The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-12-18
RING FAME IS
A FUNNY THING
lem Mace Had More Press
Notices on His Death Than
During His Career.
CONCERNING LARRY FOLEY
English Champion, Through Him,
Was Father Of Boxing Game
in Australia.
ny W. W. NAUGHrON.

san Francisco. Dec. Flame is a
funny thing,
English Jem Mace who was recoE-
nized as the father OF modern boxing
and who lived iu poverty and obscurity
during his later years. has received
more advertising after his death than
DE- Ola during tnc whole career.
The writer's attention was drawn 10
the fact hE 1u up-to-date promoter
who has always an e5e TO the main
chance
What a pity that such slough OF
favorable notices should 20 TO waste,
said the party in question. Now. Il,
a. Marx Twain once saie OF himself
the reports ~ Jeu MsCe's death had
been greatly exaggerated and he had
recovered. he Womb have been good
Tor IL least q year or highly profitable
tleatrical work on tho strength Of the
advertising ne received.
Tho papers have recently been fun
Or rcminisccnccs OF Mace's doings In
england aud tho United states. but
very little has been said about his in
fucncc on the sport OF the glove IN
AUSTRALIA. 10 has been the practice %
dcscrihc Antipodcan boxers who have
made good in the ring ae fighters OF the
Mace school. vet lt g. an absolute fact
that very few OF the Queensbcrry stars
Of Australia. who invaded this country
during The past twenty-five years.
came in contact with Mace. They re-
Cclvcd their ideas Of the Mace system
Of boxing secondhand through Larry
Folcy-and thereby hangs a story.
When Mace visited Australia little
less than thirty years ago and sought
90 esta 9lish himself there, he met
formidable business rival en- the per-
son or Abe HiCken. who described him
self as the champion Of Australia and
who had tho inside track as a tutor
and authority on the oucensberry
game
A. Hioken dd not consider himself
IN any sense retired and as his business
cards contained the boast that ne
barred neither age. weight or color.
Mace decided that the best way 20
humble Hicken would be 20 find some
one capable OF defeating him.
Mace's choice fell on larry Foley a
sturdy Young fellow or irish descent.
who ID 10 that time had drawn at
turai fondness for fighting than
through any special ability as a ring
man. Mace took Foley in hand and
coached him and finding FOLEY very re-
challenge 20 Hicicen- The two men
met on the turf under old ring rules
ana Hicken was beaten 60 a frazzle.
Leaves Australia
Mace left Australia shortly aftorward
a1d FOLEY. IN addition 20 being known
80 the champion OF Australia. bIossorncd
cut as a promoter OF PuEiiism and de-
vcloper Of Quccnsberrv talent. IL was
from the Foley college OF cutting that
Peter Jackson. Bob Fitzsinmons.
George Dawson. Tom Meadows. young
Critic and many others graduated.
The story % Macc's discovery OF Her
bert Slade, the haif-caste Maori. does
not take long 70 tell Early In 1889
Mace toured New Zealand. arranging
and conducting boxing tournaments
and presenting che winners with medals
and watches. Bob Fitzsimmons. who
was In his salad days as a ring man
ln those years. figured extensively IN
the Mace trvout
In the Middle Island Mace happened
across Sladc. who was known In "a small
way as q wrestler and whose knowi-
edge OF boxing was very limited. About