New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-30
City Man Range Between Bible and Pugsm

bwith & 10000 10 enable him 70 support
that position fittingly. young Biddle would
drop the company OF prize ring bruisers and
become a dignihed and exclusive parsonage.
But nothing OF the sort happened. Biddle
merely dropped what little reserve he might
have had and went in heart and soul for
the lighting game.
He startled the Quaker City bluehloods
bv announcing that he would appear in the
ring as the second OF Jack" O'Brien In the
bout the latter celebrity was scheduled 10
pull off with one Jack Blackburn. And
Riddle actually did Il. Dofing his dress
coat and waistcoat he climbed into the
ring on the night OF the fight, and sponged
and towelled O'Brien between the rounds.
while the sports howled themselves black
in the face with approval.
Strange 70 say. the pugilstio tendencies
OF Blddle caused him 20 grow more and
more popular with the buebloods OF the
Quaker city. with bloods OF other colors
ne was. Of course tremendously popular.
! He appeared in the ring 70 fight Jack
O'Brien. and Philadelphia gasped, while
sporting writer's made merry over what
thew regarded as rarcical bout. But any
one who knows Bidde and knows what ne
can do and has done all his life with the
| gloves knows that he can give any pusilist
a fairly good run for his money.
THIS Is the man who has FOR years been
| giving MS time 70 phiaEp~ opic work IN
Philadelphia. He is me~ber or the FASH
] ionable Church OF the Holy Trinity. in Rlt-
tenhouse Square. In the parish house OF
the church. which is equipped with COM
modlous gymnasium. Mr.. Biddle has found
anpIe room for the furtherance 81 his IDEAS
Of what up-to-date Christianity should ne.
pihIe in hand. he leads the large Bible class
on the days set apart for such teaching
and with those same able hands hidden in
nedded gloves he teaches the members or
his class how 20 take their own part and
Give a good account Of themselves In any
! troubles that may como 20 them IN the
/ world without the peaceful portals Of the
parish house.
In telling the story II his first efforts
to combine pugilism with Christian teach
ing Mr.. Biddle said TO the writer the other
day:
~ am satisfied am doing a good work
| and am on the right lines. The comhina-
ton of religion and athletics seems 70
work we'll We began with plain athletics
and basketball. I couldn't be at it very
/ long without bringing boxing into the pro-
gramme. and 7 was surprised at the first
tentative effort to lind that the members
OF my class were quite apt with their lists
and entered with delight on the plan 10 in
troduce boxing in the exercises.
Some nights we had eight men at II.
! occasionally as many as twenty were
\ punching away at one another. / had 20
/ keep In good condition. for there were
/ from half a dozen TO a score OF boxers
waiting 90 meet me twice a week. and
some Of the bouts were pretty sun, espe-
cially when ! ran up against good man
well along In the evening after ] had al
ready taken on dozen and was firing.
Mr. Biddle is a member Of one OF Phua-
| delphias oldest families His clubs in
clude the Philadelphia. the Rittenhouse.
the Philadelphia Country and tho Raduor
Hunt Ills private gymnasium les in the
| stable az the rear OF his home, No. 2l04
Walnut street on the second floor. in a
neatly boarded room, les "A regulation
squared circle" with shower adjoining
/ Around the ring hang Mr.. Biddle's tro.
phies. boxing gloves. photographs Of his
bouts and pictures OF numerous lighters
who have trained IN Lis quarters,