Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-21
KILLING SPOILS
MOST PUGILISTS
After Causing Death Of Man In Con.
test, Boxers Seldom Show Old
sRlrit-Many Have Met
End In Arena

Some followers Of pugilism have ex-
pressed the opinion that when a boxer
is unlucky enough to kill an opponent
in glove contest he becomes so dis
heartened that he can never display
the old spirit and dash in the ring
again. Yet this is not always the rule.
Fighting with the average pugilist is
profession, not q pastime. once in a
while there Is q contest In which the
men show bitterness of feeling due to
the prevalence of bad blood and delib-
erately try to inflict harmful INJURIES
but on the whole fighters box strictly
on their merits for the money there is
in 1t and the reputation that goes with
a victory.
There are cases where a pugilist who
has landed a fatal knockout punch has
lost heart thereafter and has quit the
game, but they are comparatively few
at that
When Leslie Pierce ended the life Of
Bill Vernon with a heavy blow on the
jaw he soon retired from the ring
Jimmy Barry, the former bantam
champion, went on with several bat
ties after he had killed Walter Croot
in England, but he was never the same
and soon got out of the game.
1t was in 1899 that Barry came east
and Joined Sharkey, Dixon, Eddie Con-
training quarters at Staten Island. He
intended to fit himself there for several
important fights, but he began to
brood over the death of Croot and con-
cluded, after a weeks stay, that he
had had enough.
Mcconnell Spoiled as Boxer
Frank Mcconnell Is another boxer
who was never the same after his fatal
bout with Jim Franey. These are the
exceptions to the rule, however, for on
the other hand there are numerous
instances of boxers who have killed
opponents in the ring doing better
work than ever before when they had
resumed operations.
1t was after Robert Fitzsimmons had
killed his sparring partner Con Rior-
dan, in friendly bout at Syracuse that
he earned a greater part of his fame,
for he defeated Peter Maher, Jim
Daley, Gus Rubin, Sharkey, George
Gardner and others, to say nothing of
capturing the heavyweight title when
he stopped Corbett at Carson City
Oscar Gardner also did some remark
able fighting after fatal bout with
George Stout in Columbus nine years
ago.
Since that Gardner has taken part in
sixty fights, the best of his opponents
being Tommy White, Harry Forbes,
Tim Callahan, Marty McCue, Jack
Hamilton, Billy ODonnell, Martin
Flaherty, Jack O'Brien, Solly Smith,
Tommy Hogan, Dave Sullivan, George
Dixon, Sammy Kelly, Sam Bolen, Terry
McGovern, Jerry Marshall, Patsy
Haley, Joe Bernstein, Eddie Santry,
| Kid Broad, Billy Barrett, Eddie Len
ney, Jack McClelland, Gene Bezenah,
Joe Hopkins and Joe Fairburn.
Kid Lavigne Killed Bowen
1t was thirteen years ago that Kid
Lavigne struck Andy Bowen a fatal
blow that many believed would wind
For several months Lavigne worried
over the affair and remained in re-
tirement, but he was finally induced tC
meet Jerry Marshall.
Then he got back to form without
further delay. He beat Jack Ever
hardt and Jimmy Handler, after which
he fought draws with Marshall and
Young Griffo, the Australian. After
that he beat Walcott in the memorable
battle at Maspeth.
| Lavigne then went to England and
| defeated Dick Burge, following which
were victories over Everhardt, Nc
Partland, Connolly, Walcott and
Tracey, and draws with Jack Nc
Auliffe, Tommy Ryan, Charley Nc
Keever, owen zeigler, Jack Daily and
Frank Erne, to whom Lavigne lost the
lightweight championship at Buffalo
in a twenty round bout.
Jack Root of Chicago was instru-
mental in bringing about the death of
Tom Lansing, yet since then he has
taken part in fifty ring contests, meet
ing many good men, and, previous to
his defeat by Hart and subsequent
retirement, whipped many of them.