The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-12-07
soon TO SOUND TAPS ON
Boxing IN California
state That Has Furnished Many Fa-
nous Battles to Eliminate Big
Bouts-December is Is Closing Day
Championships Decided There

Back in the early nineties, when
James j. Corbett first stepped into ring
prominence, California began to make
pugihstic history, and ever sinee that
time the Golden State" has been look
Ell upon rs a great center for the main.
tenanee and encouragement of fstie
sport.
Many championship battles have been
fought there and followers of the for.
tunes of pugilists in every class, from
heavles to bantams, evidenced unusual
interest when bouts were scheduled ut
San Francisco, Los Angeles or any other
OF the many places where glove encoun-
tiers were decided and titles passed.
Two generations of fstic champions
have enjoyed the privileges afforded by
une State of California, and thousands
or followers of the sport have been
well satisfied with the results. But all
this is to be changed and the boxers
VIII have 10 seek fresh fields outside
of California.
At the recent State election the ma.
lority of California voters decided
that pugilism should not be accredited
as legal sport, thus making it man.
datory for the boxers to settle their
differences as to relative merits else.
where. At midnight of Tuesday, De
eember 10, taps will be sounded fol-
other than amateur bouts of -four
rounds duration in the principal pa,
eitic coast State, and after a rather
prosperous quarter of century, pugil
ism will be tabooed.
Several notable heavvwei CHIT contests
have taken place in San Francisco since
the memorable sixty-one round draw
between James j. Corbett and Peter
jackson was fought in 1891. This
served to bring Corbett into the lime
hight, and within eighteen months aftes
ward the then young bank clerk had
annexed the heavyweight honors by de
featlng john l.. sullivan. somewhat un
expectedly at New Orleans in Septem
Der, 1892. The young Californian was
not considered seriously as a possible
contender by Sullivan's legion of ad
mirers and the Pacific coast was elateC
when Corbett brought bakk the cham
pionShip to his native State.
Among the many bouts between bis
men decided in San Francisco in tn,
! last twelve years the following may
ue HleHtlOneu:
Jim Jeffries knocked out Bob Fitz
simmons in eight rounds. This was il
1902, just four years after Bob Fitz
simmons had lost the championship K
the big boiler maker at Coney Island il
eleven rounds. Jack Munroe lasted only
two rounds with Jeffries in the follow
ing year, and in 1905, Jeffries retired
but only temporarily.
Jack O'Brien vanquished Fitzsim
mons at San Francisco in twelve round.
that same year, and in 1906 Tomm,
burns, who was the recognized success
sor of Jeffries, defeated Marvin Har
IN twenty rounds. Twelve months afteI
that Burns defeated Jack O'Brien il
a twenty-round bout at Los Angeles ant
knocked out Bill Squires in singl,
round at Colma in 1907, where tw,
years later the late Stanley Ketche
| was Knocked out in twelve rounds b,
Jack johnson. The last of the hi!
bouts was that between Gunboat Smitl
and Arthur Pelky last January.
Among the lighter boxers the bes
lads in each division have been seer
in action in San Francisco or Los An
geles during the last ten years.