The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-25

scheme seems to afford the best solu.
ton for the problems confronting
those interested in the preservation Of
the sport.
Since the days of Figg, the father
OF modern boxing. nearly two cen
turtles ago, the game has had to con.
tend with enemies without and with.
in. Broughton, the second champion
OF England, after infilcting injuries
on an opponent which caused his
death, saved the sport by drawing up
q set of rules which governed prize
lighting for almost century. For a
time the sport fiourished, and then,
In the latter part Of the eighteenth
century, the grafters and bunco men
got control and gave the sport blow
from which 1t was slow in recovering.
Jackson. the most scientific boxer up
to that time, restored the fistic sport
to public favor. About century ago
the Pugilistic Club was launched in
London, and under its rule the sport
again tlourished. The London Prize
Ring rules took the place Of Brough.
toms code. About fifty years ago the
game was again outlawed In both Eng.
land and America. but the Queens.
berry rules and the introduction Of
boxing gloves saved 1t.
New York State has made many
attempts to regulate the game. The
old Horton law permitted boxing CON
tests ut reputable clubs, at which de.
cision could be rendered. The Nc.
Coy-Choynski bout and other suspic.
fous affairs soured the fans on the
sport, and In 1900 the Horton law was
repealed. Then came the membership
clubs, with unlimited opportunities for
falses and tr.ckery, which the crooked
promoters and boxers were not slow
to take advantage of. The. Frawley
law. creating an athletic commission
to govern boring was passed In 1911,
and since then the game has regained
much OF its old.time popularity. The
commission as now constituted has
come In for much criticism, and the
feature OF the law which prevents the
giving OF decisions by the referee is
far from popular, but by and large the
law worked well. and has been an i'm.
provement over the old membership"
graft. Payment Of the commissioners
and the reduction Of the commission
to one man. are among the many sug.
gestions that have been offered.
Last year the boring clubs OF New
York took in S650,000, and of this sum
the State got $4,000 in taxes. The
last report Of the Wisconsin commits.
sion shows that the clubs OF that State
took In S245,oeo. OF which the State
got $4,000.
Willie II is only In the United States
that the government has gone into
partnership with the boxers, England,
France and Australia have regulations
which are no less stringent than
those prevailing In the States which
have adopted the commission system.
In Australia the leaders in the sport
have had sufficient influence to In
duce the government authorities 10
adopt boxing In the public schools.
Although France Is the latest country
to take up "le boxe." they had perfect.
ed before the outbreak of. the war. an
organization that was In many, re.
spects superior to the athletic COM
mission plan. The French Federation
Of Boxing Clubs had an ironciad con.
troll Of the sport. Grating boxers and
promoters were quickly put. out of the
business. and the federation had the
power to impose penalties for viola.
ton of Its rules that made the boxers
think twice before they tried to nut
anything over, and then decide not TO
do 1t. OF course, the French fans got
stung once in a while-bu: never twice
by the same man. IL.