El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-02-15

xANT fine compliments have
MI been handed out regarding the
i 4 benefits resulting from boxing
at the various military camps during
the past year, and there have been a
few knocks from the publicity seek
ers. but they are few compared with
the many who have championed the
cause Of boxing. However, one OF the
strongest boosts given the boxing
game comes from the editor OF the
famous London Sporting Life" in
which he says:
What was written of boxing in
these columns Il months ago. when
looking back over the year that had
gone, and noting the steady but stin
strongly marked progress made by
the sport everywhere during that
period might almost be repeated word
for word-but with much greater en-
phesis. England, speaking in the
widest sense Of that word, Is very
much nearer to being a nation Of
boxers now than il was then-and
even at that time It was far on the
road.
Boxing Everywhere.
In every training camp at home,
in every convalescent depot in
behind the lines; in Egypt, in Greece
in every land IN short, in which
that greatest OF all pioneers, the
British Tommy, has been sent 10
present barrier OF dauntless hui
manly and forged steel TO the worlds
arch enemy-we find that boxing has
taken a foremost place in all the
thoughts and doings OF our men when
they are not engaged in strictly
military duties. That this is not an
exaggerated statement We ask stud
ents OF the Sporting Life to bear wit
ness for they have read almost daily
in these columns the reports sent
over by various correspondents OF
the periodic tournaments held in one
place or another abroad, and OF the
never tagging enthusiasm which box
ing creates among the thousands Of
officers and men Of all ranks who
pack to see them.
Officers, indeed from those in the
highest authority dOwuwards, are
the staunchest supporters Of boxing,
and give encourag cement 10 its prac-
uce by every means in thler power,
for, as they have told the men and
also young fellows who are being
trained to lead them, boxing is the
one sport which above all others in
culcates the real fighting spirit, ana,
while induring the frame to the hard
usage fnSeparable from warfare, ac-
customs the mind 10 bear acute phys
zeal pain with that fOrtitude which
the Spartans so sedulOusly cultivated.
For boxing is q sport in which one
must expect 10 take as well as give
hard knocks; and to receive punish
ment and 10 continue TO suffer pain
and still carry on indicates the
possession Of no little courage, both
mental and physical
Proper Method.
And as courage, or grit and the
IL j
are the qualities which are going TO
win this war, it is not wonderful that
boxing, the sport that induces those
qualities, should have taken such a
high place In the regard Of the men
who have been intrusted with the
task Of Transforming a nation of
tradesmen into the dominant fighting
force Of the world To our mind one
Of the most significant things Of the
whole war in connection with boxing
is the fact that the military authori-
ties Of our latest and in the end the
greatest Of our allies, the United
States, have seized on the sport so
avidly as a prime factor IN the train
ing of the new levies for Uncle Sans
army. No greater compliment could
have been paid to boxing than this
that the u. :. A. military authorities,
almost Immediately mobilization be-
gan, appointed practically every box
er Of note VINO had not already vol
unteered to act as instructors at the
various camps up and down the great
continent
America, YOU see, has come into
the war with the advantage Of having
studied all that the other nations
have been doing during three years
and more Of war, and the fact that
boxing has entered so much and at
once into her scheme of training her
new armies indicates that she has
seen what England has done in this
respect and has found the example
a good one to follow. 1t is a high
compliment indeed to England. and,
as we said before. to boxing, which
every one OF US must appreciate"
Journalists Aid.
Victor Breyer, the well known
has taken up the boxing question
along the same lines as A J. Daniels
q the London Sporting Life. only Air.
Breyer is even more enthusiastic