Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-14
Should Police Departments
Handle All Boxing Shows

The city of Toledo is about to be
put on the map in huge type for it's
staging of the Dempsey-Willard
world championship. A letter to this
paper to-day from Toledo Chief of
Police, Thomas V. Gardner. is evil
dence that Harrisburg's activity in
rugged sports is attracting atten-
tion and the suggestion is ripe. for
Joe Barrett, the veteran promoter
who is matching Lew Tender at the
Orpheum next Saturday night with
Allentown Dundee. has already ap-
preached the City Council here with
the same idea.
The United States Government has
lately issued a remarkable document,
telling that three million and more
men were trained in boxing in the
nineteen months the United States
was in the war. The total was dis
closed when the commission on train
ing camp activities compiled the fig
ures submitted by their physical di-
rectors in the different camps. The
compilation was made at the request
of the historical arm of the War De-
partment With many of the men in
the camps, the instruction in the
simplest moves in boxing had to be
started at the beginning. Many of
the regiments had only one or two
men proficient in the sport, and one
regiment at Camp Jackson was un-
able to demonstrate that not one man
in the entire organization had worn
a glove before coming to the camp.
Men close to the boxing game are
responsible for the guess that not
more than 5000 men before the war
received as much training in the arts
of self-defense and offense as the
100000 have received in the last
year and half.
This means a universal taking up
of a robust sport which makes a ma
tion capable of taking care of itself
that there should be substantial au
thority governing and directing the
bouts. The Tole do Chief of Police
says:
IT have noticed that quite a num-
Der of bouts are being held in Har-
risburg and it would be a grand idea
for you to inaugurate a campaign
of publicity, that would eventually
terminate in having your city offici-
ais, the mayor and so forth, have
complete charge of all bouts held in
the city and private boxing promot-
ers (who usually conduct the boxing
game in a crooked manner), barred
completely in your city.
"The Toledo mayor appoints a box
ing commission; every member
serves on this commission absolutely
without compensation. The referee,
the announcer, ushers and in fact, all
persons connected with the boxing
game here in Toledo, give their SER
vices absolutely without compensa-
tion with the executions of the fight
ers, who, of course, are paid.
"All proceeds of the fights, that
are held here. increase the Mayors
charity fund and this money is used
to relieve misery, distress and suf-
fering of Toledo's poor. I have read
an account in one of Toledo's news
papers of the large amount of coal
that has been purchased during the
past winter from this charity fund.
"Toledo's Mayor is present at all
bouts held here and believe me, 1
see most all bouts, too. The Mayor
usually makes a speech from the ring
during the intermission between
bouts. Dempsey was here on April
II, and in my opinion is undertaking
some job in Jess Willard. 1 believe
he will put UP a good showing, but
If Willard is in condition similar to
his condition when he fought Jack
johnson, he will be, without a doubt
returned a winner.
THE bouts held here, are all worth
while, because the boxing commits
sion will not tolerate any stalling.
In the event of a fighter falling to
appear in Toledo for a scheduled
bout, and it becomes necessary to
substitute another fighter to fill the