Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-27
NOTED SCRAPPERS
OF THIS CITY
Washington the Stamping
Ground of Many High-CIass
Fighters in Years Gone BY.

Now that a great many cities through
out America have taken the lid off, so
far as the permitting of pugilistic en-
counters IN their respective ba!liwicks is
concerned. the interest in the biting game
has once again rose to the bubbling point.
Fight clubs are starting up everywhere.
and the present season bids fair to eclipse
any fstiana records made these past ten
years as regards the popularity of box
ing
Baltimore with its new clubs recently
organized. together with the old ones that
have been in the running from time i'm
memorial. is Just now taking a bunch of
Washington sports money, for when
there is fight on over in the monumental
city train loads of the boxing enthusiasts
OF the Capital city journey there.
Not SO many years ago, though, Wash
ngton had Baltimore beaten to a friZzly
fragile when 1t came to pulling off high
grade boxing stunts. for this little old
town used to have some of the greatest
fistic battles that could be found any
where. Incidentally, Washington had
some mighty clever talent nesting here,
both as to native sons and foreign fight
erS. who made this city their home while
i'll America.
AHOlHCi liIiHS IldL must not De 1orSOl-
ten in order to show the gameness of the
Washington boxers is the fact that no
champion brlliScr travelling with theatri-
cal shows ever uttered a def in the
Capital city that was not Immediately
taken up by some of the fighters then re-
siding in this mans town.
Even Tackled Sully.
John L. Sullivan, then in all the glory
of his young manhood and just fresh
from his clean-cut victory over the re-
doubtable Paddy Ryan, was the first
fighter to travel with a theatrical COM
pany. Offering a purse to any man nervy
enough to stand up to him Sullivan, who
was then touted to be a veritable devil.
had no takers for his offer until he
struck the Ca pital city, when his def was
called by a Georgetown blacksmith, who
went up against the big Boston boy on
the stage of the old Theater Comique, and
though the Georgetown man was not
clever. still he made showing against
the mighty John l..
Dominck McCaffery, the heavyweight
bruiser from Philadelphia, and the man
who gave John L. one OF the hardest
struggles in the early days of his career.
was another theatrical star who toured
the country, offering purses for any man
who could stay with him for three rounds.
When he arrived at Washington, he was
accommodated by an amateur boxer Of
only a twenty-year old lad. but mighty
clever youngstar at that. Ed made a
creditable showing against the husky Nc
Caffery, who was undoubtedly the strong
est built fighter of his time. and who had
right arm punch that was sudden
death If 1t landed properly. This fight
was pulled off at kernan's Theater and
caused much excitement among the spec
tators. Roche afterward Played a guard
on the Georgetown University foot ball
team.
George Dixon, the greatest man at his
weight that America ever produced. was
colored pugilist who swept the boards
in his day when it came to putting his
kernan's. where he offered to take on
anything that Washington could produce.
He was accommodated in the person Of
Billy Young. a native lightweight. who
champion Dixon and not only stayed
the limit and won the purse. but he cut
the yellow mans work out for him in
great shape.
Young a Good One.
This man Young was a wonderful fight
err. and for a lightweight he could hit a
harder blow than any pugilist Of his day.
He was born In the southeast section of
Washington. and received all his training
here. Billy was the ideal built fighter,
HAVING u Od0 oNouioClSs tAlSh ACCh oIu
the body of a middleweight with the legs
Of lightweight. His cleverness and foot
work were simply marvellous and to show
Just how good this little man was he
fought a twenty-round draw with the
great Jack McAuliffe. the afterward
champion lightweight of the world, and
the only undefeated champion in the an
nails Of American f1stiana.
At the time that Billy Young fought
the great McAuliffe. Jack was on his way
to New York en- route from his home in
California. where he had whipped every
man in his class in that section of the
country. He came east to take a chance
at the top notchers then doing business in
the lightweight class in this section. Stop
ping over in Washington. fight was ar
ranged between the pride of the Pacific
slope and the Washington pugilist, and
the fight, which was mighty fierce one,
went twenty rounds to a good draw.
Several years ago, McAuliffe, who was
then following the races up around New
York. said. when speaking of Billy Young,
that the local product gave him the hard
est fight OF his career. with the exception
of the 'Streator Cyclone" Billy Meyers.
Jack went on to say, when he landed in
Washington fresh from the west, he was
uncertain as to how he classed up with
the eastern pugs. and that his confidence
in his own ability was greatly shaken by
what Billy Young did to him. How
ever" continued the once famous light
weight, when / found afterward, in my