The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-05-23
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WHEN Is A PRIZE FIGHT
MERELY BOXING CONTEST?
Fistic Encounters Of Today Diff
fer Considerably from Old
Time Sport
EXPOSITION BY GOV. GILLETT

inc New York Sun publishes the
following editorial:
The exposition by Gov James N.
Gillett, now in this city, of the statute
permitting limited round boxing con-
tests with gloves in California will be
accepted by The fancy" as an official
announcement that nothing can be
done ito prevent Mr.. Jeffries and Mr.
johnson frcm settling the affair be-
tween themselves" on Independence
day. The words quoted are put I'm the
mouth OF the governor by the inter-
viewer, and 1t may be supposed that
ne really gave the son of the itinerant
preacher and the Galveston rousta-
bout handles to their names, for on
the Fourth of July their trial OF
strength and endurance. misnamed a
prize fight i'm some San Francisco
circles, will excite the interest of the
civilized word. We ere careful to say
the civilized world, for it will not con-
Germ the Borneans or the Papuans at
all. They do not live i'm anticipation of
won, since they have neither kilograms
nor telephones. Moreover. Independ-
once day Is patter to them.
Whatever name may be given out
side of California to the battle be-
tween Mr.. Jeffries and Mr.. Johnson,
logic, not to speak of the law, cannot
make it prize fight there. The legis-
lature. representing the people, has at
tended to that. There would be a prize
fight at Emeryville on the Fourth of
July if the formalities prescribed by
statute were not complied with; but
the law i'm it's directions Is so explicit
and simple that there is no excuse for
allowing n limited round bout with the
gloves between Mr. Jeffries and Mr..
Johnson to be called a prize fight and
to degenerate into one. Provided they
exhibit their Drowess in a duly incor-
porated athletic club, with the con-
sent of the proper county authorities,
~ d are examined by physicians be-
fore squaring off as the gong sounds,
their exhibition will be a boxing match
that the prosecuting attorney. himself
can witness with perfect propriety.
When is a prize fight not n prize
fight is a local question. or rather a
state question, and in California they
answer 1t in way to discomfit those
well-meaning or publicity-loving citi-
zens who fail to study the statute, but
never fail to organize and itate
against boxing matches when they be-
come conspicuous from the eminence
of the gladiatons who are to pummel
each other. A boxing contest between
featherwcghts Is as much a prize fight
as an encounter I'm which the giants
swing their fists and make the boards
quake beneath their ponderous feet,
but we have not seen the virtuous
aroused I'm San Francisco by exhibit
tons of the scientific little men. The
law of California has made prize fight
a misnomcr for these affairs. The
truth is that compared with the old
savage outlawed battles with the raw
'uns" on the heath or on barge UNI
der London ring rules they cannot
fairly be called prize fights. The Mar
auk of Queensberry rules. made for
amateurs are adopted by the profess
sional boxers. humanized the +. r.
The spectacle no longer repels or dis
gusts, and The contest is often stopped
TO save the worsted boxer from the
knockout" term which has no
dreadful meaning since the victim Is
usually able to shake hands with his
conqueror.
In the modern prize ring the casual
ties are seldom moro than bruises and
pride that has had a fall. Trained to
the hour Mr.. Jeffries and Mr.. Johnson
will work half an hour or so for
small fortune, and be more the worse
the next day for their display OF sci
ence, while for months they will be
counting their returns from the NOV
ing picture shows. The modern p. II.
ot.lf exxs1