The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-02-22

Especial to the F'armer.)
OF late considerable newspaper
space has been devoted to a revival
of the much argued question, -'is box
ing keeping pace in the matter of i'm
proven ent with progress In other
lines of sport % The older writer's
as a rule contend that the sport from
a scientific standpoint has deteriorat-
i ed, while the younger element argues
the performances of modern expon-
| ents of the art of hit stop and get
away do not suffer in comparison with
/ the achievements of the stars of for
mer days. Recently have receiv-
led several letters with requests for
a public expression of my opinion on
the subject.
I hope will not be put down as
prejudiced oId-timer when say that
in my opinion the quality of boxers
has deteriorated In recent years. In
l point of science and skill the stars Of
a decade or two ago, and this APP
| plies to every class or division, excell-
ed present day boxers.
For this condition of affairs the
followers Of boxing are to blame to
deteriorated and along with it the
class of boxing exhibitions. The
boxer who brings into play the skill
and science with which nature has
endowed him. and tuition has devel-
foped, is given scant encouragement
fans
The average modern contest re-
solves into a question of which box
er lands the first convincing wa11op-
Wild swings and 1unges are the or
der of the day. Let contestant at
| tempt to introduce q bit of feinting,
/ ducking or footwork, or other clever
stunts. and the crowd bowls for the
rough STUFF This does not tend
to encourage boxers or to improve the
kcharacter of the sport.
There are a few really good box
ers, in the game at present. but am
sorry TO s6y they are in the minor
sly. Packey Mcfarland is probably
| the most slzillful modern exponent of
the science, and ranking close to him
Fare Mike Gibbons, Freddie Welsh
| Willie Ritchie and Johnny Kilbane. !
But not to waste any more space
than necessary and as evidence that
present day boxers do not class with
the oId-t timers in point of skill, will
submit the names of a few stars of
ten to twenty years ago in support of
my argument.
In the ranks Of the heavies there
were Peter, Jackson, one Of the great
est boxers who ever pulled on a glove,
Bob Fitzsimnons and Kid Mccoy. In
the lighter divisions, Tommy Ryan.
Joe Waleott, Jack McAuIiffe, Young
Critic, Frank Erne, Joe Cans and
George Dixon were stars that in bril-
Iiancy Of performance and boxing skill
have very few, if any, equals at the
present time.
There is not one really clever boxer
among the neavy-weights of to-day,
with the possible exception OF Bonn
bardier Wells, and he apparently lacks
the STAINING TO ever become cham
pion. do not except johnson,
Langford or Jeanette. The present
title holder is my idea of the poorest
of pugilism. Langford and Jeanette
are not skillfu1 boxers, and have ac-
quired regulations by beating second
raters. The McCartys, Wiliards and
Palzers are jokes and would not have
attained the slightest degree of prom
inence ten years ago.
Is there boxer in the ranks of the
middle-weightS who classes with the
Tommy Ryan of ten years ago? And
where are the good welters of to-day
Mike Gibbons appears to dominate
this class. Among the 1ight-weights
we have Mcfarland, Ritcfie and
Welsh, and of the trio only McF'ar-
land has ever shown skill that sug-
gests he would have made a fitting
opponent for Cans or Erne had he
been contemporary with those great
artists.
Among the little fellows there are
no George Dixons. AT that there is
a greater percentage of good boxers
among the feathers than in any 9TH
er division. Under this classification
we can include Jem Drisco1l, and he
is practically veteran, Kilbane and
Jimmy Walsh, of Boston, who is a
great boxer and has never been given
the credit his record calls for. Walsh
has, unfortunately for him. been fore
ed to battle heavier men, his best
fighting weight being in the neigh
borhood of 11s pounds, which is just /
betwixt and between the bantans and
the feathers.
Comparisons of past performances
with present day achievements do not
always prove a case one way or the
other, but as sort of connecting link
between the two generations, be-
1ieve / am qualified to judge of the |
quality of the modern crop Of boxers
as well as that of the former stars
of the ring. From standpoint of
boxing skill, the science of attack and
defense. do not hesitate to say that
the game has deteriorated a great
deal.
kid" Williams, the Baltimore ban |
tam, demonstrated in the recent en- |
counter with Eddie 'Campi that he is
entitled to match with Johnny Cou-
lon for the championship. The lat
ter boxer, to judge from Williams
performance against Campi. will have
his work cut out to retain the title. |
Williams has issued formal cha1- |
Ienge to the bantam champion and
Tom McCarey has offered to stage the |
bout. CouIon has not as yet accept
ed the terms offered, and appears in |
no hurry to try conclusions with theI
kid" When the boys boxed in |
New York last Summer the champion |
was plainly worsted and probably fig |
ures his chances to win would not be |
greater in q longer match. Williams |
is a. wonderfully tough youngster and |
he Low
have it on him in boxing skill, but |
the difference in that respect is not |
very great, and the kid is CON
stantIy improving while Johnny's re- |