Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-08-17
LEONARD TOLD
OF DANGERS OF
HIGH AND WIDE
Many Young Champions fall
. Before Temptation After
Fame.

st. Pauls&Aug. 17.-Benny Leonard,
new lightweighE champion boxer. Ii
not exactlytin needlof advice to dodge
the bright lights because he always
goes osbed early andg.has never been
known.to s1sctt into the grape But
7 III hat he is being, showered-with
warnings of what has happened to
Iother champions who haze gone, the
pace and 1t is. true that ring annals
abound in~@instances ofNgreat honors
falling blythe wayside. ~.
Those who saw rugged. slashing
Terry McGovern beat clever George
Dixon into helplessness. In eight
rounds at the old Broadway A. c.,
on the night, Of January 9, 1900, felt
certain Terrible Terry would be able
to hold his newly won featherweight
title for six or sever years at least,
Without much trouble; as McGovern
at that time was certainly a terrific
little fighter, with wonderful punch.
But IN thesfollowing year, Terry re-
ceived the surprise Of his life, when
Young Corbett knocked him outsin
two rounds. McGovern certainly was
utterly nonplu@ed. He demanded a
return match with his victor. He de-
clareds his, defeat was only an acei-
1908. Corbett gave Terry another
chance to regain his lost laurelsl at
San FRANCISCO. But again Young
Corbett proved himself the master by
putting Terry away In eleven rounds.
After these two decisive defeats
McGovern ceased to shine as a brill
liant pugilistic star. His prowess and
fistic ability began to fade away, and
he was never the same fighter again.
1t was the old story told over and
over again. From a humble. sturdy
| hnv h0 .fnIl "a VI ry{&hI.o wound NJ foct
admirers on the racetrack. who led
him from his simple, athletic life that
had made him a champion.
1t was on July z. 1914, that Freddy
around Wiliie Richie and thereby
became the worlds lightweight
champion. After he won his crown
he travelled the merry pace outside
the ring. which caused his absolute
defeat by Benny Leonard, in nine
rounds. It has always been a won
der how Freddy held his title for al
most three years at the festive speed
he,was going.
Jack Dillon was recognized al the
light heavyweight champion about a
year ago, and quite a wonderful fight
er he was. On June 20. 1915, Jack,
in a most mastery manner outfought
Frank Moran in Brooklyn, who
| SldAlAlSu " U0 IIlC AIlOSl lOSlCdl COu.
tender for the heavyweight cham
pionship. But Dillon. like many 9TH
ers, has hit the toboggan on account
Of lack of condition and a rather
reckless life outside the ring. Only
quite recently, Harry Greb Of Pitts
burg polished off the former Giant
Killer in ten rounds.
Gunboat Smith. about three years
ago, was considered a very dangerous
proposition. He claims to have a 20
round decision over Jess Willard
even. and to have knocked out Bonn
bardier Billy Wells, Jim Flynn and
many others. But he has been beat
en- by Carl Morris, Battling Levinsky,
Sam Langford and Jim Coffey: May
be the rGooner" has also blown off
to much steam in some way or 9TH
err. He is not the fighter lie a
Then there are Young Jake
Ahearn, Sam Langford, Eddie Nc
Goorty, Willie Richie, Battling Nell
son, Ad Wolgast, Joe Shugrue, Matt
Wells and many other once-noted,
formidable fighters, who have seen
their best fighting days. in the ring.
Some Of them car blame the fast and
reckless pace they have gone for
their deterioration; while others are
simply ring-worn or have lost their
| vitality. #