El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-22
WEY NOT A BOXING
LEAGUE FOR
COLLIE ES?
Would Promote Science and
Discourage the Thirst
For Brutality.
(By W. W. Naughton).

NBy W. w. NauSnCOn).
San Francisco, Cal, April 22-Some
one at Columbia university has sug-
gested an intercollegiate boxing
league. If the idea blossoms I sup
pose in time we will have intercol-
legiate boxing Journeys. just as we
have intercollegiate football matches,
rowing races and field meets
1t is a commendable scheme and
it is to be hoped it will thrive. There
is no denying that the colleges are
bulwarks of safety for most forms
of amateur sport Outside athletic or
CARNATIONS which hew to the line of
ethics established by the colleges, al
ways bear the proudest names and
have the least assailable regulations.
If the colleges by their influence and
example help to extricate amateur
boxing from the mire and place it
above reproach, they will have accom-
plished an act of a praiseworthy char
acter.
There are no reasons why the line
Of demarkation between amateur and
professional boxing shouldn't be made
as rigidly. in this country as 1t is in
England, Australia and New Zealand.
In the two countries last named the
ers in the land. There are home tour
naments and intercolonial tournaments
involving for the competitors sea trips
and semi-public receptions and for the
victorS trophies and much distinction.
Sedate newspapers which would snort
at the idea of giving a line of space
to a professional prize fighter" de-
vote columns to the yearly and half
yearly jousts of the gentlemen glovers.
Nl1Dr g.
footing with golf, cricket or lawn ten
mis-.
Hard to Explain.
Since an uppercut is an uppercut.
and a black eye a black eye, whether
inflicted or worn by Fitzgerald, Fitz-
Stapleton or the Northtown Buffer it
is difficult for some people to con-
ceive why the sport of hitting and
Warding should be encourag ed in one
class OF men ard deprecated in an
other. Well, like many other things.
1t is not easy of explanation and the
best solution offerable is that profes-
sional pugilism is considered a debased
form of boxing; a brutal expression
OF a fascinating sport; that it created
an Objectionable environment and con-
tinuously reeks of chicanery.
In the matter of associations it
stands to reason, of course, that
strictly amateur boxing must have a
different setting from the professional
phase Of the sport, but to be consistent
in the claim the absence of brutality
is one Of the things that distinguishes
amateur boxing from professional, the
sticklers for refined pugflism will have
to institute reforms. That is assum-
ing amateur boxing is TO be re-estab-
liShed on the plane of years ago. When
bonafide amateur Journeys were the
vogue in San Francisco-we never see
anything Of the kind now-knockouts
were as numerous in the rings of the
Olympic club and other clubs as they
were at Woodward's or Mechanics "a |
vilion, where the prize fighters" held /
forth. and for all know to the con-
trary, similar order Of things pre- |
walls in Australia, New Zealand and |
England now. /
Difficult to Prevent
OF course, in many instances !
knockout is as hard to prevent as slip |
ping on a banana peel but if amateur |
boxing was what it was intended to be !
in the beginning, a knockout would be-
an accident rather than an incident |
1t should not be striven for, the per-
sistent attempts to accomplish It /
should be frowned upon. It-when 1t |
did occur-should be regarded as an |
happening, just like com !
ing a cropper" in the hunting field. !,
In other words, the blood lust which
goes with the professional game and /
with the watching of it should have
nothing to fatten on In its place /
there should be. for the boxer. the am
bition to excel in clean hitting, neat
blocking. timely ducking and bewilder-
ing footwork-for to a spectator,
display OF clever glove play that when
RIGHTLY
tanning as a game of billiards between
the classiest Of cue experts
When amateur boxers are required |
TO school themselves in the fine points
Of the sport of self-defence and are
discouraged from emu1ating the hard
knuckled. hard featured professionals,
the pastifne will return to its original
It is simply a matter of
education for both boxer and spectator.
A fencing match is an interesting
thing to witness, but those delighted
parrying would shudder at the idea
IF two men fighting with real rapid
1rers.
1t Is skill That Counts.
So, too, with amateur wrestling. It
s the skill the wrestler shows in
placing opponents shoulders on the
nat that appeals to the watchers No
one is dissatisfied because the van
pushed man has not had bones
vrenched or been otherwise injured.
And amateur boxing, to be true to its
principles, should consist more in the
howing of how the thing is done thar
n the doing of it.
And in the meantime all hail to the
boxing association. Nav
lead to a revival of that form of
he sport in which the giving of purses
nd the Matching Of plots are unknown.
Tor must it be thought that profess
iona1 boxing has come to the end of
IS tether. In my next article 1 will
ffer a few humble suggestions as TO
ow the conditions surrounding profes.
ional boxing might be improved.
MMAHON DEFEATS SAILOR.
New York, N. Y. April 22.-fn wild
Juggling bout, in which the PRINCIPALS
TODD toe to toe and fought freely,