The Washington times., 1906-04-15
MACKEY-SNANSON
BOUT ON TUESDAY
Championship Wrestling Of
fer for Washington.
VETERANS RETURN TO LIFE
Local Grappler Has Surprised All by
Good Record This Season-Audi-
ence Won Over.

What is probably the first real cham
pionship bout ever pulled off on the mat
In Washington is scheduled to take
place at the Washington Light Infantry
Armory on Tuesday night, when Rob
Roy Mackey. of Washington. meets
Alex. Swanson, OF New York, the well
terweisht title-holder in this country.
Mackey has been steering toward this
match ever since the present wrestling
season opened, and his other engage
ments We're for the double purpose of
giving himself a thorough try-out and of
testing the temper of the public toward
the game. His great showing against
Joe Grant who had to do the graphing
OF his life for fifty-five minutes before
gaining fau, has convinced Mackey
and his friends that he has more than
good chance to throw Swanson. and
that if he should beat the New Yorker
he would be able TO successfully defend
his hOnors.
Wrestling Is Growing.
That wrestling is growing in popular
ity here and will soon rival boxing in
public interest. if properly and squarely
conducted, was evidenced by the size
and enthusiasm OF the crowd which saw
Mackey and Grant last Tuesday. That
wbirlwind bout was a big boost for the
sport and made the local fans anxious
TO see what Mackey could do If he were
pitted against i high-class man of his
own weight instead of a much larger
man, like Grant happened to be.
Swanson sCme time ago expressed a
Willingness to appear in this city, and
the coming match is the result He has
not done much on the mat since he
threw George Bothner and broke the
lightweight champions shoulder, but
has been anxious to get into the lime
light again. He has never met Mackey
in match, but knows his style and has
seen him work, and Swanson has ad-
mitted already that he expects 10 have
10 hump himself to the lint to win on
Tuesday.
Veterans Return to Life.
Mackey's return TO life and his dis
play of strength at his age after hav-
Ing been counted in the has-been class
for two or three years, is one Of the
most curious things that ever took
place in wrestling. Although he was
a well-known professional when Joe
Grant was little fellow yelling for a
stick of candy, the veteran stood the
fast pace on their meeting on Tuesday
as If he had just started out, and II
was Grants extra fifteen or twenty
pounds which finally wore him down,
rather than any lack of stamina
Mckey's actions when he went on the
mat in refusing TO shake hands with
Grant caused him TO be Kissed. but as
the bout progressed and II was seen
mat Grants utmost eXertions were pro-
ducing no results. the feeling changed
ana he vas enthusiastically cheered
for each piece of good work.
Three Preliminaries.
Three good preliminaries. and nos
sihly four. Will be put on as appetizers
for the Mackey-Swanson championship
contest The best of the local light
weights will take part. and Benny Fin
nick. the featherweIght champion. NAV
be brought over from Baltimore TO give
additional ZeSt to the contest
An added feature is expected To no
Frank Husemans baS punching act
He has a number of new devices and
tricks in the bag punching line. and his
apparatus is the most complete ever
built. He has given private exhibitions
at the Epiphany Chapel gymnasium
where he Is instructor. but this will be
his first appearance with the bag since
he quit the stage