The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-22
''PARSON" DAVIES
SQUAREST SPORT
CAME HASkNOWN
How and Where He is Passing
His Declining Years
WAS FAMOUS MANAGER
OF PEERLESS PUGILISTS
Considered Peter Jackson the
Greatest Fighter of Them
All

Lying on a bed in a. small room On
the third floor Of the Hotel Albany, N.
Y, alone and unattended save for Wis
it's now and then from friends of other
days, is PEARSON" Charles E. Davies,
known throughout the world for forty
years or more as q sportsman fair and
square. Twenty years ago Parson Da-
vies figured prominently in the news
of every big sporting event. He saw
all the big fights. knew all the fight
ers and was regarded as an authority
on pugilistic doings. To-day he Is
comparatively forgotten except by the
old timers. AS he himself says, he
quit to make room for the younger
generation. and the younger generation
has literally swallowed him up.
Fortunately the Parson is not down
and out. He is not basking in the
lap of luxury, although he might we'll
be, yet he has enough to keep the wolf
from the door. and Is not complaining.
IT have managed to keep out of debt,
I am pleased to say. and everybody
I had any dealings with is satisfied
and so am T.
The PEARSON made and lost fortunes
in his day, always lived up to the han
die, enjoyed the good things of life.
and now, broken down, like a good
old thoroughbred, with one powerlesS
leg. he lives off his half interest hold
ings in a New Orleans theatre.
It's like going back a lifetime to sit
and talk with the Parson Of the old
days, when he MANAGED at different
periods such man as Charley Mitchell,
Jake Kilrain, Jim Hall, Jack Burke,
the Irish lad: Joe Choynski, Tommy
Ryan and Peter Jackson. In those
days the Parson was mixed UP more
or less in the show business. He
nit ell nd
Jack Burke, managed John L. Sulli-
van in the famous show. Honest
Hearts and Willing Hands, and had
Peter Jackson out In Uncle Toms Cab
In.
Davies broke into the sporting world
in Chicago forty-five years ago, when
he handled John Ennis against Dan
C'Leary in a 1O0-mile walk for $500 a
side. Pedestrianism then enjoyed it's
greatest popularity, and the Pa-son af-
forwards became identified with sew
eral Of the events of that character
which used to jam old Madison Square
Garden. Incidentally, 1t was at this
time that Davies acquired the go
briquet OF the "Parson" in an odd
manner Cornelius Vanderbilt, the
old commodore, head OF the present
day family Of millionaires. who used
to promote walking matches then, is
responsible for the nickname.
one n1SnI, having uOIie d IOl OI Work
the Parson, always swell dresser.
had logged himself out in evening
clothes, and with silk hat on, was
walking around the track with Dan
O'Leary.
who's that clergyman inquired
Commodore Vanderbilt, as he noticed
Davies. HE looks like a Parson.''
Newspapermen overheard the re-
marks and the next day the papers
had the story It was Hello Parson,"
on all sides after that. The Parson
while, but it stuck, and so it is to-
day wherever old sports gather.
Davies, sick and ill as he is, likes
to talk about old-timers, particularly
fighters.
st don't know whether the fighters
of to-day are better than the old
timers" he said, "but there certainly
are more Of them. The present day
crop have more chances, get more
wait on them. They don't have to
undergo the troubles and anxiety as
they did years ago, when good purses
were scarce; still where can you get
better men than Dixon, Cans and
Jackson. These are three o!d-tirers
they're dead, all honorable men, Think
of all the years Dixon stood it and
how quickly his successor. McGovern,
dropped out.
..John l.? Yes, he was good man,
but if he were in his prime to-day he
wouldn't last long. He never fought
as good men as Jackson or Jeffries,
and look what little fellow Charley
Mitchell did to him in France? %
Peter Jackson was Davies ideal
fighter. He'll talk for hours about the
Big Black and his fine qualities.