The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-06
sn,ninI Id rhn Aur. HeraId

Special to The Age Herald
 London, March 22-Just before the war, social London took on a craze that was then a complete novelty to mixed" audi ences. This was fashionable prize fights.
 Olympia, which for so many years had been the scene of historic and brilliant spectacles which included the horse show, the military tournament, and vast pa- geants, was given over to a series of ifs. tic contests between celebrated English, French and American boxers The huge space suddenly became the meeting ground, not only of the sporting frater- nity of the world, but also of society that was as representative of the elite as was gala night at Covent Garden opera house. Everybody who was anybody went to see the fights, and the women dresses and jewels were superb and evening dress" among the men was as much of a necessity as if the great Ken sington arena had been a ballroom.
 Now that tthe war is over, an attempt is apparently being made once more to revive the glories of the prize fight. The first of a promised series took place last week, and the result is, of course, known to the sporting world all over the uni verse, for it resulted in the downfall or that young Apollo of the boxing ring. Billy Wels'' otherwise known as the Bombardier."
 Probably it was because this now ta- nous fight was held in the smaller quar- ters of the Holborn stadium rather tnan IiD the monstrous Olympian quarter, that rank and fashion on the feminine side was not so largely represented as during the pre-war exhibitions. But still very large gathering of women watched the de- feat of the ex-heaVyweight champloh ol England and were hugely disappointed and thrilled when he received that uaglc Knock out blow. For Wells was, think the original cause or bringing tnou- sands of women 10 look at a real proies- sional fight He is sort of hero among women who take a more or less intelli- gent interest in athletic matters They all admire him, not only because of his unusually attra active appearance, put also because he has a nice, fresh personality that is far removed from any suggestion of the prize fighters more brutal at tributes.
 Billy Wells has always been hero Wlt1 Ithe London women Of the better CLASS Whether he is in multi or in plain clothes Tor in fighting rig he invariably looks Is.the right thing" and so when he came Ito the end of his championship recently I think there was a genuine feeling o1 regret everywhere. Carpenter, the Frenchman, is the next faVorite among the feminine devotees of 'the manly art, and am told that as soon as Oiyinpla is cleared of the government and military stores that now fill it from glass roof to concrete floor, there will be series Of t.fights'' that will draw the world ana his wife in their best clothes and their gayest mood to witness contests, Of when Carpentier and other muscular champions will be the heroes. It is strange fancy, this revival of the gladiatorial spirit Among the women Of England; probably 1t has something yb do with the reaction of the nerves after war, but at any rate there is no doubt that a vast majority have no desire to settle down into what they now call 'the namby- pamby" ex- }stence of pre-war femininity. Of course among certain class of Eng fish women an open air, athletic life has always been in favor. Hunting, racing. cricket and the like, are to many of the welI-bred country-living girls an indls- pensible portion of daily life; but this feeling has even developed and extended since the war and one can note its effect on every side. I remember some years Ago. when the niece of Mr James w. I,owther, Ohe speaker of the house of Gommons) was regarded with good deal df suspicion by town-bred mammas and their daughters. Miss Toupie Lowther was one of the first women in England (bf the present generation) to learn box ing. She was taught "the gentle art by a sergeant in the life guards and as she