The Washington herald., 1917-02-20
LAWS ARE GRADUALLY
ABOLISHING BOXING
Field Has Narrowed Down Until the
Game Is on Its Last Less.

New York. Feb. 10. - The hungry
tentacles OF State laws are gradually
closing In on the boxing game, and in
many parts of the country the life has
been crushed from the sport.
Persistent boosters of boxing DO all
that is In their power each year to push
bills legalizing the game through our
state legislatures. But instead of in
creasing the number of States in which
boxing is permitted, the field is decreas-
ing.
Boxing is in decidedly bad in New
York. The methods employed by those
who were put in charge of boxing under
the State laws have been a big blow to
the sport here. In Colorado the game
Is tottering. 1t was not boosted any by
the Welsh-White fight at Colorado
Springs. and the chances are that
twenty-round bouts are a thing of the
past in the region of the Rockies. In
Minnesota boxing is on trial, while in
many other States enemies OF the sport
are merely awaiting the chance to de-
in its exclusion altogether
The fact that boxing is limited TO
so few States. with the field for it's
operation constantly growing narrower,
Is traceabl directly to the free and easy
methods used by those who foster it,
Lax methods i'm the handling Of bouts ,
petty grievances between boxers and
promoters and the grasping attitude of
some who have horned into the game
are TO blame. II is to be regretted that
an admission of the true cause for grow
ing sentiment against boxing puts the
men who handle the game in a bad light
But It is the truth.
OF course. there are many good men
connected with boxing. Many promoters
stick to the sport and take sporting
chance on making a fair profit. They
would rather have the sport for itself
and break even than see II dropped alto
gether. But there are others who think
of nothing but the dollars that come in at
the box office and this class OF promoter
Is common around New York Many New
York clubs have sold tickets for seats
which they knew could not be found in
their clubs. They have sold the house
out and still kept the box office open.
The fight fans had to take a chance. II
they beat some one else to it, well, and
good. II not. they were the losers. Only
a few years ago. when boxing fiourished
in the West. such condition would have
called for a general shooting up Of the
house But the promoters who handled
shows in the old days were willing to give
dollar for dollar in value at the box Of
fee.
A move TO take boxing from New York
would prove almost al hard a blow to the
game as its demise in California. New
York City alone has been the Mecca for
hundreds OF boxers during the past four
or five years.
Boxing bouts Of Importance have been
held in but few cities outside OF the Me-
tropolis. New Orleans and Denver. or
Colorado Springs being the only other
cities where biz cards are staged which
draw enormous gates.
Wisconsin. Ohio and Missouri are the
only States. aside from Colorado, which
compare with New York. Colorado and
Louisiana as fertile fields for the game.
In most other States boxing is not really
prosperous.
hcnnsylvanis allows boxing. but the
biting boys must stick to the six-round
route. and the game under these cOndi-
tions Is not at its best by any means. In
q few scattering States boxing bouts are
permitted in connection with celebrations,
but in reality the laws are against it,
Havana. Cuba. is the only city in the
western hemisphere where a finish fight
that Will pay for itself at the box office
can be staged. and Havana will no doubt
be tn" scene OF some important boxing
bouts during the present year
To say the least. boxing is being tossed
about like a small cork on an angry sea,
and unless those who run the game arc
made to seesthe handwriting and place
substantial props under boxing before I
is too late. the day is not far of when a
frst-Class boxing match will be as hard
to find as climbing around the North
Pole.