The evening world., 1919-03-13
Civic Reform Lacquer Offers
Weak Arguments Against Le-
galized Boxing at Albany
Hearing.

TT the New York Senate judiciary
Committee could be lmpanelled as
jury TO decide the case OF legal
lied boxing on the evidence adduced
at yesterdays Albany hearing. they
could arrive at but one verdlct-that
In favor Of the sport.
A representative OF the United Re.
form Lea que. whatever that is. was
the chief speaker in opposition TO the
Gibbs law. intended to lcgalize ten
round bouts TO a decision. but Marty
AcCue. Assemblyman. and one OF the
eleverest boxers OF his time. easily
Sutpointed him In the verbal combat
Marty characterized men who op-
posed boxing ss molly coddles, not
at to trail around with decent pso-
ple."
The reform Lacquer professed 10 be
horrihod at the very suggestion OF
legalizlng tho sport. He pointed out
that forty y-seven deaths could he
traced 10 II. lie didn't say how many
deaths in the German Army could he
attributed to the knowledge OF the
sports fine points. acquired by our
boys In army training camps under
government supervision.
THE sport also. should not be toll
i Grated, according to said re-
former. because II shortened mems
lives. He's right to a certain extent.
It shortened many Germans life
but II has prolonged those of many
an American who welded the gloves.
An Assemblyman McCue pointed out.
Jem Mace was no spring chicken
when he was counted out forever.
neither was John l.. sullivan. Theo-
dore Roosevelt, who often boosted
that boxing changed him from
wsakling to n man ofrobust strength.
had a reasonably long and vigorous
life. Then there is McCue himself, In
the prime OF life, a fine example OF
manhood, with a son old enough to
have gone through the war. Also
Jack Skelly. who fought Dixon at
New Orleans the same week John l..
Sullivan beat Corbett, is up and
around, just blooming with health.
And our own sammy Kelly in the
best OF shape and as young and lively
as the day on which he beat IBilly
Pllmner in England years ago.
Jim Corbett too Is among the land
OF living, much younger in spirits and
appearance than almost any utner
nan who never wore boxing glove.
KTR. REFoRMER also protested
1t1 that IL boxing were legalzed II
would mean that the Willard Demp-
sey bout would be held here. and would
open the way 10 sCandalous betting.
Terrible isn't It? Mr. Reformer doesn't
have TO bet on the contest. neither
does any one else II he doesn't want
TO.
New York should be deprived Of the
best thing in t'e fistic world, lust be-
cause the civic reform Lacquer Is
afraid some folk might bet ON the re-
suit. Twouldnt be any money out
of his jeans.
IL has iVnE been an unwritten Jaw
that 0 man can do what he wants to
do with his own money.
THE rendering OF decisions in bouts
4 was another calamity the pubic
would have 10 shoulder, according 20
the reform Lacquer civic. They would
mean brutal fights The very idea.
Seems TO us decisions would mean lust
the opposite. They would tend to make
bouts more evenly contested where
men were equally matched. because
the principals would strive harder =
keep the score OF points even a. all
stages.
III we know anything boxing "a a
more popular form OF sport and
amusement. except possibly baseball
and racing on certain days, than any
thing else the public patronizes. IL
10 only necessary to refer to attend.
ances at bouts and the money paid. to
see them 10 Prove this. why. there
fore, should any reform league or body
OF narrow minded fanatics rise up in
opposition to IL? What is their pbiecl
in trying 10 forestall something The
public has shown II desires? Get.lns
70 be a funny world this
D AN plumb into Tex Rickard last
~ night at the Biltmore when W,
didn't expect to. The night before we
couldn't fnd him at an appointed
time with search warrant. Tex wn,
laxative, went along so fast, We
could hardly follow him. League o
Nations. Panama Canal, Prob bltior
and what not.
The Willard Dempsey fght?
No, nothing 10 say about that. no
= thing new In connection with IL.
Would Dempsey be favorite2 WASH
sure, didn't care.
Just back from Texas, had nm
trip, and say, boy, those oil wells, IN
prettiest things you ever saw.
"No. not share OF stock TO sell
Don't have to.
The hearing on the Boxing Bill il
Albany oh, yes, that's on to-day
but I'm not particularly interested /
H. Lots OF other things to think G
Just now. See you later" And the
away with him.
A LEX TAYLOR, the sport good
IA man. writes us that The wee
OF March "a Is TO be celebrate
throughout the United States as Na
tional Baseball Week, and back OF IN
movement Is every amateur team d
any size. IL is being promote
throughout public schools, hig
schools, universities, colleges and il
dnstrial plants even, the idea bein
70 get baseball back where II belong
~ soon as possible"
Mr.. Taylor asks our support In aid
Ing this ilovement. We arc with /
but can't think AT thg moment OF an
sosgestions that misst aid the move