The Washington herald., 1908-04-12
RULE
More Time Between Rounds
Would Improve Sport.
BILLY CARROLLS SUGGESTION
Comedian FavOrs Two Minutes Rest
Between Each set-to Instead Of
One Minute, as at Present-wOuId
Prove Great Benefit to Youngsters,
Who Are Not Fully Matured.

made by Billy Carroll, the comedian.
has caused considerable discussion and
brought out several other ideas that
will be of interest TO those who are anx-
ious 10 have boxing placed on a safe and
sound basis.
CarrolIs idea was 10 have a rest OF two
minutes between each round of boxing
contest. instead OF one minute, as AZ
present is the custom, Almost every one
who has spoken about the two-minutes-
between-rounds idea of Mr.. Carroll ap-
proved of the suggestion and thought
that it should be given serious considera-
ton, especially in bouts between young
boxers.
Boxing is a strenuous exercise. and the
exertions which man goes through in a
fast contest are as wearing. If not more
so, than the punching which is received
from an opponent.
II any man does not believe this to be
fact let him get some one to hold
watch for him and then Just jump around
a room for three minutes as fast as he
can, going through the motions as he sees
boxer do it liz the ring. This is the
same work that many boxers do in train
ing. and which they call shadow boxing.
After doing this for three minutes let
him rest one minute and then try it
again.
It viii take man OF good physi-
cal condition to go through eighteen
minutes Of such work. Before the end is
reached ne will be apt TO agree with
Comedian Carroll that one minute is not
enough time to rest up between rounds.
and that doubling the time would be an
agreeable thing 10 the tired boxer.
The novice who will try TO do three or
four rounds of boxing viii soon appre
ciate the fact that it is at times the poor
physical condition Of "a professional boxer
which really whips him in a contest
rather than the amount Of punishment
which he receives
Daily readers Of the newspapers are
often told Of cases Of young girls drop
ping dead through their exertions IN
skipping a rope, and the exercise is no
more severe. and perhaps not even as
much so. as that which a boxer goes
through in a fast bout. leaving the ques-
tion Of being punched out OF the argu-
ment altogether.
McLean's Novel Oner.
There has, perhaps, never been any bet
ter all-round athlete in Philadelphia than
Billy Mclean. the veteran pugilist and
teacher OF boxing, who to-day. although
in the seventies or close TO that age.
could walk or run the average man to
death. Mclean has always been fond of
walking and running, and in his younger
DAYS was quite an adept at skipping the
rope.
For many years Billy used to walk IN
from his home at Paschalville to his
rooms at Tenth and Chestnut streets,
teach boxing to fifteen or twenty pupils,
skip the rope several hundred times just
TO fill In the time Che has skipped as
high as 4000 times without a resO and
then walk or run out home at night.
He was we'll aware Of the amount Of
exertion which a boxer went through IN
a contest and he never had any use for a
man who would not train and get himself
in good physical condition. He once had
a pupil who developed into a good boxer,
but who did not like the hard work which
Mclean wanted to put him through
every time he was getting ready for a
fight. This young fellows name was
Harry Berger. and he did well for a time
I'm the ring: but as he did not take the
care Of himself that is necessary 10 reach
the top of the ladder, he has since prac-
tically dropped out Of sight
Mclean was talking about Berger once.
and some one made the remark as to
how good a man he was becoming, when
Billy, who was then about sixty years
old, offered TO bet that he could stop Ber-
ger in four rounds and never strike him
one blow during that time. This remark
at first brought out a laugh; bat when
Mclean offered 10 put up a reasonable
sum of money on the affair he was seen
to be In dead earnest.
Asked to explain how he could whip a
man without hitting him, the old boxing
master replied that he would put on the
gloves with Berger and go into a ring
and Just box In and out and around
Harry, taking care never 10 hurt him,
but making him go so fast that in Ber-
gers poor condition the latter would have
to go so fast to keep UP with him that
before the end Of four rounds he would
be played out and would stop. And the
chances are that Billy could have done
just what he said.
Keeping in mind the severe exertions
which a boxer has TO go through in a
fast contest, another suggestion has been
made In connection with the talk of
Comedian Carroll which also seems to be
good at this time. This latter idea comes
from a man who is much interested in
boxing from spectators standpoint,
and who rarely misses a bout between
prominent boxers.
This man gives It as his opinion that
careful examination and study should be
made Of the younger boxers who are
ambitious to take up the professional
game, and that none of the lads should
be allowed 10 box IN public contests till
they have become matured and have de-
veloped their normal strength.
Boxing Is one OF the best means Of exer-
else. and this man does not want any Of
the youngsters prevented from engaging
in st. On the contrary, he believes in
doing everything to encourage them in
taking it up. and as he is well-to-do
financially. he would be quite willing to
provide or help TO provide public gym
nasiums OF boxing schools for such boys.
where they could be taught the art of
boxing and trained and developed into
good boxers.
But he thinks that many of the lads
who are now allowed to take part IN
public contests are not fit physically for
such work. and that many of them are in
great danger of collapsing from their
own exertions when they are pressed to
the limit of their strength, as they often
are when they try to make good show
ing in the ring against a sturdy opponent.
Perhaps the danger which he sees TO
these young boxers would not be so great
were the referees or men in charge of the
boxing rings always possessed of the
necessary good judgment and discretion
to stop the bouts when one or the other
of the boxers Is reaching the point of ex-