The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-12-09

Boxing Game Has Been Con-
tinuous For Over Thirty
Years
San Francisco, Calf. Dec. 9-Did
you ever know that San Francisco was
the oldest Marquis Of Qu%eensberry
fighting town in America? Well it ia
a. fact.
There may have been a few cities
that pulled off fights before they did in
Frisco. But that is the only city in
America where they have been fighting
continually for the past thirty years
without a single break. And there
never was a time up to a few years
ago that they could not hold finish
fights.
The first fight of any real note that
took place in San Francisco was the
one between Mike Donovan and Billy
Mcclellan in old Platt's hall on Mont.
gomery street in the seventies.
h fight was with three-ounce
gloves n vent over seventy rounds
to a draw. The next was a fight be.
tween Young Mitchell. whose right
name is John Hurgert, now q super
visor in San Francisco, and Jack Kee-
nan for the lightweight championship
Of h coast. That fight was won by
Mitchell.
Shortly after at least a dozen clubs
sprang up over the town that held
fights monthly. The Elks, Creemorne
Gardens, Harry Maynard's Howard's
Hall, Patsy Hogan's and several others
were noted clubs. y.
1t was in old Harry Maynard's place
that Mysterious Billy Smith and Young
Mitchell were first heard of. Some Of
these places were saloons with a ring
in the rear room where the fights were
held. The hat was often passed
around for the purse.
Billy Manning was a shining star in
those days as were also June Dennis,
q clever negro w~elterweight, Owney
Judge. Jim Hall. another clever and
hard hitting negro middleweight. Har-
ry Maynard and his brother Jack. and
old California Athletic club was or
gantzed with Len Fulda as president.
This club f1ourished for years and had
among its members some of the most
prominent citizens of San Francisco.
1t was in this club that some OF
the greatest fighters the world has ever
known were developed. Jack Nc
Aulif and Jimmie Carroll fought for
the championship of America there.
Carroll was knocked out in the thirty
second round. 1t was also in this club
that Jack Demysep met his first defeat
at the hands Of George J.. Blanch
better known as the Marine. Demp.
sey was knocked out with what after.
wards became known as the pivot blow
or the LaBlanch swing.
This blow was afterwards barred
from all contests under. the Marquis
Of Queensberry rules and for years
after. In drawing up a set of articles
for a boxing contest this blow wa.
set in the articles Of agreement as be-
Ing harrods 49,: p g. :
Young Mitchell became famous a,
q middleweight fighter and defeated
Reddy Gallagher Of Denver for the
coast. Later Mitchell beat George L
/. Blanch in the same club. He then re.
tired and is one of the very few fight.
ers that quit the game without ever
having been defeated.
Joe Choynski. Bob Fitzsimmons
Peter jackson. Billy Mccarthy. Aus.
~tralian Billy Smith. Billy Murphy, Sha.
dow Maber. Jim Hall. Spider Weir,
Sohnny Grtfen. George Dawson, Danny
oil AICcoIs NyoOTkS
siddons. Joe and Jack McAuliff and
many others. famous in their day
fought in this club.
1t was there that Peter jackson and
Jim Corbett fought their memorable
sixty-two round draw. Hiram Cook
was the official referee for years and
his word was law. Many times he sal
outside Of the ring when he refereed
the fights.
The Palo Alto and Golden Gate
clubs also pulled Off many good ON.
tests.
The main events were all finish
fights and several times the fans sal
unit! early in the morning to see them
finish.
When finish fights we're stopped and
the rounds were cut down to twenty,
other clubs We're organized. The PACT.
fc and several others held twenty
round contests and It has continued
so to the present day. There is not
a city In h world today In proper
ton to Its size. that has so many young
men who box not only for q. living, hui
Tor the exercise and sport of it.
The amateur game has been just az
closely followed in San Francisco as
the professional. Before the San
Francisco fire there was not a block
south of Market street hardly that did
not nave an amateur club of some
kind.
If 1t "a not in some hall or empty
store 1t was in some boys cellar. All
that they required was a ring. punch
ing bag and a set Of boxing gloves.
Twenty-Five years ago there were
about six amateur clubs that had all
the way from 100 to 1000 members,
They held regular amateur contests
among their W members and several
times a year an open tournament wa
held when all the clubs sent their
Ienthies. Handsome prizes were offered
to the winners.
Six weeks before the San Francisco
fire and earthquake the Amateur
American championships were held in
the Mechanics pavilion and had 1856
entries. Nearly as many more were
not allowed to enter. as they could
not pass muster during the tryouts that
were held several weeks before the
tournament took place.
1t too three nights to finish the con-
tests of three rounds each. The first
night thirty-two contests were held,
eighteen the second and sixteen the
third night. The entries came from
all over the country and every prize
from the 105-pound class to the heavy
weight class. making eight in all, were
won by San Francisco boys.
Is 1t any wonder that the profession
ais of today are looking to the coast
for work? Los Angeles has taken sec.
ond place to a Francisco in the pro.
fessional game over the whole INT