Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-31
VAN COURT COMES
To TEACH BOXING
LOS ANGELES ATHLETIC CLUB
MAKES TEN STRIKE
Ablest instructor Of the Manly Art
Now in the Business viii AS
sumo Charge Of Local
Aspirants

Nothing too good for the Los An
geles Athletic club" appears TO he the
slogan of that exclusive organization S
directors Their latest tenstrike, an
nounced yesterday, is the securing of
that celebrated instructor, De Witt G.
Van Court, as teacher of boxing.
Identified for years with the Olympic
Athletic club of San Francisco, where
he would still be but for the destruc-
tion of that institution by earthquake
and fire, Mr.. Van Court established for
himself the reputation of being the
ablest boxing instructor In the world.
lie Is best judged, as is any teacher, by
the success of his pupils.
Amateur or professional, they are
numbered among the best boxers wher-
ever found. The crack lightweight,
Jimmy Britt, is one; Sam Berger and
others too numerous to mention up
hold the laurels of such of Van Court s
pupils as turned professional, while
San Francisco is full of keen, active
young fellows who can take care of
themselves in any place, thanks to the
early training of that great master of
the American art of self-defense.
Van Court arrived late last night and
will enter on his new duties next week.
Two hours of boxing instruction in the
club gymnasium each day is his work,
and his teaching will cost members
nothing extra unless they desire more
time in private. Such an opportunity
to learn boxing at the hands of a man
who can teach it without making the
pupil pay the price in broken nose.
tin ears and sore jaw currency is not
likely to be overlooked, if yesterdays
talk around the club is fair criterion.
Always a gentleman in his work, Van
Court is a natural boxer, finished by
long application to the scientific aspect
of the game, fortified by a natural love
of sparring and unusual aptitude for it.
He never fought a professional battle.
On no two men does he use the same
methods. For each he determines upon
a style adapted to gaining the best
results. Never yet has he had a fail
ure; some of his proteges have done
better than others, but all have learned
how to box, and in short time, too.
Frank A. Garbutt, vice president of
the Los Angeles Athletic club; r. A.
Dunnigan, William Graham, r. A.
Todd, and in fact most of the local Or
ganizations best sparrers are former
pupils of Van Court. Mr. Garbutt con-
Quoted the negotiations personally, be-
ing friend of many years standing,
but even with that help and the pay
ment of a salary than only the splen-
did success of the club thus far could
justify, would have failed to lure Van
Court away from his old berth with
the Olympic club had not the destruc-
tion of San Francisco wiped out that
organization.
In consequence of the securing of
Van Court, big boxing boom is now
on the tapis at the home of the winged
foot brigade on South Spring street
Even juvenile boxing classes are talked
of, more attention being paid to this
part of the work in future. Van Court
will have his hands full from the first
for the entire active membership is de-
sirous of learning to box.
Behind Van Courts remarkable rec
ord of producing more skilled boxers
than any other ten instructors on
record, lies a phenomenal facility of
imparting his knowledge to others that
distinguishes the successful teacher,
whatever his subject. Many profession
ais can execute, but they often lack
the ability to develop others, and never
attain much success at teaching.
Quite delegation of friends met Mr..
Van Court at his train late last night
and escorted him to the club rooms.