The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-03-29
SPORT GOSSIP
BY o. 3. KELLER.

BY o. 3. KELLER.
Atlanta, March 2S.-Pete Herman,
bantamweight boxing champion of the
United States. and an old friend-or
rather a young friend-of mine, may
soon be reinforced in his profession.
or possibly combatted. by other mem
bers of his own race. Pete is a little
Italian and he Ii a wonderful boxer
Now I heard that the Y. NJ. C. A. has
pulled off stunt over yonder that
has stirred up any amount of interest
in the boxing game in Sunny It." and
from that wave of interest both Pete
and Johnny Dundee. the other most
prominent Italian boxer in America,
may look for their countrymen to de-
velop in the gentle art of crossing
leather
The Y. NJ. C. A. recently planned a
tour of nine boxing stars from the
American Expeditionary Forces, who
spent two weeks on a trip through
ITALY, giving exhibitions to the italian
and American soldires. The expedi-
ton was financed by the "Y" and con-
Quoted by the chief athletic officer of
the American army, whose name just
now escapes me. Lieut.. Harry A.
Leighton, his representative. was on
the jaunt. and also Jimmy Bronson,
former boxer and more recently pro-
moter, of Joplin, Mo-, who acted as
referee OF the bouts.
The boxers, specially selected from
the A. e. F., were as follows:
Mike ODowd. middlewieght cham
pion of America; Al Norton. OF San
Francisco. light heavyweight cham
pion Of the Pacific coast: Bud Clancy,
of ST. Louis, light heavyweight of.
prominence in the middle west; Joseph
Tierney, lightweight of New York.
who was boxing instructor at Camp
Dix; Johnny Butchin. featherweight
OF Philadelphia; Kid Dayton. feather
weight of Dayton; Gene belmont, one
OF the most promising lightweights
developed in Memphis in recent years:
Johnny Foley. the st. Louis feather
weight. and Gene Payo, a lightweight
Of ability from Ell Paso. Texas.
Now it does not require any stretch
of the American imagination to pic
ture the reception given these boxing
cards at Milan, Florence, Naples,
Venice end Rome. Everybody who
knows Anything about boxing knows
the enthusiasm with which American
greet the sport. But It is
said on good authority that the flam-
boyant Latin temperament, aroused
by the fast and clever work Of the
American boxers, famed forth in root
ing that fairly laid in the shade even
the >stentorian efforts of the overseas
In short, the Italians went crazy
over boxing, and within the next lew
days there were earnest appeals for
gloves and teachers in the Italian
camps. It is said that so many likely
looking Italian athletes are taking to
the sport that it now appears certain
that the squared circle game is to be-
some a permanent institution through
put the land.
II the recommendations of DIR. B. r.
Roller. nationally famous as a heavy
weight wrestler, lis taken seriously,
several of the more dangerous holds in
the mat sport will be cast aside and
the pastime rendered less vicious for
coming generations.
During recent>~nonths, or since the
talk of another international tourna-
ment in New York, there has been
debate on the legality of
the head hold. toe hold and scissor
hold. Many of the grapplers, as well
AS the followers Of the sport. do not
believe these holds are giving the
nat game additional prestige. while it
is certain they have seriously injured
The game for many who perhaps have
been devotees for years.
No other westler in the land is as
we'll qualified to speak on the subject
Of holds as DIR. Roller Aside from
being graduate physician, he is also
In experienced wrestler. He has never
lesitated to score the head hold. He
declares 1t is nothing but a modifica-
ton Of the strange hold, which gave
Ed Lewis his awe-inspiring sobriquet.
DR.. Roller declares positively that
even though the head hold may force
4 wrestler to put his shoulders to the
nat, 1t is also quite likely to Grippe
4 victim for life. The toe hold, made