The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-07
BASEBALL
W i r A OK
G Q L F
THE PUGILIST'S FAME
~. Y. Times.)


william Haxlitt. who in the tudgm ent
OF Charles Lamb was "one of the finest
and wisest spirits breathing" when lin
his natural and healthy state" wrote
lively essay about the prize fight be-
tween Tom Hickman. the "gasman,
and Biil Ncase. which he witnessed
after exposing himself to discomforts
on the journey 10 the rsnEside such az
pilgrims 10 Toledo the past week did
not endure Was Hazlitt "in his Hatu-
,al and healthy state" when he reveied
in gladiatorsal combat between two
hruisers with picked hands and de-
scrtbed their blood spilling valor as
the high and heroic state of man ?
Though the answer he "a firm no. the
question intrudes incorrigihiy. VINO
won4 Bill Neate. who gave the gas
man his auietus in the eighteenth
round "wher am II what is the
natter asked Tom Hickman. 1t had
been a CORY exhibition. but to see II
Hazlitt regarded himself as privileged.
One Of his companions. on this way back
was reading the New Eloise." which
prompts the friend of Wordsw crth.
Coleridge, and Lamb to say: Ladies.
after this will you contend that
love for the fancy ia incompatible with
the cultivation Of sentiment"
Physically Haylitt was not strenuous,
He did not box or engage In any sport
renuiring pluck and endurance. He was
"awkward in his gait" and habby. HE
gives his hand" some on says. las II
II were the an of q FISH" And yet Haz-
tift adored rugflists He must have re-
GREETED that he nver saw Tom Cribb
defend the title In his unhealthy
state william Haxlist would rather
have hen champion OF England than
essayist. critic. and biographer OF Ma
- 20 OF nf
the individuals seen at bout between
professional hoxers--a euphemism Tor
nriz agh;ers-are unsubstantsal, scant
( ~ breath, and noncotnbative. But from
Fneus TO less willard human beings
trcluainr the centler sex. have al
/ mired strong. aggressive. eonauerins
/ men. and there is no auarreling with
| an instinct II man Is weak, with
/ the spirit Of an armadillo, they may
/ he NO limit to his idolatry for a cham
/ pion Of tho world,
/ The superior pneilists. the para
I mount men Of hrawn. have always been
/ nut on II pedestal by the populace. The
+ fact is that men and women without
+ regard to class and condition. dearly
/ love champion IT was SO In England
! IN the time when men fought win mare
hands and fought Ike hrutes To tnJure
: and cfipple ono another, with the
1
rules Nevertheless. the champions
walked apart like mon of heroic mold,
and the nobility and gentry, ministers
! 81 state, scholars. literary men. and
the professions bowed down to them.
! II YOU win call the roll Of the cham
! rlon hruisers of England YOU VIII see
how they were adored, petted and priv
! legged First. John Rroughton ifob-
! 1sSa1 "the father OF British pugilsm.
/ who IN sata to have invented the box
3nr glove He was ratronizcd ny the
+ elite Of society,"" and had great and
/ powerful friend IN the duke Of Cum
bcrIand, who once backed him for TO-
COO pounds. losing In ert1oney Rroueh-
ton died rich for that time. and lies
under an imposing stone in Lambreth
church. John known as Gentleman,
| Jackson f7se-Is45l, the first "scien-
/ fian" boxer, eonsorted with the high
est IL not the best In the land, Lord
Ryron waE staunch friend. dcciar-
i ing Iaeksons manners to be IN
fniteiv superior to those or the rel
lows of the college whom I meet AT
! high table" According 70 Tom Moore
the char pion made more than 1000
rounds A year az boxing instructor,
1 AZ the coronation Of George ~ he was
+ dressed as a page To guard the en-
I trance to Westminster Abbey, II was
+ Moore who said that the respect paid
| to Gentleman jackson was hfghiN
coniea1" In one of his fights Cen
.!eman" Jackson held Mendoza helpless
b, his long hair (ail pugilists had pig
tails in that day. and beat him into
submission. colossal monument.
paid for by admirers. marks the place
Of Jackscn's burial in Brompton Gem
! ct
/ William Thompson, f''Bendigo.o
born in 1911. was champion who
| died in the odor of sanctity. be-
coming a dissenting minister after
many celebrated battles, He preached
! powerfully in Hoiborn circus. There.
however. he never faced as many
people as saw him fight Deaf Burke
al Heather. when 5000 were present.
/ Bendigo, Australia, Is said TO have
been named after this pugilist. Tom
Crib. ffTs1-is4s,9 as fair n fighter
| as ever drew on n glove bore a
! character of unimpeachahle human
ity" and lies under monument in