The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-03
modest state of prosperity he neglec-

One day Mckenzie disappeared. He
left behind note bluntly advising his
wife to return to Manchester with the
children. Fhe cost of transportation
was left with the note.
The broken-hearted boxers wife
without relatives or friends here, ac-
cordingly boarded liner that took
her to her home This was two years
age.
Since then she has constantly writ
ten to her husband. seeking a recon-
cilliation. but he cast aside, unread,
every letter with her familiar hand
writing and foreign postage stamp.
Three weeks ago Mckenzie was in the
ring of the National Athletic club
awaiting the sound OF the bell that
would send him against rival when
Lew DALEY handed him a letter. After
the fight he read it and found touch
ing appeal from his faithful wife. who
would forget all. ii he would only send
for her. Enclosed were photographs
of her and the two children.
This would have shamed any one,
but the stolid fighter was not moved.
In a few minutes he forgot about the
wife and children in England, and was
negotiating for more Watchers. He
never entertained the thought OF re-
spending.
Mckenzie :caught on" as the figh-
tiers say, with Terry Martin in Port
land Monday night. In the fifth round,
the sturdy Martin struck Mckenzie a
hard blow over the heart and followed
with an uppercut. He rolled over
There were the usual skeptics in the
crowd when priest strobe into the
place.
After the clergyman finished admin
istering extreme action to the pros
trate man in the ring. Mckenzie died.
He had never regained consciousness.
so had no chance to think better Of
the wife and two children in England
Martin. McKenzie's involuntary
slayer, gave bail for his appearance at
the inquest.
1t would probably be the same all
along the puglistic line. do not
fend the title he once claimed, and as
for the rest, they would be in the same
boat. Berger would be as putty in
Jeffries' hands. and the same. Of
course, goes for Al Kaufman at pres
emit Either of these may possibly in
time become great fighters. but they
are not in the champions class at
present.
Then there are Tommy Burns and
Jack Root. Hart disposed of Root
and later Burns trimmed Marvin. so
that bunch is put out Of the reckoning.
AS to the rest, they are either un-
knowns or oli-timers, and it would
be just as bad for one as the other.
There are Jim Corbett. Bob Fitzsim-
mons. Joe Choynsky, Gus Rubin and
the rest of the old guard, none Of them
able to make stand against any but
second raters these days.
In the meantime the furry over
Jeffries' little joke kept the boxing fans
talking for a few days, and at that
should not be surprised to hear of
the big one getting back into training
provided anyone would bob up who
was worth his measure
That irrepressible Jack O'Brien is
still mOnopolizing the space these
days. The latest is that he and Tom
my Ryan are ready to meet after some
years of argument. Of course O'Brien
wants to pick up all the easy money in
sight on the coast. including double
bout at Los Angeles, where he is sup
posed to knock out that helpless fight
er Fred Cooley and the unknown "In-
dian Joe" However, after his bout
at San Francisco, which threatens to
be with Sam Berger, he will be ready
to take on Tommy Ryan.
1t is hard to tell how a bout of that
kind would take just now. Both men,
especially Ryan, are getting a little
old for the ring. Tommy has not ap-
peared in the ring for a long time and
O'Brien has about exhausted all that
was novel in his style of boxing by
that a neighbor of Goldfield, New, is
after the bout, Offering something like
$4,000, and II this Is on the square
should think the fighters would jump
at the chance.
Among the incidents which disturbed
the followers of boxing in the East last
week were two fatalities, one at Buff
falo and the other at Portland, Me. AS
is usually the case, 1t turned out that
neither fighter was in physical shape
for the bouts, and as a matter of fact
the boxer who died at Portland had
not prepared for the contest at all.
He had simply taken some one else's
place, and before the fight had gone
very long his heart gave out from the
violent exercise. 1t was discovered
afterward that no blow had been de-
livered directly over that organ.
1t is net believed that the death of
the two would-be pugilists will have
any effect on the sport in the East,
as it was clearly shown that the So
called ring brutality had nothing to do
with it.
A bit of news comes from Pittsbure
to the effect that the promoters there
are figuring on pulling of twenty
round bouts there this winter. As
elsewhere in Pennsylvania, no decisions
will be given. This should not handi-
cap any such bouts In Smoketown, as
the majority of bouts are usually end
ed long before the twentieth round. I
do not know whether there is any real
foundation for this report, but should
they be able to pull 1t through, Pitts
burg undoubtedly would be the mecca
of pugs in the near future, as a city
of that size could give some substan-
tial purses. There have, however,
been so many attempts of the boxing
promoters to get fOothold in Pennsyl-
vania that it does not seem likely they
would be able to pull of anything like
that.