The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-08

(dacLevy. the famous Long 1slano ssaealth farmer has been engaged for eighteen years in the training of athletes and the building up of run down people. and is a recognized aIl- sfhority on all subjects connected with athletics, physical culture, and sciesa- tific exercise.)
 One of the most remarkable ath- letic developments fo the last few years has been the great revival of interest in boxing. Until the outbreak of the war, there was evidences that Europe would soon become as dippy about the noble art" as it has about dancing
 when the American, French and British delegates brought about the inclusion of boxing in the Olympic program, a great impetus was given to the sport, and it was immediately taken up by amateur clubs in prac- 4fcallyS every country of Europe.
 In England and Ireland and Scot land the enthusiasm spread to every class of people, and It was not alone in the gymnasium of the cities that young men found 1t necessary to learn boxing in order to be fin the swim Tn the villages and rural communi- ties the farmer lads held weekly po1- s1ng tournaments in the open air.
 Every Saturday. in almost any anarket town in the United Kingdom. you could see earnest youths banging away at each other, while pig crowd of villagers and farmers wig oroIsly applauded each telling blow. @ It was good, healthfu1, honest sport with no gate receipts nor purses to add the s'cuss@ of mmerciaHsm, and with very little betting The open-air boxing platforms of these country communities afforded the 2fdeaI place for the exhibition of what is. properly conducted. almost the Ideal exercise
 This is not any innovation in Eng land for century ago no agricul- 4uraI fair in Esn gland was consi dered com pIetes without it's boxing booth. The present method is great inn provement over the old, however. for in former days the pugf1istic booths were conducted by professional brlis- CTS, who charged admission fees, and were often guilty of shady practices.
 Open-air boxing. as practiced in England of today, is calculated to de s5eIop sturdy vfgorof1s alert. men, and Sit should be encouraged, under proper revision and restrici on, on this side Of the Atlantic
 Battling Nelson. Kid Williams and other Danes in America. have shown what the Northmen can do in the ring, but boxing was practically un- known in Denmark Norway, Sweden and Finland until a year or. two ago. The popular interest in the sport has now spread to these countries, and it Us fQI044ClSQ t4AdC they Will SSAO SO4A0 clever boxers to the next Olympia games, wherever and whenever they may be held. The Danes.5 Films, Jorwegians and Swedes probably get stfe most consistent physical training from their babyhood on Of any peo- pie, and their athletic interest ex- tends the year round, the winter sEports being popular among all classes. The Scandinayians are good wrestIers and they have the natural
 
 ring.
 Boxing has long been general among the boys of English, Scotch and Irish colleges and big schools, and 1t is now gaining a constantly increasing following in American universities.
 Australia where innovations are always welcomed, boxing is a part of the public school athletic training. This was recently brought about by eon1nittee of prominent athletes, who induced Sir Alexander Peacock to permit boxing in the state schools as part Of comprehensive plan to ed- 4 ucate the bodies as well as the minds of the schoo1boys of the "down-un-
 The Australian scheme, which is a mighty good one. is to choose a cer- tain number of stalwart, intelligent lads from each school, and instruct them in boxing and other forms of athletics. These youngsters will be trained by experts and, when com potent will act as instructors to the whole student body. This is real dem ocracy, and only another manifesta- tion of that genius for Self-gov vern- ment which the Australians have manifested in so many ways SeV- eral professional boxers have volun- teered to instruct the boys who will act as boxing instructors to their companfonst
 When the matter of including box ing in the Olympic games was taken up, the delegates from Germany made many objections. Even amateur box ling is frowned upon in the Kaiser's S Ecountry, and the Emperor is alleged Ito have a prejudfc against the game kThere is a story to the effect that the British sport has been under the ban of the HOh henZOllerns ever since 174s, when Jack Broughton, then Champion of England, visited Prussia, as the pro- tege of the Duke of Cumberland. The latter boasted much of the prowess of the pugiist, but Broughton was not very imposing physically, and Frederick the Great expressed the diers could make quick work of the pugilist- A match was therefore made between Broughton and a picked man from a grenadier regiment, a giant who stood nearly six feet and a half and who looked able to whip Broug- ton with one hand. The English boxer, however, found 1t only scliId's play to punch the big soldier, and the pride of the regiment was soon stretched out on the ground, very much hors do combat Since then it is alleged, the Prussian royal family has inherited a prejudice against boxing. This German prejudiee does not extend to the Germans on this side Of the ocean, however and . large -