be 1t
is only necessary to put forward "a decent
turn or two and the desired patronage VIII
follow. We undoubtedly have suffered for
some time for a dearth of men of good
quality. and yet there has never been q
slump in boxing, which speaks volumes for
the continued popularity of the sport. The
advent of first-class heavy or middle
weight, say another Smith or a Burge, any
thing good enough to put up against the
best from the other side of the Atlantic
would give a great flip to the sport. Not
for years have we wanted SO badly we
do at present men like John l.. Sullivan,
Jake kilrain, Peter Jackson, Frank Slayin,
Charles Mitchell. Jem Smith, Toff Wall,
Chesterfield Goode, Burge, and that Won
derful lightweight. Kid Lavigne, who were
all battling pretty well about the same
time in the London ring. London has also
had visits from celebrities like Jim Hall,
Kid Mccoy and Joe Choynsk, and inter-
national contests for which fabulous sums
were paid, not only as prize money, but
for seats to view the bouts. The corona
ton tournament. held several years ago at
the National Sporting Club. was financially
a failure, ard yet the best men In the bust
ness were imported from the states. Held
in New York the tournament would IN
doubtedly have drawn many thousands
as it did hundreds to the building in Covent
Garden. The management certainly left
something to be desired, and the charge for
seats was certainly too HIGH but the lack of
patronage was probably due to the absence
of Englishmen competitors. Jeffries and
Corbett at their best would not have filled
a building in London as would Smith and
Sullivan or Tom Wall and Dempsey. 1t Is
the international favor that Is wanted, as
was proved by the way Astley's Theater
was packed when, after others had failed,
the management of the Slavin-Goode fight
was placed in popular hands, and by the
patronage accorded contests between Burga
England and Lavigne (America), Jackson
(Australa) and Smith (England), Dave Sui
Ivan (America) and Palmer (England). and
many others became practicable. The re-
mark has been made that the days of big
fights are gone. This is a mistake The
only thing wanted to revive the rivalry
which started forty-fiye years ago with the
Sayers-Heenan battle Is the unearthtng on
this side of two or three good men of decent
size. The love of boxing is as strong in
the Englishman as ever, and though $4,000
purses and Such ike Things are not Knock
ing about as they were a dozen years ago,
and we have no 'Squires'' on hand to back
both Sides there is still plenty of public
money to reward boxing merit.
Back from the colonies, where he went
out wrestling partner with Hacken-
schmidt Gunner Moir will be in the field
again this season as heavyweight. While
away the proprietor of the Hit and Miss,
as he aptly calls his tavern in Camberwell
took part in the glove contests and proved
successful on each occasion. He is re-
ported wonderfully improved man in
his boxlng-quicker and cleverer than when
he left the old country-and admitted by
Australian sporting men to be superior to
anything they have out there. Squres and
Mccall Included. Another boxer back from
foreign parts Is Jack Palmer of Newcastle
who, though only just outside of the mid
dleweight limit has twice thrown down the
gauntlet to all England. When Palmer was
about starting for his second visit to South
Africa, Charley Wilson, the ex-amateur OF
Noting Hill, seemed very anxious to tackle
the Novacastrian. Strange to say how
ever Wilson has given no response to the
offers made him direct recently by Palmer.
"Geoff Thorne. who beat st. Clair so cas-
lily last May, was also pining a little while
ago for match, and yet he Is also silent
and would put up good smuggling bout It
Is reported, however. that "Thorne'' wants
bigger money than he Is likely to get. The
north countryman has had bad attack of
enteric in the states, but from what he says
he has shaken of the effects, and feels bet
ter than ever. AS Palmer contemplates q
visit TO America this winter 1t IS hoped
that he viii secure a match before he goes
1abez White Is still in the business. but