The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-05

I'VE OFTEN been asked what be-
comes of the pugilists who drop out
Of sight, and what they do when
they retire" and I've tried TO get some
kind of an idea about this vCry thing.
You've got to understand fifGl of all
that haven't reI.-s1 and that ISl not
going to retire. ana thd I'm not so wen
up on the points, that make man real
ize that he's a head one.
It's a kind of a tough thing, ] guess,
for man 10 sit down and think he's
no more use in the game, but II hasn't
come 20 me vet, and if ] have anything
10 do with il, il won't I've made Il
pretty fair record as it is for man OF
my age. and / don't think many men
can point TO a record of 362 fights and
two defeats. But that's outside the
question and what We're after now is
what becomes Of the men who drop out.
either through defeat or age. / don't
know lust how many men over 40 stick
10 the game, but there must be mighty
few of them. As far as I've do9ed IL
out the average age at which a nShter
dropS out is about 80.
OF course the real reason behind il
all, and | know what I'm talking about
in thisc case at least is the drank.
Don't think this is going 10 be tenn
pcrauce lecture. for IL isn't, it's just
plain common horse sense. don't be
hcvo any man Of fair Intelligence would
willingly 40 out 10 spraiu his arm, or
strain ii tendon in his leg just before
he was going 20 fight. BY this ] mean
that if a chap was told, and had
learned from experience OF himself OF
others. that If he lifted heavy box or
barrel he would stand "a mighty good
chance of getting Knocked out in his
next encounter. he would be kind Of
likely To fight shy Of il. Following this
out, then, IL stands To reason that if a
man goes right ahead and fills his hide
up with whisky, keeps late hours, and
generally dlsSipateS, he stands a
mighty good chance To get his head
knocked off within short order.
As / say, that's not any temperance
lecture, as any man with bit of brain
IN his head can see, hut it's mighty
close to furnishing a reason for the
boys that drop out long before they've
got any physical right 10.
Pm A. years old, and I've been
through a pretty tough batteriug in the
ring myself. but I'm still here, and
mighty Shfty Oh my feet, at that. II s
an open bet that. barring Jim Jetfrles,
I'm willing 10 make good heavy side
bet that I'll drop any man I'M the ring
today inside Of fifteen rounds. I could
not say that if had lived a free-for-
all life, and blown i'm every cent / made
on wine. women and song.
There's many a good man who has
made some thousands in the ring,
hunting for d place 10 sleep at this
minute, and he can so back in his own
heart aud figure out just where he
dropped his money. I'm not that kind
myself. and without blowing my own
horn too freely. ! can be excused if ]
SAY right here that there's not a man
iu the fighting business today that's
reached my age and is still a champion.
with a look in for another champion
ship.
The trouble with the lads Of the ring
Is that they've come up the ladder fast.
and they find themselves with more
money than they ever believed was in
the country, and having had no expert
cuce of this kind o. "a life, they think
it's necessary to blow il IN as fast as
they can get IL, on the belief that there
is plenty more where that came from.
In ii way they're right enough but
only as long as they keep straight and
look out for themselves.
If there's anything tougher than TO
be a time-eXnired idol of the public.
I'd like 10 find out what il is. Why.
TiEnt ln4S lHliult Ndli 'sil 10 lfllila
one case that will do for an example.
There's a little fellow that's made a
million or SO with his hands. who for
fourteen years was the real goods as
far as his class in the ring Went. He
met and put away every man that
came TO him. and he had diamonds and
clothes and a manager who was ready
To stake him 20 anything he wanted.
Then some one put him down and out.
u took just two months for him 10 find
out how much of public idol he was.
AT the end of that time he was trying
to borr8w car fare, and finding il a
hard Job His manager wouldn't cross
The street 10 look at him, and had no