The Washington herald., 1913-12-26
.GUNBOAT DENIES
Being A DANE
Minnesota Fans Disappointed
When Jim Buckley Proves
Protege Is Irish.
ENGLISH GIVEN SETBACK
Defeat of Bombadier Wells by French
Champion Shows Decay in
British PugiHst.

San Francisco. Dec. 25.zThe mana
ger of champion pugilist has many
annoyGnces to contend with, and Jim
Buckley. who acts as guide, philoso-
pher, and maker of matches for Gum
boat Smith, is not immune from irri-
tating experiences by any means.
One of the things which is dis
turbing Buckley's equanimity at pres
ent Is the attempt on the part of GER
tain well-meaning but misinformed
Minnesotans to make Dane or Nor
weCian out OF Jim's pet heavyweight.
1t seems a number of the Oldest set
tiers in Miiaca, Mimi, have decided
that Gunboat is a member of an an
cient family named Eckblad. They
have seen Gunboat's picture in the
paper. and they are not to be denied.
They have heard that Gunboat has
made affiidarit that he is not the man
they are after, but they look upon this
as proof as strong as holy writ that
he is reallv the guilty party.
They believe It is the proud and
naughty Eckblad spirit with which
they are so well acquainted that is
keeping Gunboat from admitting that
any of the ancient family could en-
gage in anything so sordid and savage
as boxing
They are pestering Buckley with let
ters assuring him that it is not a case
of mistaken identity, and urging him
tc bring the gunner to Milaca, SO that
the fatted calf may be killed and bon
fires lighted on the headlands.
Gunboat Is Irish.
woulin't that get your alpaca" said
Jim. fourishing the most recent COM
munication received from the Milaca
folks why, Gunboat is not descended
from the Norsemen. by long shot. His
ancestors usen't put to sea in them
canoes with big figure heads No, sir;
they handled pixies in the Irish rebellion.
Why, when this talk OF Gunboat being a
Norwegian, or whatever II is, first came
up, ! went to Philadelphia to look up the
record of his birth. And there 1 found
that Smiths father was an Irishman
named Smyth and his mother an Irish
lady named Mary Campbell. Gunboat
himself was born in Philadelphia, so that
those good-natured, but misguided, folks
in Minnesota are barking up the wrong
tree"
incidentally Gunboat himself isn't per-
turbed in the slightest over the muddle.
He considers it a good joke
He'll be different after I've taken him
on a tour Of Ireland and have shown him
the green hills where his forefathers
dwelt," said Buckley. Then he'll take
pride in the fact that he's Irish and will
object to being called anything else"
Some TIckIIsh Subject.
It's a tickIish subject to tackle, but
Just the same there Is food for thought
in the fact that Georges Carpenter. the
best fighter in France, has defeated Bonn
bardier Wells, the best fighter in Eng
land. for the second time.
It's a notably sad commentary on the
pugilist!c status of Great Britain, for the
country referred to is the cradle of ring
sport, whereas, it was but a few years
ago when johnnie Crapaud" was be-
lieved to know nothing of tolts and up
percuts with the exception Of such as
were delivered with the feet
1t is certainly is not at case Of
Ill fairs the land. to fastening ills prey.
Where wealth sccumulates and men decay.
For the wealth isn't evenly enough dis
tributed in the tight little isle to cause
energies to flag No sir, the pinch of
necessity is sharp enough in England to
keep the faculties keyed up in all lines
OF conception and that's what renders
the situation less easy to understand.
Neither can it be that boxing has Ian
guished through want Of recognition and
support, for England is one country
where men in high places advocate the
fostering of manly art and where, in the
army and navy at any rate, Queensbury
Journeys are held at stated intervals.
Whatever the cause OF England's low
rating as a pugilistic power at present, II
seems as though II is a question on which
The Thunderer' or the Daily Mail
might invite correspondence. We, for
one, would like to see the subject
thrashed out by thinking men VINO are
on the ground.
In this connection a noted English
sporting authority, said not so long ago
that what initiated against latter-day
English pugilists was the fact that they
were too academic in their notions OF at
tack and defense, the argument being
that they clung to the old notions and
that what held good in boxing a quarter
OF century ago was of no avail now.
IF Jem Mace were living today and
battling up to his best standard he would
have his head knocked from his shoui-
ders in a couple of rounds"
As the straight left was the best arrow !
in the Mace quiver, and as Packey Nc |
Farland and Jimmy Clabby, two ex-
ponents Of the straight left, lead the sue |
cessful boxers of today, it isn't easy to |
see that Johnson's argument was sound. |
But wha'st the matter with British |
pugilists, anyway? 4