PRIZE FIGHTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1277, 4 November 1911, Page 13

PRIZE FIGHTS.

Sir,—An inexactitude crept into your report of my remarks to tho Town Council which I seek now to straighten put. Tho American situation which I ink-lined is as follows:—Eleven years ago prize fights (and "boxing contests" for a purse is a French way of saying "prize fight') were prohibited in New York State. Their brutality had been the occasion of constant protests, the bout between Corbett and M'Cov, in which ll'Coy sold tho light and fooled the publie, was the fatal incident, and for eleven yoars they were banned. The Democrats, after their recent State victory, passed a law called the 'Frawley Law, - ' in which 10-round bouts are allowed with a prohibition of open gambling at the ring-side. It will be noted that the Frawley Law is a good deal more stringent than the laws controlling the fight's that have been hold in the Town Hall. The first fixture at Madison 'Squaro Gardens was so gross an outrago that the 'Argonaut' declares that it has shaken public confidence in tho Democrats throughout the State. Gambling was noisy throughout tho evening and tho appearance of the notorious M'C'oy as a second was nn indication of what tho ring skill is Tho 'Argonaut' concludes that tho only way to purify priM-fighting is to abolish gloves and make every light a la outranco with clubs or bolas. Sir, tho protesters who laid their case before tho council were exceedingly gratified to find tho Mayor so openly hostile to tho 'purse' clement in boxing contests, nml so energetic in his approval of amateur contosts for medals. Against such contests no protest is levelled.—l am, etc., J. J. NORTH.