"BOB" FITZSIMMONS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 753, 28 February 1910, Page 2

"BOB" FITZSIMMONS.

V W WELCOME', '^^WBUJNGTf^';S , ::3:.'' '," 'A*'hearty;; welcomer'to ; > Wellington ,waa( v . ; ■ extended;'; to * ; Robert >,Pitzsiminons,.'; osm...; ■; \ champion i-'heavyrweight: loser .'.''of; thai .'-■''/ world/' 'ly 7.-of '".various'."-'',;-' branches;': of-:"sport,;at; v the; Grand Hote(' v .;.. on- Saturday^';-,';y-\:;'':v7-/'-' '-''>-j ''~" :•■■ !'■•!':■ : uMr i , M'Vmjv : :president\of: ; the. WeffingJ.; -;;.' .:!•'■'■ tlis' ehairi-, traced FitzsimmonVs splendid!,:.- :' career .'• in '■ the -boxing ; world/,-; What-' they. ■';;'■ ■: .Uked'.'abotifc' l him : ';,wasi:tbe ifaot- that;:ba.; : ; :; bad ;i always. been^; : a?l'fclean'V;'athleto ) '';andj-'/r'', ; that:-ho;' bad■?:been : . ; .T . aged parents^;'-:' ; Xf>: '■'■ ■■\U-' , : y -';-: ; Vv'.' v'vjv- ;• Jlr.'Ji'- Doyle; ref erred;: to; the fact; .that:' < Fitzsimmoris had; disposed!; of i'a ; ; number^'; :, of'crack' heayy-weighti l: in : ; : much Jess time*.:;;,. ..than7itv.h'ad?<takeh % was'''omyra';middle'-woight..« ''-?.'■,?.'■ ■' : '-i--:C ■;:■'.'-''.: ■■^'.Qther' i speak(MS;\ftt6'tVMri" , JlJari^^; i r^ ; -;;V-''; -presenting^the"-/Amatenr -Athletic"AssoW y .'■■'■. ciationi'.and.'.MrJ'Bridgcs; on; behelf, of;.jie<'- ; ;; Kowing, Association.:' f"V';^":'" : \' V j'-V j' : '' : vV,';v.v X I'ifesimmonsf- (in- reply)■;': said: : ,that',!' Mil ' had..•■-• been VmostV;generously;;'Wcomedl. '".:•'■'■.' everywhere in?'.this;the;land of. ln6.adop-|-'j'.,!; . tion."; Thero was' something- about' a weM .-;:'■'. - come','; in': New- • Zealand : - which' ' made -'•* iisj~---.;-hbme-like.-V'.He had;started.outV.invthaj ;;.; : . belief,- that..ho.'.', was 'rcomposed^of'tia;:. .'.,. ;mettl'e;''-whichvEro'duced';ohampipns: of ,tioi,v V prize : iring, .but'<ho ; had'.'JMwcr. wanted.'..;'; ..td'.win if .he 1 could hot do',so ■ honcirx3bhC ; ;■: •'.'.-. .Ho did'nbt.'wish''to" : iiscredit T the: merit*,'; oi!'!other .boxers,^but -he"felt that ;if ids ,:.;■:' hands -'had- remained : ha'--, would;;' .bave;.left' a;more enduring page-inV.tK<t';- ; '; history '.', of- pugilism■:'.than he had : dbne^;.'; ."Hdwevoc,'':-added'the' ex-champion,''''lV.':'-'. can':'add ; that-T'always ;!did my .best'.itoV;,,; fearlessly'defend laurels -honourably..woiy, -'■ : :and' li-think:;it : is'no; disgrace 'that v ,"th& , :■ championship las now passed to-another.". •-: (Lond>applause.);.':'v i, ::;-;;/'^t'.',; ; V ■;.-:,■■;