The New York herald., 1921-06-12

Indefinite number of preliminary con-
tests. Obviously the great majority of
spectators are there to see the main
bout. so why not reverse the process and
let the present preliminary bouts follow
the main one? This would give every
one chance to see what he goes to see
and to get away at a seasonable hour. if
he wants to and in no wise prevents any
one from witnessing the efforts of these
preliminary boxers, If interested in them
and the sort of boxing they display.
IF this custom had been in vogue the
impossible conditions that follow the
Leonard-Kansas bout at Harrison last
Monday night could not have occurred.
Please consider this Idea If 1t appeals to
YOU Git does to many) and propose it to
the public
Logical Argument.
The argument advanced by Mr.. Bolton
| Is logical and the effect of the present
system has been to prolong boxing pro-
grammes to an hour that inconveniences
| many of the patrons Of the sport. The
rule supposed to be in force is to have
the principals for the chief event in the
ring at 10 o'clock. But this rule Is
largely honored in the breach and by
the time the oratory of the announcer
and the introductions of celebrities are
concluded it is we'll on toward IL o'clock.
In the case of the Harrison Field con-
tests the last of the bouts preliminary to
the Leonard-Kansas contest was not
ended till nearly IL p. NJ. and many of
the onlookers were much wearied by the
more or less interesting efforts of the
preliminary boxers.
Thus. as a result of all the delay, the
tremendous crowd and the lamentable
lack of transportation facilities, a ma.
jority of those at the bout did not reach
their homes till 3 A. NJ. All this could
have been avoided had the chief bout
been staged at 8 o'clock. AS soon as
the title bout was ended q very large
proportion of the $4,000 persons who
jammed the baseball park would have
taken their departure and those who de-
sired to see Valger. Mosberg and the
others in action could have remained.
1t would be an excellent idea for the
new Boxing Commission to pass a rule
making IL mandatory to stage the chief
bout of a boxing programme not later
than o'clock. After the leading boxers
have settled their dispute then bring on
the other fighters. The patrons of box
ing have suffered enough from long
drawn out boxing programmes and it Is
time they had relief.
"cStOn MUCH AtlNc.
Dr. ]. L. Moth of Newburgh y. Y,
writes that the report of the death of
Edward Payson Weston. famous pedes-
trian. WAS much exaggerated. DR..
Moth says:
"As careful reader of THE New
YORK SUN, now THE New YORK HERALD.
for forty-two years. an error came 10
my notice, correction OF which I knew
you would appreciate. / am sending
you clipping from my town paper,
the Newburgh Daily Net1s, and also
clipping of your article regarding the
supposed demise of our old friend Ed
ward Payson Weston, who. ! am sure,
feels like the Late Mark Twain when his
obituary notice was published years be-
fore his death"
Evidence that Weston is very much
alive is furnished by the following ex-
tract from the Newburgh NetcS:
stiII Takes Long walks.
Edward Payson Weston. the world
famous pedestrian. was in Kingston re-
Gently shopping. Mr.. Weston celebrated
his eighty-second birthday on March 10
OF this year, and is still hale and hearty
and thinks nothing of walking twelve
miles for exercise. He is now living on
n farm at Plutarch. about six miles from
Rosendale, and several times week he
walks to Roscndale and back again, a
distance of twelve miles for exercise.
Daily he walks three miles for his mall
Mr. Wcston's most famous performance
was walking from ocean to ocean across
the United States. distance of $500
miles. In seventy-six days and twenty
three hours. beating his allotted time OF
ninety days by thirteen days and one
hour. Probably his last famous walk
was from New York to Minneapolis. a
distance of 500 miles, which he covered
In sixty days. He was then In his sew
enty-ffth year. Among his other famous
walks was 5000 miles I'm 100 days In
England in 1884. Mr.. Weston said he
still felt capable OF doing some long
walks. and that his health was marlia-
bly, good. In fact his last serious Illness
was i'm 1871. whe he had an attack OF
typhoid fever. lie looks at least hfteen
years younger than the age to which he
confessed