The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-04-28

Sports are IN danger: boxing. racing
ha~,haN are ,hrca1"ncd with serious
trouble coming M a tim" Of greatest
prosperity the fact remains that II also
- tire period OF greatest danger.
As usual, the danger to sport lies In
rhnS, who claim to be it's fricnds-and
Who are providing or are getting reaoF
10 ,,rn, ,dr the enemies Of those sports
nr ur any Sport--wIth the am:nuni-
lion with which TO Kill them. II is as
4 Was N the beginning. Is now ana
probably ever shalt be-too much pros
ncrItv ENpcr!cnce has taught US that
Spor, seems unable to stand prosperity
There IS the usual complaint about
"rctnrmcr4" and blue laws ami
franks. But put It in thr book that no
snort ever has been killed by reform
nrS. and never viii be. unless W" VINO
n-ofess TO love sport furnish them with
cause TO Kill that sport.
Types OF Rsformsrs.
You know I'm not retormer' anu
that most of my life has been spent IN
Snort. Also | have known lot OF re-
formers and il may surprise you 10
know that they arc not at all TAT least
the great majority are n"o IKE 'ney
are pictured. Most OF them are pretty
sole, sane. rcd-hloodcd and decent cut
z,rs The long-haired. bcSpectacled
crank who wants to stop everything
that gives pleasure exists chlehy IN
proragandlsh literature. he Is no
mora the typo Of those who rafsc 90
iection 70 sport than the cauliiower,
"a rod, slan,-browned. thick-neckso
criminal IS the type Of sportsman
tina that Il very scant majority
ever opposes clean sport. and that inc
reformerS object 10 the abuses OF sport:
On which grounds every true lover OIL
spor, should call himself retormer'
Racing has been coming naek 'hto
favor steadily after the dark ages. IT
WAS stopped IN almost all parts OIL '"e
.ountry not because the "r"t"rmerS
unpoSsd horse racing, but pecauS" -"
alleged friends" were grating, SlcA'-
IN. uniting over abuses and Swlndles
Racing was near the height or ITS
nrosrcrjly when the graSping on e
among the owners and tho followers
and the gamblers started 10 light to &C.
q rn0noro.y for their clique.
Wherever you Investigate the history
Of the closing of racing-St. LOUIS
Chicago. New Orleans. Hot springs
Los Angeles San Franclsc" or N'"
York. the cause IS the same-a ouScs
graspinE for money and finally strts'
clio 70 ruie or ruin between two fac
lions which continues until the opp"-
nents Of racing step in and take ad-
vantage of the situation.
Jockey Club Has Done Well
That is history. Every one in racing
knows it, Yet today the same sltul-
ton is being DEVELOPED. Racing was
permitted u come back in some sec
tons chiefly because of the guarant''
Of the Jockey club 10 MAINTAIN ltS
highest efficiency and to keep 1t clean
II has done we'll.
Under the protectorate Of the good
rnnutation Of the Jockey club rAclne
has advanced rapidly. and In many sec
lions recovered it's lost popularity. N"%
the inevitable clash IS breeding. "A
turf wnr is threatened between ire
Jockey club and the Maryland kacin@
commission, and secondary war nc
tween three of the Maryland asSo"ii'
lions AMI the fourth which sympathizes
wlth the Jockey club.
II the war comes. the inevitable I'M
ish Is the death Of racing and another
decade of struggling for PERMISSION t.
resume the sport.
Boxing Same, Only worse.
fOSlnE Is IN the SiHt p'SIN''i' ''H
worse. An association has been ior,ntS
under tho leadership of the lntcrh't-
tional Sporting club of New York. is
critics say it is visionary and imprac-
teal Yet the great majority OF ti6nt
club managers and of state CommLs.
sionS hav" Joined. Tn" ability ani
thu. purposes Of the national body ave
questioned New York and MaSSachu.
SrttS boxing commissions refused to
JON. Some Of tho big promoters Of
clubs profess 70 believe that the n'.
t!onal body seeks TO create Il monopol-
l$t,r control OF n" sport.
So struggle TO control is on:
struggle which. If i Is persisted in
will furnish tho foes Of boxing all INC
ammunition they need to Kill II.
Tho struggle is acute in New York
whnrs charges and counter charges are
flying back and forth. The old BoAlnS
commission has been voted uut Of ~
list, nee AMI new ont--non -Saltrl"d-
=" 10 replace Il. Whoever contr".S tie
app"inteeS will control boxing, and the
other side viii night.
Tho aCutcneSS Of the situation lies
IN the fact that Governor Miller docs
no, like boxing. or rather. does not Ike
N" people Who are n the game. h,
was persuaded that. with higher class
men handling -. tn" sport may be kept
,iran H.. does nIt think It can, but
h.,S he"u gracious "nouSh :" CIV" IN"
men who do bcliev" It chance TO
pr"NC Their assertions.
IT." theory Of his nOnSa!ar com
mission j. that m"n VIII" work for moth
ing are honcSt-aS =" ih' d"!t"r-h-i"Ar
r;rn wh" were IN tn" var VIII ar@u'.
g.. woU.d rather w"ic"m" an "\"!Se,