The evening world., 1911-08-26
Madison Square Garden One Of
the Three Great Fight Arenas
Of Modern Times, the Other
Two Being Mechanics Pavil.
Ion Of San Francisco and the
National Sporting Club Of
London.

lV have a finish worthy Of its past.
What memories will hang over
that famous corner when the Garden
torn down and a skyscraper stands
on the spot where the champions Of
the world have met in many a his
toric battle! There John L. Sullivan
fought Charlie Mitchell. Boxing Cham
plon OF England" There Fitsimmons,
J~sffries. corbett. Maher. Mccoy, Ryan,
Efne. Lavigne. Mysterious Riiiy Smith.
Tommy West. Matty Matthsws-hun.
drods Of other famous fighters clam.
bercd through the ropes and sat waiting
for the bell.
There was Just one other place In al
OF America whose ring traditions r.
vailed the traditions Of Madison Square
Garden. That was the Mechanics Pavi-
Ion In San Francisco. In the old Me-
chanics Pavilion scores OF champion
ship battles were fought-many moro, in
faet. than In Madison Square Garden,
for the Pavilion for many years was
the greatest place on the Pacific Coast
Tor holding fights. and boxing wa In
full swing there during the long and
oreary time hen II was under the
heel OF the professional "refcrmer" here
IN New York.
The old Mechanics Pavilion had an
ending as sensational as its history.
On the morning Of the San Francisco
earthquake the Pavilion was turned
Into . great hospital n the injured
rescued from the ruins nearby we're
carried there and laid Ia long rows on
That very floor where for Year, the
eager night fans had stamped their I'M
patience for the appearance Of the
champions.
When they speak Of the ending Of the
Pavilion In San Francisco Il IL with
lowered voice. On that fatal morning
the nre amt running swiftly from
block to block. carried by a high wind.
II last 1t was In the buildings ACROSS
the street. Before the startled people
realized what was happening II ieaped
the a and the dry timbers OF the
treat pavilion burst into flame with the
roar OF an explosion. There was a
rushing and a scurrying. There's a
gloomy story told In San Francisco
which some deny. II Is said that while
some OF the injured were being hastily
dragged out doctors ran from cot TO cot
with hypodermics. 30 that those who
could not be rescued at least would die
an Easy death. In q few seconds the
rushing flames and choking clouds Of
smoke swept the arena. and the last
strAgglers reeled from the door. Into
the blistcring street.
That was the end Of the famous Me-
chanics Pavilion. one OF the three great
night arenas Of the modern world, az
famous In Its day as tho National
sporting Club OF London and Madison
Square Garden In New York.
Tit Garden. they say. will soon be
pulled down.. But first the Twentieth
Century A. C.. which holds n lease, will
have a few shows at which Knockout
Brown. Matt Wells. possibly Ad. VOL
east and many other noted fighters win
appear
THE Boxing Commission held a
meeting at its Offices, Il Park
Row. yesterday. and considered
applications for licenses from several
clubs. Those passed upon as satisfac-
tory were the Fairmont a. c., the
Twentieth Century A. c. and the Mad.
ison A. G. Other clubs will be licensed
later. no doubt. The commission an
nounces that It will hold another meet
ING At It's Offices Monday at 2 =. NJ.
when. among other matters. a list OF
approved referees will be %oun
The report OF the commission doesn't
tell whether or not the application foi
license by Tom O'Rourke of the Ma,
tonal s. c. has yet been passed upon
Possibly there Is at least an under.
standing OF some sort. as O'Rourke 4,
announcing a fight between Sam Lang
ford and Jim Flynn In three weeks
F1ynn's knocking out OF Al Kaufma,
would seem to indicate much improve
Tent on his part, since he was knocke,
out by Langford March II, 1910, II
eight rounds, and on another occasion
Dec. q. 1905, by Langford in one round
and by Al Kaufman In nine rounds an,
by Jack Johnson in eleven rounds, an,
since he fought a ten-round draw wit
Billy Papke and was beaten by Mon
tsps Jack Sullivan.
RATT WELLS. the English cham
INI pion, Is training at Rye Beac
so for the X. o. Brown bout. III
sparring partners have been induced I
sght with their right foo and RICH
hand extended which makes matter
more pleasant for Wells than for tn
trainers. Under the new law the men
bershlp proposition Is TO be don't ava
with in this match, and all who com
can buy their tickets at the gate. ]
will be a pleasant feeling for the Pre-
moters to know that they won't b
~''p.nched," as they were years az
when they held the Jimmy Britt-Terr
McGovern bout in the Garden unde
vary sItnilar ponditinus