Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-10
WILL IMPROVE BOXING
CLASHES BEHIND TRENCHES
WILL DEVELOP MANLY ART
Each Nation Hns It's style, and Bouts
VIII Lend to Their Dis
scuinatiOu.

From several OF our young soldiers
who have been "ovcr there" in France
IL has been learned that boxing bouts
are being held by the athletic car-
riors OF all the allied nations back of
the trenches. In fact. the fistic sport
is the chief amusement and recreation
ct tho biz armies now fighting for
human liberty and democracy.
AS yet tho boxing contests are held
between men Of their own race and ma
tons. But in the near future bouts
Will he staged between the warriors
Of America. England. France, Aus
tral!a and Canada. This will bring the
different styles and schools OF boxing
into lively competition. and in tie end
produce the highest type OF nstic ar
lists III tho world.
editor of the Evening Dispatch. Of
Birmingham, England, writes on the
subject - follows:
such opportunities az those offered
ut the present time for the advance
ment OF boxing In the services never
before existed. The mixture OF men
from the British Isles and the colonies
with Frenchmen. who have been our
closest rivals in the race for supremacy
in boxing in tho immediate past. has
hardly fail to very materially
strengthen tho number Of active en-
thusiasts and tone UP the glove game
generally.
Naturally there is diversity IT
styles on the scene. and / quite expect
to see much that has been missing
from the method6 OF British boxing
III the past in full practice among our
men when the order to return home
has been issued. That insular prejudice
which has kept us rathcd in the back
ground OF sport during the past fow
years has almost disappeared. The
objection to new and in many cases
improved modes has been swept away.
and the intelligent boxer will cultivate
ring work on lines most likely TO gain
his recognition. This means recon-
structiou OF styles and naturally the
adoption VI the best features in use
by the men on the Continent aud over
seas, and which arc likely I" create
the perfect boxer IL Systematically fol-
lowed.
The advent OF tho Americans upon
the battle fronts will materially assist
IN tho linking up Of ring methods to
the benefit Of the sport in general.
First Rattle In Maryland.
Ii was the invasion of many sclen-
tidc ringaters from England. some
seventy years ago. that really taught
and infused the proper. skillful boxing
spirit into cur fighters. our first recog-
ni2cd champion was Tom HycT, Il
powerful! giant. who defeated Yankee
Sullivan az Rock Point. Md. on Feb
ruary I. 1870. in sixteen rounds with
bare knuckies, under the old London
rules.
Sullivan was very game, tricky
tighter. who had ,eIrned the manly art
By combating expert Englishmcn. He
was born in Ireland. aud for i man of
his size was indeed wonder. 1T was
Flyers superior strength. bulk and
height that heat Sullivan and not his
ring genera!ship. for our first big
champion was not scientific battler
by any means.
But il was such clever men as YAM
Eec Sullivan. Barney Aaron, Jem Mace.
New O'Boldwin. Tom Allen. Billy Ed
wards and many other English and
Irish fighters. who boxed and fought
American ringstcrs and finally made
thcm very proficient masters Of the
noble art.
Many years after came the invasion
Of the formidable and skiltul Aus
men as Peter Jackson. Bob FitZsim-
mons. Young Grin. Billy Murphy. Jim
Hall and hos; OF others. They awoiEe
this country enthusiastically and won
many honors in the American ring.
Tho lure of yankee gold fairly
drained kungarooland of nearly all her
Greatcat ring men some twenty-five
years ago. and the United States in the
end was greatly ben Gifted by the in
vading foreigners who taught many
new and brilliant ring tactics. which
were more or less adopted by am
bilious boxers.
international competition In most any
line is always beneficial to the human
race.