Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

champion. There is absolutely no flaw IN
his title. He can trace his claim back TO
George kid Lavigne, who won 1t from
Dick Burge, the then English t1lenoioer.
lost to Cans. Then Nelson. Wolgast and
Richie in turn won the honOrs. While
Welsh regained the English champion
ship by beating Matt Wells in return
match and has also outpointed Hughey
Michigan, Australia's champion. he mas
never fought for the American title.
The mention of Kid Lavigne's name re-
minds me that some one sent me news
paper clipping quoting the former light
weight champion as follows:
Championship battles should be finish
affairs always. / lost my title in linn
tied round contest with Frank Erne, al
though l felt confident j could have de-
feated him in longer bout.
Lavigne was great little fighter. Prob
ably one of the best of his weight ever
known. But his ideas do not fit in very
well with present-day methods OF con-
Quoting boxing exhibitions. The days OF
finish battles are over so far as this
country is concerned. Science has the
call over brute strength in modern pugi-
lism. Or at least that is the aim of those
who promote the sport And, for that
matter, twenty or twenty-five rounds OF
boxing are ample to settle the question OF
superiority. even with title at stake.
1t is fast becoming apparent that box
ing in this country is bound to triumph
over its enemies and eventually be placed
on a basis frmer than ever before In the
history of the sport. AS proof of all this
the attention of the reader is called to
the many favorable bills legalizing box
ing exhibitions that have recently been
passed in a number of states. 1t appears
to be only a question of very snort
time before Illinois falls in line. which
means that the army of Chicago sport
lovers will not be compelled to hike to
Indiana or Wisconsin every time they
want to see a boxing exhibition. AS goes
New York, so goes the country.
There has been mo SIGH thing as
middleweight title holder since Stanley
I[etcheI cashed in. There is a chance,
though. that a champion may be crown
ed this coming summer After Frank
Klaus finishes with Georges Carpentier-
and past performances make the Pitts
burgher look like sure winner.he is
coming back to settle the championship
dispute with the best of the lot left on
this side. Just now Eddie McGoorty
looms up as the man who will be selected
to battle it out with Klaus.
The sports will be satisfied to call the
winner of Klaus-McGoorty bout the
champion. Eddie's showing with Bob
Mocha. the Milwaukee strong boy, last
Monday suggests that he is returning to
form. If he can dispose of Jimmy Clab-
DIV In the IoH-TOu11u cOulCSS " NC Sld6OA
early in April he will surely be given
the bout with Klaus for the title.
1t begins to look as il the only way to
got Sam Langford back to this country
will be to ship Joe Jeanette to Austria
liza. For it is thought that the tar baby
would have been back long ago IL 1t were
not for the Hoboken negro, who has been
waiting patiently for that promised bat
tie. More than two years ago Sam and
Joe were practically matched to box
twenty rounds at one of the California
clubs. but I.angford showed little en-
thusiasm over the chance to meet his old
rival. and the sports were not greatly
surprised one fine day to-learn that he
had decided to accept Hugh Mcintosh
offer to go to Australia.
Every little while we are informed that
Langford is about" to sail for home,
but he's still over there. Within the
last couple of weeks he pulled off bouts
with two old meal tickets, Jim Barry and
Sam McVey He put Barry out Of the
way quickly, which kills the chance for
return match. Likely Barry, who has
long been a dead one was so rank
that the negro couldn't afford to take
chance of saving him, McVey was permit
ted to get draw this time. That surely
means at least one more LangfOrd-Mc-
vey BATTLE. They have already fought
six times. and Langford has uemonstrat-
I'd that he has the other mans number.
Still the Australians seem to- like the
boys. AS p. T. Barnum once remarked,
There's one born every minute.