Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-06
PROTECT FIGHTERS HANDS
Wearing Of Bandages a Habit with
Them All.
ALUMINIUM PADS A NEW WRINKLE
There Ire Methods of PuttinE Them
On that Call for Protests-Hard-
eRed Tape and stiff
Knuckle Covers,

When Jeffries and Johnson enter the RING
In Frisco in July their heads will be en-
cased in bandages, but before the gloves
are drawn on, these knuckle protectors
will doubtless be carefully examined. 1t Is
a habit with practically all p~ugilists to
bind their hands in adhesive taps or stick
Ing plaster to prevent broken bones or
severe bruises, but It seldom occurs that a
fighter allows his opponent to pull on the
mitts before these bandages have been in
spected.
In a recent fight Il was said that Hugh
Mccain. the Smoky City slugger, used
aluminium knuckle pads under the ~bandages
In order to beat his antagonist, Mike Nc
Donald, into quick submission. When the
fight was over McGann's seconds hastily
removed the gloves and bandages, so that
there was no physical evidence OF sharp
practice. But the rumor as to the alum
mum knuckles was so perslstently clrcu-
lated that many at the ringside hooted the
Pittsburg man out Of the ring.
Fair-minded handlers OF pugillsts have
declared many times that soft cotton band
ages should be tolerated but that anything
Of a harder substance should be barred.
Jeffries said some time ago that a fighter
who wore hard bandages ran a greater
AAANNR ~ NNAAA ANo oAAAa9 NAAAh 0AA9
who wore no protection at all. After the
second mill between Jeffries and Fitzsim-
mons the CornIshman was accused Of wear
ing plaster paris bandages which ultimately
broke both hands. Jeff had one eye closed,
his nose was broken and his face was a
mass of bruises when he stepped out Of the
ring. He was so badly battered by Fltz's
punches tina Billy Delany was asked after
ward II he believed Robert had anything
on his hands.
II don't know for sure" replied Delany,
but from the appearance OF Jeff's face
Fitz must have had something beside his
fingers and a good wallop in these mitts."
Some fighters have been known to wrap
the b~andages about their hands in such a
manner as to leave sharp ridges. Then by
removing the padding from the knuckles
of the gloves blows that cut like a knife
could be delivered. 1t is q ring tradition
that fighters once slipped a horseshoe into
the right hand glove, but this may not be
the truth.
When Kid Mccoy knocked out Tommy
Ryan at Maspeth years ago the latter was
literally cut to pieces. Every time Mccoy
landed his left In Ryan's face it seemed to
slash like a keen-edged razor. Ryan could
not understand 1t at all and after the mill
ne insisted that Mccoy must have worn
brass knuckles or had some hard substance
in the glove. But Mccoy refuted the
charge by showing his land as soon as his
glove was drawn. His fist was tightly
bound with adhesive plaster and so much
Of 1t had been used that he could not move
fingers or thumb. In fact his land was as
hard as a mallet and the bandage over the
knuckles showed a ridge that had evil
IDENTIFY done the work.
Joe Walcott once insisted that Mysteri-
Gus Billy Smith had a horseshoe in his
glove. He had fought Smith on several
previous occasions. but had never received
such tremendous smashes. Walcott APP
pealed to Referee Hurst, but the latter re-
fused to listen and ordered the fight to
proceed. Smith was hot under the collar
when the charge was made by Walcott
and offered to tear off the gloves for a
fight with bare knuckles. 1t developed
later that Smith wore a ~flngerless glove
which had a ridge of cement over the
knuckles, the entire affair being concealed
by a bandage.
Tom Sharkey always wore bandages and
so did Jim Corbett. But Sharkey knew a
way to harden his hands by sleeping them
In some secret preparation. On various
occasions he showed his mawleys to friends
who were willing to bet that they were
covered with light leather. but it was a
fact that they had simply been toughened
so that it was impossible to split the skin.
When Choynski was knocked out by
Peter Maher at the Broadway Athletic
club. with Theodore Roosevelt among the
spectators, 1t was asserted hat the Irish
men wore five yards Of cohesive tape
1900 .a-N La- GA~r--Na 49, |
when he saw those extremely thick ban
dages and said that he wanted to have
them removed so that he could see them
wound on again himself. But he was no
titled that the tape was there 20 stay and
that II he did not like It he could quit.
So Choynski was knocked out. but he al
ways insisted that It was duo to the
knuckle guards worn by his adversary.
Kid Lavigne, formerly lightweight cham
pion OF the world, vas an exception TO the
rule for a while. He scorned bandages.
saying that natures weapons were good
enough for him. But when he broke one
Of his hands on Walcotts head at Maspeth
in one of the most sensational fights on
record, he was forced to protect his
knuckles in future events.
Stanley Ketchel, one of the hardest hit
ters in the ring, did not wear a bandage
until the ABht with Joe. ThomaS, which |
he won In thirty-two rounds. Although
hands are comparatively small
he could deliver a terrific blow with an
ordinary 'five-ounce glove. He was advised
after the. Thomas mill, however, to pro-
tect his hands because Of his brilliant flu
ture at that time. But in spite OF heavy
cotton tape which he wound around his
fists for his last battle with Bill Papke,
Ketchel broke both hands and also
s~prained his wrist. When he tackled Jack
Johnson the bandages were as hard as
flint and each wrist was encircled by a
leather strap.
Nelson and Wolgast both wore extra
heavy bandages in their Foreground battle
in California. They expected a long fight
and were unwilling to take chances with
their hands. So there was no protest from
either corner.
Yale Freshman Schedule.
NEW HAVEN, Conn, March 5.-The Yale
foot ball schedule for the 1914 team was
announced by Manager Wheeler, manager
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