The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-01-04
Mortality Among Boxers Low-Quaker City Boxer First to Die From Injur- ies Received in Ring in Boston Since 1901.

With boxing being boomed and boosted from coast to coast, 1t Is ex- ceedtngly unfortunate that the death of one of the profession should result from a fall to the floor of the ring following a blow. To the few who look upon boxing as a brutal sport and therefore should be barred, the death of Young Terry McGovern in Boston last Tuesday as a result of injuries received in the ring the pre- vious night at the Central 4. A. will be used as a weapon to harm the pop ularity of the ring game, but their effort in this respect should not hin der the glove game in its climb up- ward
 Deaths due to boxing have been fewer than in any other branch of sport. Young Terry McGovern was the first victim of an accident in this country since May "A, 1913, when Luther McCarter died following a bout with Arthur Pelky It was the first death in a Boston ring for sev- enteen years, and over the stretch of time thousands of glove contests were held without any serious damage be- ing done to the principals. In 1901 Tommy Cassidy and Tommy Dixon, a Chicago colored boxer, met at the old Lenox 4. c. During the contest Cassidy was floored. His head hit the floor of the ring and he received a fractured skull which proved fatal. If complete list of bouts which re- suited fatally to one of the principal during the history of boxing were to be compiled it is probable that the l list would include as many as fifty ! names.
 | In most of the fatal boxing contests 1 deaths have been caused by the prin- ] cipal entering the ring without condi- | tioning himself thoroughly for the 1 engagement while in a few cases poor
 matchmaking has been the cause. In ! the case of the latest ring fatality the 1 former reason is believed to have been l the cause of McGovern's death Frankie Britt, his opponent, was moi l originally matched with Mcqovern
 the latter being g last minute substi-
 ute. The pair had met on three
 previous occasions and each time made a good showing, their last con. test resulted in fast twelve round draw, and when 6. change was made
 necessary the promoters, of course having in mind the previous goo(
 work of McGovern against Britt, Sc lected him. McGovern was satisfied and believed that his chances of de feating Britt were brighter than ever Being matcherd, however, at the las minute caught him off his guard ant he did not have enough time to ge
 himself into proper fighting condi
 tion.
 McGovern's death was not directI,
 due to a blow struck by his adversary
 Britt in the sixth round of the con
 test, which was q scheduled tWelv,
 round bout landed a right to Me
 Governs chin. The blow was soIii ; one and the Philadelphia lad fell [
 the floor of the ring An investiga ton of the ring disclosed the fac that all that was between the thil canvas and the floor was a piece 0 oil cloth, and this was not enough t
 protect the boxer from striking hi
 head heavily against the boards. Hi
 death was due to a, fractured skull
 caused by hitting his head agains these boards.
 Frankie Di Leo, as MeGovern wa
 known in civilian life, was born i Naples twenty-one years ago and wa : professional boxer since 1915. H leaves a wife and a one month ol infant. His mother and brother-in law died recently during the influ
 enza epidemic in Philadelphia, Britt was arraigned in the Roxbur court on a charge of manslaughte s and pleaded not guilty. He was re leased later on s2,OOO bail.