The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-29
How Good Il Middle Age7

With the peace signed the minds Of
many men are free to turn toward
war whose ways are radically differ
ent from the conduct of international
conflicts. We refer to the battle Of
Maumee Bay, which is set down for
next Friday, a day also to be observed
by persons who can't get to Toledo
as the Fourth Of July. Nations never
write on paper an agreement TO fight
each other; individuals do. At the
end OF q great war the countries en-
gagged sign their names to a pledge
to stop fighting; at the end Of box
ing match pen and ink are not re-
quired by the principals. Yesterday
yells were emitted and pieces Of paper
thrown out Of windows by men who
expressed their delight that the war
was over. These very individuals
showed their Joy almost as vehe-
mentIy when II became known a fort
night ago that Governor Cox Of Ohio
would not stop the big hght. Men
who told the Government that be-
cause of their dependent families they
could not go to France to see the big
gest fight in history will desert their
families this week to go to Toledo,
although passage to France was free
and It costs three cents a mile to 20
to Toledo. Not that We disapproye
Of boxing. That sport, or 90 per cent.
Of 1t, is clean and fair. 1t promotes
health, patience and workmanship
at least In the amateur.
Not all the interest in the impend-
ing conflict between Messrs. WILLARD
and DEMPSEY IL limited to fight
bugs" There are home loving,
church going men who have never
thumbed the Police Gazette annual
who are awaiting the issue with
eagerness. To them 1t Is not a match
between a champion and a challenger
not a mere question whether DOC
pounds can lick the tar out Of 90
pounds. They are waiting to see
whether Middle Age can stand up
against the onslaught Of Youth, for
JESS WILLARD Is a middle aged man
Cruel investigators have dug into the
records OF the town where lie was
wed and have shown that JESS Is 81
That is two long years past the he
ginning Of middle age. In the prize
ring IL Ia almost second childhood
Do not rell a prize fight follower that
at 81 NAPOLEON overthrow the Holy
Roman Empire, for he will reply thai
at "a JOHN L. SULLIVAN was so old
md puffy that CoKsErr made him lool
like a boob.
It is the man In the fOrties who
hopes for the victory Of Mr.. WILLARD
He sees himself in this stodgy, steady
going pugilist, this good provider fol
the family, this fellow who goes
through the training mill RS conscien
tiously as n commuter goes to thu
train. Poor old WILLARD. He never
sets 'em up for everybody in the
house. Saloon mirrors are perfectly
cafe from him. He cannot make
epigrams like JOHN L.. or tell stories
like JIN CORBETT, or hunt bears like
| JEFFRIEs, or shoe horses like Boz
FITzsISiMoNs. He works at n trade
the terrific trade Of prize fighting, anG
when his Job Is over he goes back t.
his farmhouse and amuses himself
with we know not what; perhaps h,
secretly writes vers libre or sing
tenor ballads. He has the temper Of
an angel and bides his time like Fate
He smiled for sixteen rounds while
JOHNSON assaulted him, and then de
molished the negro with the calmnes.
of a farmland taking down an ole
fence. That was four years ago, ant
he had not yet entered upon the SAT
period Of middle age. VIII he fee
four years older when DEMPsE,
PUSHES at him with the ferocity o,
YOUTH JACK Is "a, just the age a
which, SULLIVAN beat PADDY RYAN
also just the aRe OF NAPOLEON wher
he fed from Corsica.
| In ancient Greece JESS would be 4