Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-05
THE BIG FIGHT"

H HERE is not the first element of
true sport about the American
lied bull fight, and if yesterdays
heavyweight championship is the last
in this country, as many believe and as
seems probable, it is because of that
fact. No white man ought to feel a
reflection on his racial pride because
a negro has become pre-eminent in the
"art" of outlasting a rival in a Cruel
ing punching match, for that isn't
proved. A physically broken man,
softened by good living, has succumbed
to a younger man whose designations
are fast leading him to the brink of
Oblivion over which almost every other
pugilist has plunged, penniless and al
most friendless. He hasn't arrived yet;
that's all.
They sometimes talk as if it were an
evidence of manhood, of good red
blood" to display an interest in the
unmanly art as it has come to be.
Heaven save the mark! It is the
anemic. sodden, phlegmatic class that
displays the keenest interest in affairs
fistic; that devours the dope" and
talks it until the rest of humanity be-
comes interested in the contests as
curiosities of the age. There is a lot
of the brute in all of us, and nearly
all confess to an interest in prize
fights when publicity has aroused it in
spite of our better aspirations. The
difference is that some are ashamed of
it down in their hearts.
True sport is essentially unsordid and
is fair and above board. Pugilism is
so far from that, has sunk so Z low
merely as a business that it's own de-
votees separate into two general camps
those that believe the thing is on the
level, and those that don't; and until
the last blow is struck in a prize con-
test one never knows whether the thing
was mapped out to the smallest details
by the promoters and fighters. The
gate receipts are the first and last
consideration. There will be general
agreement that yesterdays fight would
never have taken place but for the
rich prizes: indeed, the business man
ayers of the fighters made it mighty
certain before signing the papers that,
win or lose, each man would net
fortune.
For a "sport" whose business man
agement is the most important part
what can the apologist say that is
convincing? His sole argument is the
epithet that those who demand the OBJ
liberation of the whole disgusting bus
mess are long hairs without any
good red blood"
If there is any parallel in history
that should set a people thinking it is
that between the Romans who gath
cred in the amphitheaters to see lions
tear Christian martyrs apart and the
American love for a diversion epitom-
lied in the single sentence from the
description of the Reno fight: Blood
gushed from Jeffries' mouth in a
stream" The one sport" marked the
rapid decadence of Rome to an early
doom. Does the other mean that the
real manhood of America is running
to a low ebb?
The old Spartans were of different
epoch They were eager for the fray.
If they were not noted for high think
ing they were at least plain livers and
good individual fighters. That's a diff
ferent thing. That denotes virility. But
a love of the pOpUlace for Pullman
trains and all the "fixings" to see two
modern gladiators fight, perchance to
the death of one-as has not infre
quently happened-that's a condition
that makes the analogy of later Rome
and modern America not far fetched.
1t is said that sin is having its last
whirl in Nevada. Open gambling has
been given until September 30 next to
quit. There are signs of reaction
against the shameless bidding for di
vorcees. The Legislature has promised
to pass a law at it's next session out
lawing finish fights.
They all ought to go together. They
are of a piece-sordid, generally
crooked and altogether debasing.