Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-23
THE FIGHT


brought into homes all over the land
by radio tonight, If plans do not fail.
It will be held in the City Of
Brotherly Love, in the environs Of
the territory opened to civilization
by William Penn. a Quaker. who
did not believe in fighting. 1t will
be attended by the Governor OF
Pennsylvania. It Is a coordinate
feature with the celebration Of the
15oth anniversary Of American In
dependence.
Is pugilism approaching apotheosis
and pugilists learning to conpre-
bend what that means?
Pugilism, that followed after bull
batting in the affections of the
British sporting element; pugilism
that was popularized in England by
Jack Broughton some thirty years
before the Declaration of Independ-
ence. Broughton was he, who formu-
lated civilized rules for boxing. who
conceived the use of gloves, or
"nlufiers" as then termed. America
then paid little heed to the sport,
which in the last century lost some
what in the interest of the British
the while 1t increased in popularity
in this country, where the art was
developed into a profession.
Riding we'll ahead in the sport
procession is pugilism in this coun-
try. Not so strange when we learn
that the receipts Of the Dempsey
Tunney fight will be considerably
more than a million and a half Of
dollars; that of this Dempsey will
get at least 100000, Tunney $780,
600, the promoter bale of money,
the spongers. masseurs. nose graft
ers, directors, workers-out and
hangers-on considerable driblets.
Vast sums will change hands among
those who bet.
This, a hundred and fifty years
after George Washington gave him
self without pay to the difficult task
Of making this an independent coun-
try, faced by the great odds Of
chances Of failure at the end Of
which dangled a hangmans moose.
Can we accept these facts In the
mood that the Notwithstanding the
U. S. Ais getting better? Some
surely will find it difficult to do so,
but let's consider the situation, take
O look under the surface at the
whyness thereof.
Physical prowess makes a power
full appeal to any people not on the
declivity toward degeneracy and to
some who are. The decadent Ro-
mans admired gladitorial contests
but few Of them yielded to any de-
sire to fit themselves for such an
undertaking. Not SO with the sport
of boxing. Young America likes to
put on the gloves, learns to hold his
temper in check when thumped on
the nose, and bleeds without ami
mostly. 1t is not enough nowadays
! that opponents of boxing who attain
the limelight shall keep sober only
for a period Of training, they must
recognize rules Of physical morality
If they would survive; they must
possess self control. they must in
order to have and to hold be some
thing better than mere fighting ma
chimes. though not necessarily types
Of the best manhood. Those to
whom they make strong appeal can
not avoid the impression that clean
living pays dividends. that strong
liquors do not make strong men.
that one needs headwork as we'll as
foot-work, stamina, that comes from
vigorous parentage transmitting an
admirable inheritance, and should
possess manly characteristics If he
would hold popularity so dear to
those who strive for the pugilistic
goal. II one be no more than q
shipyard patriot in time Of war. it
Is not overlooked.
No, pugilism Is not altogether
admirable; but 1t has been raised
from the squalid ringside to the
stadium where it attracts intelli-
gence; and while promoted for the
monetary gain it has been forced to
conform to q more civilized dictum;
brute strength has been endowed
with brains and stripped of much
that only appealed to a lower and
baser order Of intelligence. BE a
good sport" is a slogan that reaches
ears. which that alone may edify,
that does US all good, that makes
demands on the very qualities which
the uplifters Of society would in
culcate.
And yet pugilism is not altogether
lovely, not altogether helpful, and If
, the multitude in search Of novelty
turns to other things there may be
found other than the ways of pro-
motion Of pugilism for reaching and
encouraging clean living. physical
courage. sef-control and even more
brains than are essential to pugilistic
renown. Already there are better
ways. May these become more in
viting.