The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1915-12-14
Great Majority of British
Boxers Are Now In Uniform

Matt Wells. the little Hebrew VINO
was formerly lightweight champion of
England, will begin his thirtieth year
today, having been born on December
Ia, 1886. Matt is now campaigning
on this side Of the Atlantic, but he
insists that before crossing the pond
last Summer he tried to enlist, but
was refused on account of his tin
ears and his brevity of stature, which
is only five feet four inches Matt
declares that any time his country
needs him he will answer the call, but
In the meantime he is out to make a
collection of American coinage. Wells
won the British lightweight title by
defeating Freddie Welsh in 1911 and
lost it to Welsh the following year
Matt was recently outpointedS by John
ny Grifffths at Akron, and he has
most of the battles of his present CAM
paIgn. but he is still able to keep his
opponents travelling their speediest
gait.
wells and Freddie Welsh are
among the very few British boxers
who are not now doing their fighting
in the uniform of His Majesty,s army.
Wells first came to America in 1910
as the sparrihg partner of Jem Dris-
sco1f the little Welsh featherwei ght
who was one of the cIeverest, gamest
boys England has turned out in many
years.
Drisco4 will celebrate his thirty
fifth birthday tomorrow, as he was
born in Cardiff, Wales, on Dec. 15,
1880. Jern enlisted in the Welsh
Horse Regiment about year ago,
active service. He was promoted TO
acting quartermaster sergeant last
March .Jem probably has more
friends and admirers on this side OF
/ the Atlantic than any other Anghsh
boxer who has visited these shores
a OIL 770
will have a happy birthday and many
returns of them Jem lost on foui
{ to Freddie Welsh some five years ago.
and on a few occasions he has been
outpointed, but he went through ms
/ long ring career without ever pelns
I'D ecisiveIy defeated or put to sleep
! Bonbardier Wells, who held aloof
| from army service for a time because
he considered it his duty to help sup
| port the families of his several PROM
ers who were at the 'front.' joined tne
ranks a few months ago cluKbb i
ranks a few months ago. Dick Burge,
| the old light-weigIrt champion OF
Great Britain, who is now approaching
the half-century mark Is prlVaee
in the First Surrey Rifles
Jerry Delaney, the English light
vUei eT,t is also a soldier. Iron Hague
the predecessor Of BoInbardter Wens
as English heavyweight chahlP loH' -
q Grenadier Guardsman- tommy
weight champion to Welsh SIX years
ago. and who is we'll known over mere
Is a. corporal Jack Goldswa1n, a
fayorite lightweight boxer, is with
Burge in the First Surrey Rifles
Pat O'Keefe, long prominent as
mid dIewetght is another pugtl1stlo
member of the First Surrey bunch,
with the rank of corporal. Pat paid
visit to this side ins 1907, but lost
to Billy Papke. Willie Lewis and
Harry Lewis, and decided that Eng
lands climate was more healthfui.
Duke Lynch, also with the First Sur
rev. is another clever boxer who is.
now a rifieman,
The fighting sullivan clan IS repre-
scented by Jim of that i1lx, former mid
dleweight champion of England, who
has been knocked out by Billy Papke,
the German american, but isn't afraid
of any Teuton with a gun. other
boxers in the British army include
Sergeant Curzon, Sergeant Tom Nc
Corrniek, Sergt. Major, Pete Ladbury,
Jim Wilde, and many others. Jack
Munroe, the American heavyweight,
lost his life. Jimmy Britt, the Ameri-
can ligf1tweights, is with the Austria
Hans. Take 'e1n by and large. and you
have to hand it to the boxers as a pa
triotic bunch. Y
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