The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-04-26
RACE NO FACTOR
in SPORT WORLD
History Of Athletics Shows No
Particular Nation Can
Claim Laurels.
RECORDS ARE COMPARED
England, Ireland. and Wales Have
Furnished Greatest Number
of Champions.
RECORDS ARE COMPARED
~ ANDREW p. o'coNoR.

Athletic supremacy is not confined to
any particular race, especially in this
country. which is the melting-pot for
every nationality.
Since the advent into athletics of so
many different races. the question OF
supremacy is being discussed by high
brow writer's. who. however. confinc
their analysis to football baseball and
boxing. with absolutely no reference to
polo. rowing, swimming. archery. throw
ing. quoits and hundreds Of other
branches of athletics which require a
high degree Of courage. speed, brains
and stamina
The originators of the different sports
! and pastimes are not always the most
proficient performers. Polo is OF Oriental
origin. In the middle ages II was i'm
proved by the Mingrelians. who praCti-
cally lived in the saddle. and held in con-
tempt every other branch Of sport. II
was adopted by the English. who per-
fected II and taught II to the Americans.
who now rank supreme as masters of
fthe art.
/ The Egyptians. centuries ago. played a
game similar to baseball. the alleged
national sport Of the United States
which is not, however. a sport. but a
commerciallzed pastime. in which the
true elements Of sportsmanship is lack
ing.
Greeks First Prize Fighters.
Prize fighting was originated by the
Greeks, who introduced it into Rome.
where II was for centuries a favorite di-
version. until :he Introduction Of Chris
tianity. after which II. like all other
gladiatorial contests. was prohibited
The Hebrews were never an athletic
race. nevertheless. they have produced
some wonderful athletes. especially in
boxing. Mendoza, who beat HUMPHREYS for
the championship of England more than
40 years ago. was probably the first He
brew fighter known to fame; since then
the prize ring has been a favorite with
the race. many Of them having carved
for themselves everlasting fame in the
puGilistic hall OF fame. courage and
science being Il characteristic of the
race
Nearly 200 years after the abolition Of
prize fighting in Rome. it was taken up
by the Italians. many of whom have
shown championship Caliber. Probably
the first to win a championship in Ameri-
ca was Casper Leon. a bantam-weight
who fourished about twenty years ago.
The Italian and Greek boxers. who are
now identified with the sport. are OF the
highest class. Gameness is a racial char
acteristic.
The Germans. until recent years. did
not go in for boxing. but since they took
il up. some twenty-five years ago. they
have produced several marvelousIy clever
strong. and game performers. Eugene
Hornbacher was the recognized bantam
weight champion Of America. who lost
the title to Cal Mccarthy. who in turn
lost IL 10 the mulatto. George Dixon.
French Prominent iu Ring,
The negro has been prominent in pugi-
listiC circles for more than 100 years. ~
since the days Of Tom Muleneux. who
went to England and fought the cham
pion. Tom Crihb. These great fighters
met in the magic circle on two occasions
Crihb won both events
TIL" Danes. race like the Norwegians
Swedes. and Germans, were always great
Cymnasts. with whom prize fighting never
became popular until within the last few
years. hut when il was taken UP by
them. the race furnished the prize ring
Oscar IBattIinC) Nelson one of its most
heroic champions
The French. until the advent into pugi-
lism OF George La Blanche. never cared
for prize fighting. hut it is now one OF
the most popular sports in France. due
to the success of George I.avinge of
Saginaw. Mich. who was perhaps the
greatest lightweight champion the prize
ring has ever known. He was of French
origin.
Switzerland produced one champion in
Frank Erne, of Buffalo. y Y, who lost
the title. which he had won from George
Lavinge. to the Baltimore mulatto Joe
Cans. whom many competent judges pro-
nounce the most wonderful boxer of his
time.
Credit to other Races.
The Spanish race has produced a few
great boxers. but no champions They
are mostly Of Mexican origin. Among
the best may be mentioned Solly Smith.
who was probably the hardest hitter OF
his weight the ring has ever known, but
he was deficient in courage as was also
Herrera. Everett, and several others of
less fame. Joe Rivers. also Of Spanish
origin, is exceptionally game exhibiting
at all times and under all conditions the
best traditions of his race. which is one
of the hravest in all the world
Roumania. in Jem Mace. who learned
boxing in England. produced a cham
pion. though his courage was always
doubted.
Neither the Japanese nor Chinese have
ever taken seriously 10 boxing Russia.
In Frank NeiIl CNievnlD has furnished
one fairly good fighter
The late champion. Stanley Ketchell.
WAS OF IOllSn Origin.
In chroniclinS the superiority of ma
tons in certain branches Of sport. none
Of the aforementioned facts were taken
into consideration by the before men
TONED ''high-brows." Every athlete born
in this country has been claimed for the
United States, which is true. as far as
birth goes. hut as they started off with
the proposition that the American ath-
letes led the world. IL would have been
proper for them to have to credit the
races from which our great athletes
originated.
scotch Not Prominent.
England. Ireland and Wales have fur
niShed the sporting world with a greater
number of champion athletes than all
other races combined. but this is ac-
counted for by the TACT that for hun
dreds OF years representatives of these
races have been devoted TO nearly every
branch ~ athletics.
The Scotch. while naturally brave
and in ancient times. a war-like race.
have never amounted to anything in the
athletic world.
The race, however. occupies a promi-
nent place in the business affairs of the
world. disproving the theory that ath-
letics are necessary to the development
of the mental faculties. The Hebrews. as
was previously stated. were never an
athletic race. nor even noted for SIAM
ina. vet they have the reputation of being
among the foremost thinkers of the
world.
Red Man Athletic.
The North American Indians have never
taken to boxing, though in other