The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-12

Fighting at the present day is
strictly :. business. This does not mean
tina, there is no sport attached to
the game. Far from 1t. simply because
the boxer Of to-day is far wiser
than the old-t!mers were In their
prime. And the Improvement has
bro 'I the science of boxing
to higher plane than has ever
been dreamed of. The sole reason for
the startling change can only be due
TO the fact that the boy o this year
mas seen the folly of veterans and is
profitinE By the latter's mistakes. The
night OF the wine parties is over and
the day Of dissipation is passed into
Inc discard. For. as l have said, now
adays the boy who is gifted with
science and strength gets the full ad-
vantage OF his powers And none can
blame him for getting wise. Writing
from the standpoint of a veteran who
has seen all theytopn tchers come and
go. the Improvement is only in lire
with the forward march OF events
In my time the right thing for any
fighter 20 do after winning a big bat
tie was to have his path strcwn with
empty bottles and blaze OF white
lights. Now. after boy grabs off
some big prize, he Immediately fg-
ureS out how he can get full advantage
OF his triumph, particularly in flnan-
cial way. lie has no time to bother
with the gay life. Consequently, he
steadily adds to his hank account and
after short period OF work is In q
position to retire without worrying
about his meals. In fact. tho present
day fighter has enough money put
aside and quits at about the time an
old timer would be slipping down the
ladder OF fame.
Conditions HIVE ChnnKed.
The fighter Of my day was able to
battle only about once In every two
months. Nowadays a boy will fight
tunlty. One has only to think about
Battling Nelson. Tommy Murphy.
Packey Mcfarland. Billy Papke and
mayb. few others and compare them
with the old boys. The boxers have
named are rich. The only ones In tho
old days who retired with money were
Martin Flaherty and George GEL
bows") McFadden, The point Is moro
than plain.
When Eddie Connolly came down from
Lynn. Mass, TO fgfi it Matty Matthews
for the welterweight championship he
was accompanied by convivial party
Of five. For twenty five rounds he had
to work like a Trojan to beat Mat
theWs. Immediately after the fray. tho
party reassembled. burned the red
fire on Coney Island and then came
to Gotham to continue-the fun. It lasted
three days and nights. When every
thing was over. Connolly had gotten rid
Of his share Of the purse and was
forced to borrow car fare for the six
TO return home.
It WAS not very long afterward that
he was matched to fight Rubc Ferns
for the title. Ferns beat himl In eight
rounds. Dissipation was the one thing
that lost Connolly the title, for he
was more fitted for the hospital than
tho ring the night OF the battle. I
know, FOR J. was with him. DO any Of
the present stars cut out that path
FOR theirs? Not so that It's notice.
able.
Things Not Like Oidcn Days.
OF course. in these times, when we
only have ten-round fights as tho limit,
VIC do not hear Of many great battles.
That Is the only thing the old times
had on the present era, The boys now
adays keep themselves up for the ten
round route. Il they had 70 travel