Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-10-11
new CLUB SEEKS TO
extend BOXING TO
WORKING CLASSES

New York, Oct. 11-Extension of
the boxing field in the United States
to championships in the working clas-
ses is an unparalleled venture in AM
erican sport annals to be attempted by
the new international Sporting Club of
New York.
This club headed by Major A. J.
Drexel- -Biddle, millionaire sportsman
and noted marine, and including some of
the most influential men in the United
States has for it's matchmaker Tey
Rickard, one of the best known pro-
moters in the world
Under the present chaotic conditions,
which this club hopes to untangle, box
ing includes only two branches, profess
sional and an amateur class on small
scale. Major Biddle's plan is to estab-
lish an entirely new class to be known
as the industrial division and to in
clude workers of every trade and occu-
patton. At the head Of the industrial
championship division will be F. A.
Ruben, secretary Of the Amateur Ath-
letic Union and president Of the Metro
politan association.
The various industries will be divid.
ed into sectional classes and kinds such
as the eastern lumber class, the eastern
textile class, etc. Each class will be
given heavyweight, middleweight, light
weight and bantomweight champion
ships. Belts to be awarded to the win
ners by the club will be augmented by
prizes of scholarships educational tours,
pensions and the like that will not de-
stroy the amateur rating of the win
ners.
Among the belts already donated are
the following: heavyweight champion
ship of the eastern state lumber indus
try by the Connecticut Valley Lumber
Company; heavyweight championship
of eastern states textile industry by
the Charlton Mills; heavyweight cham
pionship~of the eastern states packing
industry by Sperry and Barnes com
pany; heavyweight championship of the
eastern state pulp and paper industry
by Bird & Son; heavyweight cham pion-
ship of the eastern states wooden indus
try by the American Woolen Company;
lightweight championship of the east
ern states textile industry by the Coro-
net Worsted Company; heavyweight
championship of the. eastern rubber
goods industry by the Converse Rubber
Shoe Company; middleweight champion
ship of eastern textile industry by l..
J. Mutty Company; lightweight champ
ionship of eastern wooden industry by
Asa Peek & Company; heavyweight
championship of eastern machine shops
by c. F. Roper & Company; heavy
weight championship of eastern auto
mobile industry by. New Departure
Mfg. Co.; heavyweight championship
of eastern cotton industry by Slater
and Company heavyweight champion
ship eastern hardware industry by
Bridgeport Screw Company.
The various championships viii be
decided by series of elimination con
tests between the aspirants in each
division. The final bouts will be stag
ed before the international Club in a
$500,000 club house which is to be
built in New York this winter.
Major Biddle, the sponsor and orig
inator of the idea believe that box
ing is in the zenith Of its popularity
now, especially among the industrial
classes. He is of the opirion thar many
returned soldiers who saw the physical
advantages Of boxing exemplified in
the army viii be anxious to continue
participation in the sport if it is put
on good clean foundation. 1t is the
purpose of the club to make this pos
sible.
In addition to the industrial classes,
the club has completed plans for similar
contests in the army navy and the
New York police and fire departments
in which the winners will be pitted
against the champions of the respective
classes in England.
The club lists among its members
prominent bankers, jurists, politicians
army and navy chiefs and sportsmen.
It has unlimited financial resources and
the prospects of success in the venture
seems very bright.