Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-07-07
THE NEGRO KILLS THE
PRIZE FIGHT RING
SO Says Rev. DR.. Packard
in Interesting Article. |

Rev. DR.. w. L. Pickard, the wen
known Baptist preacher of Savannah
has the following article in the Morn,
ing News of that city on the recent
prize fight:
| have been asked by many as to
my views on the Jeffries-JoInson
prize fight. Here they are:
think the whole profession of
prize fighting is brutal and degrading.
I think the Jeffries-J johnson fight was
great big gambling scheme.
1t revealed the fact that we have a
large element of gamblers and coarse
men in our American civilization, and
that We are not civilized as we should
be.
am sorry that Jeffries got whip
ped Yet I think that any white man
who would consent to fight with a ne
gro deserved to have the negro whip
him.
think the white sports who urged
it on got what was coming to them.
think the result of this fight will
make many white people mad with
negroes on general racial principles
And will make many foolish negroes
impudent and will probably do much
racial harm and will probably result
in some manslaughters and murders.
l think the whole thing more dis
gushing than the Spanish bull fights
brutal and brutalizing and unworthy
of twentieth century civilization.
think that every state in the
American union should outlaw prize
fighting. I think that henceforth prize
fighting is on social equality with
Johnson, the negro.
/ hope the negro's rulership in the
ring will ostracize it from the white
race. I am not against manly ath-
letics of many kinds, but how brutal
fighting between men, where the avOW-
ed purpose is for one to beat the other
with bloody bits can be called a man
ly sport" | fail to see. And time was
when it was not thought an honor for
white man and negro to meet in
such a bout as the Jeffries-J Johnson
The prize ring sports and gamblers
have debased their own game by Civ
ing the championship to negro. Let
it rest there forever. 1t is more in
keeping with the brutal tribes Of
Africa's jungles than with the suppos-
eddy civilized American white people.
Some brute may contest the champion
ship further, but no gentleman will
condescend to win it back. Let john
son have it. Let the gamblers pay
their debts and hencefOrth champion
some nebler game.
1t is sometimes argued that such
sport makes men brave and good fight
ers in time of war. However, when
real war comes the prize ring men
and hangers-on are not the ones who
make great patriots. Men who fight
for their country are not gambling,
prize fighting sports.
am sorry that the band played
Dixie" at the brutal contest. That
tune is associated with honor that is
clean.
And as for America" that crowd OF
toughs tried and failed. 1t was too
sacred for their degraded lips. Think
of it:
Our fathers God to thee,
Author of Liberty,
To thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright
With freedoms holy light,
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King"
No wonder the Reno crowd could not
sing it! 1t would have been like the
devil at prayer-the essence of map
propriateness and irony.
A big black brute
And big white bear,
And a big tough crowd to see them
fight
A gamblers vision in dispute,
'Twixt straight and kinky hair,
And a lost sense of right.
A big black brute
And big white brute,
Made two brutes in the ring;
The Fourth of July,
With God in our sky,
But the gamblers couldn't sing.
And now will come the moving pic
lures to debase the American youth.
And many a fight
TwiXt the STRAIGHTFORWARD white