The New York herald., 1921-02-06
TEX I2iCkARD
WHO HAS SOLVED THE
PROBLEM OF THE HIGH
COST OF BOXING
AUSTIN RICE HAD
NOTABLE RECORD
Iron Man Met All the Best
Bantams and Feather
weights.

The death of Austin Rice through an
accident brought expressions of regret
from many New Workers who had
seen the Iron Man in action in the
juries received in Old Lyme, Conn. when
he was run over by heavy wagon. He
was taking a load of ties out of the
woods, and in turning onto the State
highway the wheels sunk into the soft
mud and the load began to shift. The
horses were frightened and started TO
run. Rice grabbed 4 wagon stake but
lost his balance and was thrown by the
frantic Jerking of the horses. The two
right wheels passed over the middle of
his body.
Rice was 4S years old and was born
IN, Waterford the son OF farmer. He
was a carpenter, but for more than
twenty years, from 1890 to 1910, was
well known through scores of ring bat
ties. some of which were of many rounds
and against some of the best boxers of
the day.
Beginning in 1897. Rice met some of
the best men of his weight In the coun-
try. He defeated Jerry Barnett In five
rounds Eugene HornbaclSer In four
rounds, knocked out Jack Wolff In three
rounds. Johnny Ryan in three rounds,
the famous Patsy Brodericl< in eleven
rounds, and drew with Sammy Meyers
in nine rounds. Billy Murphy in twenty
rounds, and Oscar Gardner. one of the
best of the day, in twenty rounds. He
lost in that year to Patsy Haley, star.
in twenty rounds, and to Sammy Kelly,
another star. in seventeen rounds.
In 1898 Rice was in his prime and was
looking for the best bantams and
feathers in the country and met many
of them. He knocked out Jack Burke in
three rounds, and this sent his stock up.
lie won on points over the famous Paul
Kelly in a twenty round bout: also over
Patsy Broderick In twenty rounds He
fought Broderick later In the year and
drew at twenty rounds. Benny Leon and
George Munroe also drew with Rice at
was TO Terry McGovern In a fourteen
round battle.
In 1899 Rice knocked out Joe Golden
IN three rounds and won over Billy
Whitaker in ten rounds. Mike Mahar
In ten rounds and Billy Barrett In
twenty rounds. He drew with Timmy
Callahan twice and lost TO Tim once.
lie also drew witp George Munroe and
lost to him In the same year. Tommy
Sullivan defeated him In fifteen rounds
on points.
In 1900 his biggest bout was with
Sammy Kelly. first string fighter, in
twenty-five round bout, which re-
suited in O draw.
In 1901 he met all the top notchers Of
the day. including Eddy Lenny, Hugh
Murphy, Hugh McPadden Tommy
sullivan, Tommy Feltz and Johnny
Burns. lie appeared in bouts in this
city against four big stars, winning
from Tommy Sullivan here in sixteen
rounds snd drawin= with him here In
twenty rounds. He also met Tommy
Feltz here and drew In fifteen rounds.
lie defeated Johnny Burns here on No
vcmber "a, 1901, In a memorable twenty
round bout that was remembered for
years by those who saw II.
In 1902 he won from Tim Callahan In
st. Louis In fifteen rounds and drew
with Harry Lewis In Chicago In six
rounds. He fought Joe Bernstein, pride
of the East Side In New York, the
battle being fought In Philadelphia.
with no decision. but Rice was called
winner by ringside fans. He defeated
Dave Sullivan In Waterbury In twenty
rounds. and on April 20 OF that year won
from Hugh McPadden in this city in
twenty rounds. He lost TO Benny Yarger
IN Chicago. and then came back TO this
city and defeated Billy Ryan, a star Of
the first magnitude. In twenty rounds
His last fight that year was In Stafford
Springs on November "a. defeating Billy
Ryan in twenty rounds.
In 1908 Rice began TO feel his age
and was in fewer battles, but appeared
to be just as clever and hard TO defeat
as he was ten years previous. He fought
a draw with Tommy Feltz in Boston. the
battle being on January 0. He left Bos-
ton with Mosey King, now boxing in
structor at Yale, and travelling night and
day on trains, arrived In Hot Springs
Ark. on January IA. took n rundown and
went into the ring with Young Corbett
then foatherweight champion. lie was
not considered any more than hard
setup for the champion, but In the first
three rounds Corbett was at Rice's mercy,
but the New London boy did not have
the stamina and could not get in the
telling blow From the fourth to the
seventeenth round Corbett increased his
speed and In tho seventeenth Rlce's sec
onds threw sponge into the ring. Rice
was in distress.