Evening star., 1916-10-08
LACKS GOOD BOXERS
Philadelphia Faces a Prosper
GUS Season, However.
PITTSBURGH MISSES STARS
Also Has No Suitable Building for
Shows Is Thriv-
ing in Ohio.
PITTSBURGH MISSES STARS
BY T. S. ANDREWS.

PHILADELPHIA, October 7.-While
the boxing game in Philadelphia seems
to be in for one of the best seasons
In several years. owing to plentiful
supply OF money on all sides. there
still is something lacking. One thing
is certain-there is lack of first
class material. with few local IA
vorites. Even such good sportsmen as
Harry Edwards and Jack McGuigan
are up against it when 1t comes to
landing high-class attractions, for the
reason that there are few In sight.
'.The new style of boxing. with the
baby method of covering up. is doing
the game no good and making lot
of towards out of the fighters" said
Jack McGuigan. His views are shared
by others. Efforts are being made In
old Philly to create a boxing commits
sion. and also to extend the contests
from six to ten rounds. Some OF the
promoters favor the change. while
others oppose it. They claim the six
round bouts produce more action ana
are more pleasing to the spectators.
They all admit that commission Is
the proper thing II it can be kept free
of politics and made impartial In all
dealings. The two leading clubs-the
Olympic and National.are planning aiming
for busy season. and intend using
a lot of outside boys. IN the nope OF
developing star cards Independent OF
home talent. Richie Mitchell, the MIL
waukee fash: Ever Hammer OF Cni-
caro. Matty McCue of Racine, Johnny
Ertle and such boys are being sought
Mike Gibbons of st. Paul also Is try
ing to get on a big match in Philly.
but as yet has not come 70 !eTms TINS
into the limelight at the same time-
Pittsburgh. the second city in the
peculiar position III the boxing game
similar to Philadelphia-wher SIX
round bouts are permitted. while the
smaller towns nearby are permitted
conditions In Pittsburgh the author
tiles supervise the sport to a certain
extent, but not as though it was under
the Jurisdiction of commission. II Is
. sort of slipshod method or go-as-
you-please, with the result that the
athletic clubs or promoters are not al
ways sure just where they stand. 1t
would be much better II the mayor
would appoint a commission; ,,s.;n suen as
One of the drawbacks to Pittsburgh Is
the lack of suitable building in which
to hold shows. Newcastle. Johnstown
and other neighboring towns hold ten.
round bouts, much to the chagrin of
the Pittsburgh boxing fans. When
Jimmy Dime moved his stable to Aus
tralia he took away several Pitts
burgh favorites In George and Joe
Chip. Patsy Brannigan. Babe Picato
and Tom Mcmahon. but they still have
Johnny Ray. featherweight; Young
Goldie. Harry Greb, Al Gravey and
Buck Grouse. the latter having Just
returned from Australia Just now the
fans are clamoring for a match be-
tween Grouse and Greb. to settle the
middieweight dispute, as there is con-
siderable rivalry since Frank Klaus
dropped out of it, Jimmy Mason. the
oldest promoter around the Smoky city,
still is staging shows and managing
fighters. but Jimmy is lost without
Duauesne Garden. The fans are all
interested in the doings of Dimes boys
abroad and anxiously await every bit
of news pertaining to any of the
bunch.
There probably is no state In the
Union, outside of New York, where the
boxing game thrives on a bigger scale
than In Ohio. and without the sport
being legalized. The authorities IN
Ohio have taken q broader view of the
more liberal in their Interpretation Of
existing laws than the others. There
is a law against prize fighting in Ohio.
but the officials in practically all the
cities of any account have decided that
boxing under present-day rules is not
prize fghting. This was the view taken
by the Governor Of Ohio and the sher-
if of Cedar Point, when the CLANCY
Kilbane battle was held Labor day. II
= was. in a measure, title contest, but
this part of the question was not con-
sidered. as the sheriff stated before the
show was held that he had all the con-
hdence in the world in Matt ]. Hinkel
the Cleveland promoter and referee
and for that reason did not try to in
terfere. It was certainly feather In
Hinkers cap, and has demonstrated
that the right kind of men at the head
of sporting events usually have the
support of the authorities. Business
men all over Ohio. especially around
Cleveland and nearby cities. have been
loud In their praise of the manner ir