The San Francisco call., 1910-08-23

"a L44E 4O4-41 tD III 44EAAAOL VI Ia OECt 7
don by the district attorneys offic
The communication follows:
Numerous protests have recently
been fled with me against the so
called amateur boxing exhibitions
which have been held in Dream
land rink and other public places
in this city.
These protests have come from
reliable sources, not only from sor-
ganiZatlons, but also from lndl-
Viduals who have especially the
welfare and the advancement of
the youth and young men Of this
city at heart These protests have
evidently been addressed to me in
the belief that it is the duty Of
my Office TO take action with refer
ence TO the matter.
7 am informed that so called
amateur boxing exhibitions, which
are in truth and fact professional
in character and are promoted and
conducted purely for the purpose
Of profit by well known lighting
promoters, have at frequent inter
walls been held in Dreamland rink
and other public paEiliOns under
license and permit issued by the
board OF supervisors.
II is. Of course. q matter Of gen
eral knowledge that exhibitions
OF this character have been COM
mon for a great many years. and
that instead OF being held more
frequently during recent months,
their number has decreased under
The administration of the present
board. Nevertheless, the custom
and usage Of any number Of pre-
ceding city administrations could
not have the effect OF giving legal
authority or sanction TO such eX-
hibitiOns If contrary to the eN-
pressed provisions Of existing law.
Ordinance No 624 has been in full
force and unamended since Janu-
ary 9. 1903. and its terms and pro-
visions should be complied with
and fulfilled so long as ii remains
unamended. Section / provides
with references TO amateur boxing
exhibitions as follows:
No athletic club. organization or associa-
fiOn shall give amateur boxing or spar
ring exhibitions ottener than once a
month and all such amateur boxing OF
spsrring exhibitions shall be given and
held within the gymnasium Of the said
athletic club. organization OF association.
and DO amateur athletic association shall
give any boxing OF sparring exhibition
without hrst obtaining a permit from the
Section II. subdivision D. sets
forth the purpose OF the ordinance
as follows;
The purpose Of this ordinance is to
encourage the giving Of boxing or spar
ring exhibitions under the auspices of
genuine domestic incorporated athletic
clubs. and 10 prevent the giving or hold
ing Of sparring or boxing exhibitions by
clubs misnamed sthletic but which have
no gymnasium nor gymnsstic apparatus.
nor athletic instructors. and which are
organized for the sole purpose Of making
money for the promoters Of professional
sparring and boxing exhibitions.
Whenever a so called amateur
exhibition is given by professional
promoters for profit and is held in
z public pavilion which obviously
could not be called the gymnasium
Of a bona flde athletic club, it is
clear the provisions of the ordi-
nance are violated.
The law requires an annual IL
cense fee of $1,000 from profess
sional promoters, while only $3.50
is required for genuine amateur
exhibitions. In each instance,
therefore, where the law is vio-
lated, a premium is placed upon
such violation The ordinance pro-
vides, in section 4. as quoted above.
q very effective test and safeguard
for the protection Of genuine ath-
letic clubs. and it is believed that
tAis provision, alone, if carefully