Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-07
NEW YORK FANS
WAR AGAINST
BUSY FIGHTERS
Boxing Followers Claim That the
Ringmen Are Forced to "StaII"
When Rushed Into Battles.
Bv Frank G.. Menke.

HrEW YORQ, March THE fight
N fans here have risen up in
4 protest against the new prac-
tjce of boxers performing two and
three times week, because even
tually it forces the scrappers to do
lot of "stalling."
Battling Levinsky, white hope"
and war horse, started the fashion
here some months ago when he min
gled in about three bouts each and
every week. For a while the public
huzxahed loudly at the gameness OF
the battler. Other fighters, seeing It
was a fine little publicity stunt-and
incidentally a money getter-folloWed
suit
For while the pace did not affect
LevinsSy, and he went along at
whirlwind clip. But there's a limit
10 even the greatest endurance pow
ers. and the continuous performance
has begun to tell on Levinsky. He
has been forced to slow up, and in
most of his recent bouts he has been
inclined to stall" and thereby save
his strength for the next battle. The
same is true of the other ring war
riors. The result is that most of the
recent bouts around here have been
little more than "stalling matches
and the public has called halt.
HERE'S the hope that no ailment
l. organic or otherwise, afflicts either
the oft-afflieted Mr.. Richie or the
equally oft -afflicted Mr. Wolgast be-
fore next week, at which time, un-
less one or the other is afflicted, they
will stage bout.
The scrap ought to be dandy
that u.s.. if neither principal has an
ailment. Both men are top-notchers
in their class, and most of the fight
fans long have felt that Wolgast de-
served a chance TO try to win back his
title.
Ad rightly is called the Michigan
Bearcat" He's a real scrapper. And
so is Richie. Both men are natural
mixers, and it's cinch IL they get
together again the battle VIII be
worth the price of admission-and a
little more besides.
All signs point to the battle being
staged on schedule time, but when
those two little battlers are concerned
one never can be sure about 1t. Both
have a funny little habit of contract
ing some sort of ailment right on the
eve of a battle and then calling the
battle off.
Wolgast, as many will remember,
decided on the eve of one of the pat
Ties he was to participate in while ne
was champion that he had an appen
dix that ought to be pruned. So the
Rppendix was pruned. Richie was
billed to fight Tommy Murphy lew
months back, and the night before
the battle he found there was some
thing wrong with his snlffer And so
lie called off the bout. A short time
later he was rematched with Murphy,
and once again. on the eve or the
scheduled bout, Richie found ne had
an ailment that necessitated the call
ing off of the bout.
THE public just now is demanding
meeting between Battling Lee
whisky and Gunboat Smith, the ac-
knoweldged leaders in the Wnlte
hope" line Levinsky is quite Will
ing to meet Smith, but the Gunooa'
person seems to be coy about swap
ping punches with the ferocious he
brew
smith seems to take the attitude of
when Levinsky gets a reputation, III
meet him" But, from any angle you
view it. Levinskys reputation right
low seems to be equal, even supe-
rior, to Smiths. The battler lately
has been putting to sleep a large
number of white hopes" that were
many pounds heavier than he-ano
Going it with ease. Smith In tne
meantime has been resting on MS
laurels. t
Smith is afraid to meet Levinsky'
remarks Dan Morgan, manager of Lee
Whisky He knows if they ever meet
Levinsky will put him TO sleep IN
hurry"
How about it, Mister Gunboat?