The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-10
Title First Changed Hands
 in Battle 165 Years Ago

To-morrow will be the 165th anlni- versa1.y of the first battle in which a pugi1fstict title changed ownership. Jack Broughton, the vanquisAed champion, held the premiere honors of the ring from 1734 until he was defeated by Jack Slack on April Il, 1750. Broughtons had claimed the title after the death Of his teacher, James FIgg the first champion of England, and had defended it success fully against all corners until he met Slack. Broughtons was /realIy the father of boxing, as Figg had been more expert with the back sW9 ord and the; quarter-staf if than with the. fists. Broughton brought boxing in-s to ospopu1arit ty7sbys Formulating the first code of rules to govern matches and by inventins gloves to be worn by his aristocratic pupils in his boxing school.
 Jack Stack was tough customer, but he preferred rough and tumble ii ghti ng, and he was very peeved by. Broug ghton,s rules. the enforcemeut of which lost Slack as battle with George Taylor. Slack was in no cheerful frame of mind when he came upon Broughtons eating dinner in al both at the HounsIew races, and us-s ing much profane language, he cussed the champion up one side and down the other for making such b1ankety- blank rules The enraged Slack end ed his peroration by grab biIlg Brough- ton,s plate and dashing it on the floor. Rroughton didn't appreciate such at tentions, and with his riding whip he slashed Slack across his legs After trying to stab Broughton with a cary irgs knife. Slask was pushed out of the booths lurfdIy and loudly svowing vengeance. This took form in a cllsal-l lenge to- Broughton to fight in the ring for the champi onship. Brough- ton accepteds the defi, and the battle was set for April II, 1750, in Brough-. tons arena in London ' <
 On the day set forsthe battle a vast crowd gathered before the doors of the. anphitheatre, and the building was quickly filed except for the re- served boxes when the place was open ed at nine o'clock. Thousands were turned away and a small riot was in progress before the disappointed sports could be dispersed.
 The fortunate ones who. got. inside were entertained during the morning hours by fencing matches and wrest- ling and sparring bouts After twelve the noble patrons of the ring began to flock in. The Prince Of Wales oc- cupied the royal box. and BroughtoI1's royal patron, the Duke of Cumber- land, the famous soldier, was early at tn ringside. Scores Of other famous Englfshmen were on hand when. at one o'clock, Jack Broughton ran tI1K1 the ladder on to the platform Slack immediately followed, and the crowd settled down after wild cheering in the confident. expectation that Broughton1 would soon make rflince- meat Of the big butcfler Broughton
 was the popuiar favprite, and the Duke of Cumberland had wagered a. fortune on his favorite.
 Broughton looked every inch the athlete and the gentleman, but Slack, who was shorter and broader than. the champion was an ugly and fero- showed any disposition to start hos tilities, but Slack was determined to play a waiting game, and the cham p1on finally led with a blow which rocked the thickset fighter Slack responded, with a, smash to the cheek and then they were at it in deadly earnest. Broughtonss superior science was very evident, for. he landed a dozen punches to his opponents one, but the champions blows lacked steam and force. After ten minutes ing and used all his strength in a punch which sent Slack down, appar- ently dead to the world. For a mo- ment it seerhed all over, but Slack struggled to his feet. The betting was twenty to one on Broughton, and the Duke of Cumberland placed $5O,0o0 against $2,000 on his man. But the champion had shot his bolt and at the end of fourteen minutes he was beaten man and Slack was pro- claimed the champion of Britain he afterward made fortune on the Stock Exchange, and was rich and respected citizen when he died in his eighfy-fifth wear