Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-09
AN ABSURD REPORT
POSITIVELY DENIED
Assertion That HaCkenSChmidt
Was Going Into the Ring
Contradicted.
Champion Wrestler Would Have
No Chance at All as a
Fighter.

LONDON. December S.-"Cestus," writing
in the Sportsman. says:
''Mr. Vincent Crummells. we are told,
used to wonder how certain things got into
papers. He would have been considerably
more exercised on this regard had he pos
sessed the smallest particle OF knowledge
Of sporting matters and happened to have
been knocking about in the present age.
The rumors that get adoat now and again
are SO amusing and absurd that one almost
feels sorry for the uninitiated. who allow
the leg to be pulled and grasp at anything
that is likely to furnish q bit of sensational
copy.
1.-THE latest is that George Hackenschmidt,
the champion wrestler. is going in for box
ing A weekly sheet came out with the
following. which has been quoted In more
than one daily: In the not very remote
future George Hackenschmidt. the worlds
champion wrestler. may be seen in a new
role-as a prize fighter All sorts OF tempt
ing offers have been made to Hack to take
I'D the fistic art. and syndicate Of promi-
nent American sportsmen is prepared to
put up a purse of $50. 600 If he will agree
to meet Jeffries. Hackenschmidt is very
fine boxer indeed
There are half a dozen or so words Of
sense in this paragraph. but the remainder
Is absolute trash. A syndicate might be
prepared to put up a purse for Jeffries and
| Hackenschmidt because. doomed in the
true American style and all sorts of rub
| Dish published as to the ability as a boxer
of the Russian. the thing might, perhaps
| draw. As to Hackenschmidt coming out
as prize fighter. as it is put. why he has
as much idea of taking to the ring as I
| have of trying trip to the moon. Hack
enschmidt has had some with the gloves,
! and the little he took brought him very
\ quickly to the conclusion that boxing is
| not in his line.
How any one could possibly put in print
| that 'Hackenschmidt is very fine boxer
! indeed is more than difficult to understand.
| while. for Jeffries. he Is walking about
/ in the vicinity of nineteen stone and could
| never, l am told by one who should know,
| be again properly trained. Not that he
would require much training to beat Hack,
but If a burlesoue of this sort came to be
arranged why the men would have to be
| a bit fit just for appearance sake
when 1 say that Hackenschmidt has
| tried his hand with the gloves and realized
| that his repertoire, If 1 may use a term
more adapted to music than athletics, does
not include boxing know what am writ
| ing about. A few weeks ago a little per-
| Torrance was gone through in a certain
town in the north of England which sent
| to the wind any ideas that Hackenschmidt
| has had to his fitness for the ring
! Hackenschmidt Is tremendously powerful.
| of course. but his muscles. hard and set,
! have been trained for wrestling and not
| for the freedom of hitting. His delivery is
! a push, not blow; very strong, awk-
ward push. but one that would never sue
coed even opposed to a good middleweight
These remarks are not intended to In
any way disparage belittle Hacken-
| schmidt. AS wrestler he Is without equal
but boxing is not the Russians game, as
some would like US to believe. I have
drawn attention to the ridiculous para
graph because It is not fair to put such
matter before the public as genuine.
remember some years ago a certain scribe
came out with long screed about Sandow,
| who was going to do this and that-in fact,
eighteen years since the public were asked
to believe this. but so far Sandow has not
taken to the manly art