Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-07
BY r. S. ANDREWS.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis, January els the
boxing game to be a "class'' affair in the
future? From the trend Of things in the
past year 1T seems to be leading that
way. There was a time when very little
attention was given to a meeting be-
tween some colored boxer and a white
one, but now whenever match Of that
kind is mentioned it seems to be the signal
for general opposition from all Sides That
has been the case ever since the Jack
johnson affair at Reno, New. In 1910.
when the colored man annexed the worlds
heavyweight championship. There were
thousands Of good sporting men opposed
to the match at that time, for the simple
reason that they did not consider Jeffries
in proper condition or able to come back
after Ave years retirement and do him
self justice. However. that cut little fig
ure, for the money end seemed to be the
principal aim Of all parties concerned. and
the contest was permitted to go on with
the colored man winning. 1t Is not the
intention to take away any credit from
Jack johnson, but only to show that there
was a general feeling against matches
between white and colored men. There
is no doubt that Johnson is one OF the
cleverest big men who has been brought
before the boxing public in many years,
and in some respects Is almost the equal
of Jim Corbett. He is great fighter. and
no one will deny that, but at the same
time the followers of the sport are OPP
posed to matches between whites and
blacks and especially where the difference
in weight is SO great as has been the
case in a number of matches the past
year. It was the color question that pre-
vented the Johnson Wells contest IN Eng
land, although it has been given out by
johnson himself and others that it was
question of big purses. which the National
Sporting Club of London would not stand
for. and as a result brought on the agt-
tation against the match. This may be
true in q sense, but from Information
have at hand it seems more plain to me
that the real cause was the color ques-
ton, especially where the principals were
SO we'll known and where the interest was
even greater than most big affairs In the
European countries the past year.
Where small contests o. this kind have
been arranged, nothing has been said for
the simple reason that they did not at
tract the attention OF the general puoiic.
The agitation has been taken up In Amer
ca, and boxing promoters all over the
country have been very shy in arranging
matches between colOred men and white
men: in fact, 1t is understood that the
New York promoters have been given TO
understand that such matches are not to
be tolerated Now the agitation has
spread to Australia, where the boxing
game has thrived for many years and
the people love 1t as much as the people
Of America love base ball.
However, all this talk in England and
America has had considerable effect, and
Hugh Mcintosh. the Australian promoter,
who has conducted some of the biggest
matches in the world. and was the first
to pay out an enormous purse for box
ing contest, cables me that i'm the event
of Johnson going to Australia this year
he will in all probability be matched
against coiored men only. Mr.. Mcintosh
is one of the shrewdest promoters In the
business, and he no doubt understands
that 4 he Was to ny and gct over the