Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-02
SHOULD SHOW WHAT
THEY HAVE FIRST
ST. LOUIS CRITIC WISHES TO
AVOID LEMONS
Proposes Private Trials for All Aspir-
ing Foreign Fiehters-Cites
Old California Custom
as Example

Special to The Herald.
ST. LOUIS, Aug. There is one thing
the Burns-Squires fight proved, and con-
clusively-all foreign boxers should be
| tried out, given the third degree. as 1t
were, before they are foisted upon the
public as one of the contestants in an
important match. 1t is an awful knock
to the game to have a boxer come here
from some other country, have him
boosted for weeks as a man of great
ability and when 1t comes time to have
him make good put up flght that would
not do credit to some of the amateurs.
1t is the old, old story, dwelt on so often
the public puts up the coin at the door
that makes 1t possible for boxing to
thrive and even exist. This public should
be protected. and when the promoters
hand the public fighters like Squires and
Palmer, for instance, at $40 and $40
ticket IL is hardly fair to the supporters
of boxing. Have the foreigners tried out
by all means, and then there wouldn't be
so many of these lemon socials.
Out in California years ago it was the
custom to have the foreigners show what
they could do in private; just like Fitz-
simmons was forced to do. and as a con-
sequence San Francisco saw some of the
best fights in the history of pugilism. If
a man is made to show what he can do
all the boosting and clever work by highly
paid press agents would be of little avail
unless he can make good with the gloves.
To try a man out you needn't kill him.
1t isn't necessary to send him against a
champion for a finish fight with skin
tights or brass knuckles. Pick out a
fairly classy man for the newcomer, let
them box three rounds under full steam
before few good judges, and it can be
told whether or not the foreigner has
enough ability to send him against Tom
my Burns or Jack CTwin) Sullivan, as
was the case with Squires and Palmer,
respectively.
When Palmer first struck New York
they could have sent him against George
Cole for example. Cole isn't champion,
but he is a willing, busy boxer of fair
class, who will make his opponent ex-
tend himself There were men in Cali
fornia who could have tried Squires out,
and had this been done the Australian
would not have been an 10 to favorite
and in some instances 10 to favorite over
Burns, as was the case in this city.
Those who bet on Squires, taking the
word of the promoters and the press
agents for a line on his ability, must have
been good and sore, to say nothing of
the fans who tossed up twenty case
note to see the farce and a fimfer or a
ten spot for automobile hire. The old
slogan Get the money" might be ali
right in its way, but it isn't giving the
public a run for it's money, and the
sooner the promoters inaugurate the
third degree" policy the sooner the
boxing game will be benefited.
The western sports who paid $50 to see
Burns and Squires go less than round
are not the only ones who have had the
same unpleasant experience. Terry Nc
Govern settled Pedlar Palmer in round
at Tuckahoe a few years ago at top
prices, anu Tom Sharkey did the same
thing to Gus Rubin at Coney Island.
But the sorest lot of butchers of all
was the moo that journeyed to Texas to
see the second Fitzsimmons-M -Maher fight.
They stalled around for days with Gov
ernor Culbertson of Texas chasing up
and down the north bank Of the Rio
Grande and President Diaz of Mexico
sending his rurales along the south side.
Half a dozen dummy trains had been
sent out from Ell Paso to throw the au-
thorities off the scent and with good re-
suits. Finally, one night about 10 o'clock
we received word from Dan Stuart that
the coast was clear and that the real
rattler would leave within the hour.
The select few who received the tip
hoped over to the train through the
streets and alleys, for, be it known that
the crowd were lodging not only the
two governors, sherffs, deputies, con-
stables, police, rurales and pikers, but
the Texas rangers as well. Any person
who was or the ground at the time and
saw those rangers with their quick
talking Winchesters, blue gats and long
chiv, will not ask for any reasons or ex-
cuses. One look at them was enough.
1t was a good crowd to duck. 1t wouldn't
have taken much coaxing to make them
whip out their big smokesticks and get
busy.