Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-02
OBJECTION OF MINISTERS
TO FIGHT PROVES FUTILE
corbctt Says That Opponents Do Not
Realize Changes in Boxing Since
Old Ring Days.
BOUTS NOW LESS BRUTAL
Marquis of Queensbury Rules Lifted
Pugilism to Point Where Speed,
Brain Work and Quickncss Count
for More Than Brute Strength.
ny JAMES !. CORBETT.


Ministerial objection to the less
WtlIsrd.Jack Dempsey fight has come
10 nausht And that is no more than
could be expected in this rather en-
\ certain band OF persons in Toledo
decided that siasins the fight In that
sible EFFORTS 10 drive the contest GU,
OF Toledo. bu, they have failed
II seems SRA, strange 'haS IN this "a, td
ot persons who look upon the boxing
same "a a sport DEGRADING and de5rut-
sli5:ns. They. are in the class Of Feter
have no, watched the development OF
the boxing game from its earliest days
20 It's present po.nh L. they nal.
TO the stastny 81 ~ championships con-
test in their ci.;.
l, is true. beyond 8 question o.
bare knuckle days when men coaked
their hands in salt brine TO tonsh"n
them and ba;;Ied along To inisn,
scientific sport.
Quecnsbury Rules Changed Game.
Fin, since the introduction OF the
Marquis of QucensburE rules years
ago. a radical change. practically a
revolution. has come III the entire con-
duct or the sport The game was
lifted from one where brute s,rcns tn
alone prevailed TO C eSmtss; Wn ire
eye. OF the hand. and Of the feet are
vital assets.
Boxing has become :, seen ili' con- !,
and All the other sp7r;S And it Is n
game. too. that develops character
even while it builds m the nhys,cai
powers. II boxing WASH. Al ideal
Snort. do YOU suppose ina, air"T Of
fcers would have introduced it into
The very best tr-off tina, boxing Of
today Is clean sport and whole
some one. is the fact that clersymen
of all denominations are frequently
seen among boxing audiences in evsry
land where the sport nourishes Those
are red -blocded clericalS: men with
broadened. p-to-the-minute vision. 1t
is only 1those clergymen who perhaps
know about pusilism only from the
stories OF It's carly days. who object
to il.
Only Two Deaths Recently.
Whenever 4 football contest is to
be staged or baseball game or even
wrestling match. n" cry ever goes
up against IT, Yet. believe statistics
will show that more accidents come
about In baseball and more fatalities
IN football than in boxing contests. 1t
is my recollection that AS a result Of
tens OF thousands OF puGilistic clashes
in the last year two. only two
deaths have resulted. And both are
trsceahle 10 lack Of condition, rather
than TO beating IN the rlnS.
PuSilism ia not like footba II. II ia
whole lot milder and less dangerous.
In boxing a man has but one oppon-
ent 10 watch But in football there are
himself. and each and every one is
liable to do him injury. The eleven
men opposite him certainly arc out 10
GET him # they can. and in every
sCrirmaEc there is always a possibility
OF accident or death.
Il would rather hEht 900 battles in
e r a ~ N In q in
one football game. is wha, John l..
Sullivan once told Big Bit Edwards.
ward Princeton lash. i've got some
chance in tight.
Objections TO Fight Petty.
Those same ministers who, have OPP
which is to he scientific boxing clash
between two perfectly trained athletes
not only have failed 10 object to foot
bail. but undoubtedly have approved
games Themselves '' $50 -" = %
Mayor Schneider, of Toledo. a real
true democratic American spirit when
il renlying to the objections OF the
el,y rhs oh ,on ns i put on IN MS
and w!thouc- foundation The fight
mean muon 10 Toledo. 1t Will give
the building Of tho immense arena, and
~ me present time there are thou
JOB
Furthermore. the biz crowd Of visi.
tors Viii spend money here and the
merchants and storekecperS in this civ
VIII ne enriched At least 100000. To-
ledo needs publicity, this fight VIII
provide il. Toledo is The name OF the
town that viii be spoten in every city
ana hamlet in America. Europe and
Australia FOR the next six weeks And
that's the Kind OF publicity that Will
10 the town plenty ot good The fsht
goes on. Copyright. 1919, by King
FeaiuIts Syndicate, Inc