The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-24

q variety OF poses IN the ring, but ah-
soutely no Indication OF what we today
call science In boxing. our present day
amateurs would be rdiculed should they
strike the same attitude as the cham
really only ten decades IN boxing. They
had then TO develop wrestling skill as
well as punching ability and their mus
cular development, | Will admit. was
summed up in brute strength. and the
science which now furnishes the piquant
sauce to the sport was then almost en-
tlrely lacking The same conditions TO-
day beyond the attraction OF a novelty
would not only kill the sport but after
the first performance would excite The
most hostile criticism.
Coming down to the time OF Jem Mace,
we really reach the first pugillsC TO study
out the scientific side Of boxing. lie was
the founder OF this Innovation in pugi-
llsm. and TO him We owe the change that
has elevated the sport
Corbett Convinces Mace.
! shall never forget my first introduce
tIon TO Jcm Mace some sixteen years
ago lie invited me TO come around and
show him what I had that was new In
boxing II was meeting OF the old
and new champions. and was as glad
of tho opportunity TO learn from him as
10 show my own skill. tle explained
the straight leads and straight cross
counters that he had used so effectively
In earlier days. and seemed greatly sur
prsed when | kindly told him that II
they boxed like that now the clever men
of the new school would tear the top
OF his head off,
To Illustrate this fact as he desired,
and being the younger man. | said;
You lead az me and I'll show you sone
thing you have never seen. lie was
simply dumb for a time I'm his astcnish-
ment at my skill In avoiding his leads.
For instance, | tried the double felnt
with both hands and slipped into a side
step, at which he let GO both hands and
went out OF position and at my mercy.
as the trick Is intended to be used
followed with all / knew of boxing, and
the grand old man of the ring was sreat-
ly pleased and warmly conSra tulated me
on my skill.
After Mace came Joe Wormald, Joe
Goss. Tom Allen and Joe Coburn, They
all simply followed the style Of the old
master as far as they were able To mas
ter the scientific end of the game. each
adding a little individuality. but nothing
that was startling or that had not been
seen before.
Comment on John L.
Then along came John L. Sullivan. a
rough and -scruff. slam bang, hand
ed fighter OF great muscular development
ana game TO the core, | wouldn't de-
tract one iota from John LIS reputation
or seek TO lower him from position he
occupied so many years as the popular
Idol of the ring. but honesty compels me
10 say that he added nothing to hstic
punch. AS usual the new champions
style was Immediately in vogue. and
Mike Cleary and some others gained a
place in fstlc history as right handed
lighters. | am not going out of my way
to say here that I don't believe Sullivan
in his best days was the master of
Jehrles. and | say this because / have
so often heard them compared
Charley Mitchell was one man whom
Sullivan could never whip. Mitchell. who
had trained i'm the Mace school, was
nearer TO the present style of boxing
than any man OF his day, Weight was
his great handicap.
Then came Peter Jackson from Aus
tralta, who weighed 200 pounds stripped
and was feet u Inches in height Jack
son: too, had the Mace style as improved
by Larry Foley, the teacher OF so many
good men from the antipodes Jackson
also was a wonderful inhghter good
left hand jabber, and he had a right
hand punch capable OF terrific damage
The one thing Jackson lacked was the
left-hand hook.
Corbett Works on New Lines.
What shall l say of Jim Corbettg He
mad studied out miscellaneous style In
which something had been adopted from
Mace and carried forward into Il devel-.
opment showing individuality. 1t was a
system of boxing entirely his own and
one that had never been seen before the
night OF September I. 1892, at New Or-
leans. and without dwelling further upon
the subject ! wish modestly TO say that
there has been little Improvement since
BOB Fitzsimmons was wonderful two