New Britain herald., 1917-11-22
REPEAL OF BOXING
COSTLY TO STATE
Fstic Game Brought Nearly
100000 to New York

New York, Nov. 22.-After six years
Of boxing under legal control the
game OF g1oved tisticuffs has again
been abandoned throughout New
York State. The last bouts under the
provisions of the Frawley law were
held November IA and such contests
as may be held in the future will
probably be staged under the so-called
"club membership plan" An idea of
the popularity of boxing, even under
the restrictions imposed by the law
just repealed, may be gained from the
fact that the gate receipts during the
six years Of the ring game amounted
to about 100000, and the states
share was close to 100000.
The official returns for 1917 are not
available At this time, but the COM
mission reports for the years between
1911 and 1915 show that $4.502,280
was paid in at the gates Of the va
rious boxing clubs located throughout
the state and that the revenue de-
rived under the legislature tax
amounted to $262,263. The estimated
receipts for the present year arc
placed at close to 100000, and the
tax returns at about $4,000.
During the period Of boxing under
the Frawley law two titles changed
!, hands as the result of knockouts
! scored in the rings of New York city.
AL Mccoy wrested the middleweight
title away from George Chip in April
sg1914, by knocking out the champion
! in one round. Mccoy in turn lost his
i title in a sensational bout with Mike
. O'Dowd in the last big bout under the
L Frawley law, when he was knocked
h out by the st. Paul boxer in the sixth
round OF their bout held Nov. IA.
1917. The other championship won
. and lost was the lightweight title
+ which passed from Freddie Welsh to
Benny Leonard earlier in the present
year when the latter scored a clean
knockout Of the Welshman in their
third meeting in this city.
Other bouts Of particular interest
were the willard Moran and the Nc
/ Farland-Gibbons matches which set
/ a record in recent year gate receipts.
Probably the most exciting boxing
event under the recently defunct law
was the K. o. Brown Matt Wells bat
tie. This was the first big contest
held under the Frawley rules and ap-
parently every follower Of boxing for
miles about New York was eager to
/ crowd his way into Madison Square
. Garden for the initial clash. The re-
suit was near-riot, calls for police
reserves and legalized boxing began
under discouraging auspices. For all
4 round excitement and execution the
Bombardier wells-Al. Palzer battle at
the Garden was probably the most
sensational one staged during the en-
tire six years Of boxing.
s Football For Red Cross.
Eastern football followers are hop
ing that the present unusual war con-
ditions may result in a game for the
benefit Of the American Red Cross
fund which will realize the ambition
OF many seasons for an International
championship gridiron battle. Three
sections Of the states this year have
4 college elevens which stand out above
their rivals at this writing and a con-
1 test between any two Of the trio would
arouse great interest II played at a
large city in any one of the sections.
Notwithstanding the restrictions and
hahdicaps which have surrounded the
development OF college football teams
this season. the south has produced
4 remarkable eleven in the Georgia
Institute Of Technology combination.
u The East has two in the University Of
Pittsburgh and the U. S. Naval Acad-
envy teams while the middle west is
ably represented by the University Of
Michigan and one OR more of the con-
ference college squads. Far various
reasons both Michigan and the Navy
i teams appear to be eliminated from
post-season Red Cross contests but
football enthusiasts are hoping that
the efforts to bring about a match
between Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh
may meet with success. Such a game
should rebound to the benefit of the
fund and the sport.