The Washington herald., 1914-02-18
SPORTING
SIDELIGHTS
=By BILL BAILEY


Packy Mcfarland and Mike Gibbons
never meet in the arena to do battle. -
Mcfarland is willing to box Gibbons al
l5 pounds, because he knows that the
-. Paul man cannot do the weight and
retain his strength.
Gibbons is willing to agree TO box at
the above weight, but he will not de-
POsit the money insisted upon by Nc
Farland as a guarantee of good faith.
consequently there will be no contest be-
tween these glove artists. whose reputa-
tion as boxers is due as much to their
Craftiness in making matches as in their
performances.
Matches between extremely clever box
ers seldom prove to be interesting to the
spectator. and the Mcfarland Gibbons
match, if made. would prove no excep-
ton.
Probably the cIeverest boxers the world
ever produced were Jim Corbett. and Jim
Hall. the Australian. They met in an
exhibition bout in the old Trocadero. at
Chicago, along in the autumn OF 1870.
Their feinting. foot work and action were
of the most dazzling order. Neither could
land a blow for a few minutes and the
house roared when both men stepped
back, dropped their hands and COM
menced to laugh.
Speaking of COTbctt-what memories of
the past 1t conjures up? That he was
great fighter and absolutely game no
well-informed follower Of the game II
hit-stop. and getaway will deny, but
the following incident shows the respect
which he had for the great black Aus
tralian champion. Peter Jackson.
Jackson had taken up his resi-
dencc at the British capital, and through
his conduct and ability as a fighter he
WAS pretty well thought of by the lead
ing British sportsmen. Corbett. after N"
had defeated the mighty Sullivan, toured
Europe, and while in London, he was Of
fered a match with jackson, and the fol-
lowing story was told me by Mr. Bettison
the night Joe Bowker whipped our Amer
lean champion. frankie Neal. for :he
bantam championship Of the world: Il
arranged 4 meeting at the National
Sporting Club. between Corbett. Jack
son. and their managers, and offered them
a purse of $4,000 for a bout limited to
twenty rounds, to which Corbett replied
We have already fought over three times
that many rounds. without a decision
and there would be absolutely no use in
engaging IN bout of shorter duration.
to which Jackson replied: What YOU
have said. Mr.. Corbett is partly true.
but The law here permits bouts of only
twenty rounds duration. and will make
the following propositions: IL you are on
} our feet at the expiration of twenty
Iounds, YOU may have the entire purse
and side bet of $1,000" Corbett re-
fused the offer, and the match was of.
Corbett could have whipped Jackson
easily. as the latter never fully recovered
from the beating which he received in
his bout with Frank Slavin. Though
jackson won. Slavin rupturd an artery
under JacksOn's nose which never healed.
When he fought Jeffries. he was merely
shadow OF the once great fighter. and
lasted through few rounds. after which
he returned to Australia, where the great
white plague claimed him.
Fox, the British bantamweight boxer
who was heralded as a real champion
received his bumps in New York few
evenings ago.
n match which is awaited with interest :
IS the one pending between Champion .
Johnny Coulon and Kid Williams, the !
who has established his claim .
Tor first chance at@the title.
This is the lO7th anniversary of PIt /
who was the first man to !
lrop cherry into a concoction OF !
whisky. Vermouth and Angostora bitters, |
4 delectable concoctiOn which made MGn-
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