Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-11
EUROPEAN WAR CERTAIN
TO HURT BOXING ABROAD
Jack Skelly Predicts Early Re-
turn of Yankee Boys When
Guns Roar.
WAR CALLS FOREIGN IDOLS
Carpenter, Wells and Welsh
Will All Be Drawn Into
Service.
By JACK SHELLY

The breaking out of a general Euro
pean war will mean a severe knockout
to the boxing game abroad Just as
the old sport is Is beginning to boom
and progress in grand style on the
other side of the Atlantic, comes the
report of a clash of arms between the
leading nations of the old world.
With this bloody conflict we will
probably see one of the most terrible,
slaughtering catastrophes that has
ever blighted modern civilization. 1t
will mean khe killing and butchering
of the pick and flower of the gallant
young heroes of all Europe; the an
Initiating of thousands of athletic
young men, who'll fight to death for
the honor of their country.
War Compared to PugiIism.
War at its best is to me simply bar
barism and savagery. Compared to
pugilism it is certainly outrageous.
The percentage of men killed in the
fistie ring is infinitesimal as in, COM
parison with the slaughter of human
lives on the battlefields. In fact, it's
utterly ridiculous to make such a
comparison. And still we constantly
hear the unholy bowls of the narrow
minded persons against the manly art.
Many unjust, un-American and unfair
laws have been enacted against box
ing. People who do not really under
stand or have never witnessed an
honest, scientific contest within the
ropes, are led to believe that boxing
is a brutal, lowlife sport that only
IN do x.vt{ 7
tend 1t helps them to be more manly,
healthy, athletic and in many ways
leads them to live longer and better
life.
The great majority of our famous
ringmen have lived to a good old
age, far above the average man, in
health and strength. 1 have SO often
pointed out this fact, giving their
ages and fine physical conditions al
most to the last call of old Father
Time.
Soldier and Sailor Boxers
Many of the nations abroad, who
are now on the very brink of bloody
combat, have many soldiers and
sailors who are expert boxers. Most
of them, no doubt, will throw aside
their sparring gloves and shoulder
their guns, and march courageously
to battle. Many of these brave fell
lows will be shot down like dogs,
their bodies thrown ipto trenches or
left on the CHASTITY fields for the vul-
lures, who follow such carnage, to
devour.
This may be even the sad fate of
such a wonderful boxer as Georges
Carpenter, the fistic idol of France;
for Bombardier Billy Wells, the popu-
lar, handsome heavyweight champion
of all England; for Freddy Welsh, the
new lightweight king of the world, or
for any other noble exponent of the
manly art now in the limelight
Yankee stars VIII Rush Homeward.
AS soon as the general struggle
breaks out on the other side Of the
big pond we may expect a sudden
rush of our pugulistic heroes home
ward. I wouldn't be surprised to
see even Jack Johnson beating it over
here with bells on. l think this cum
ming, dusky champ would rather take
a chance of going to Jail than to war.
The foxy Jack knows soldering is
no business for him, with no chicken
paigne, not even gin, no automobiling,
no big, fat $4,000 purses, no song and
dance suits of clothes. Nothing but
marching about twenty miles day,
with just plain shooting on the side,
bootleg coffee, bareback and few old
canned beans Not for Monsieur j.
lii Artha" Johnson. He would prob
ably take a refuge in Mexico, with all
it's fireworks, or in the cooler, than
fohtin0 for France
Gunboat Smith and his manager,
Jim Buckley, hope, will get all the
English gold in sight before the storm
breaks upon them. 1t would be too
bad indeed for this pair to miss any
of the easy music hall coin that Is
coming to them at present.
| hope anyway 1t will chase home
all our millionaire fighters and man
agerss that are now spending their
winnings in foreign lands. Let them
return to the Stars and Stripes ana
cut loose with their coin on this side
of the big pond
Busy Boxing Season Coming.
with Willie Richie and Harry
Stone, Jeff Smith, Young Shugrue,
Jimmy Clabby, Frank Moran, Tom
Kennedy, Gunboat Smith, Eddie Nc
Goorty, Big Jim Coffey, Milburn Say
lor and bunch of other noted Yam
1xee fighters back in their native land,
we ought to have quite big boom In
boxing this fall and winter in this
broad land.
Maybe also we might assure Car
pentier Freddy Welsh, Johnny Sum-
ners and bunch of other foreign
ringmen that this country will be
cutie safe and peaceful place to re-
side and box in during the next few
moons. We have no conflict nor tur-
mol on deck at present. We are just
about 5000 miles away from the bull
dogs at war and strife. Quite a COM
Portable distance, indeed. It's pity
though, that the powers of the con-
tinent are kicking up such a rumpus.
Let us hope the internal slaughter
can be avoided War is a curse to
any nation. Let us have honest box
Ing and peace the world over