IN THE RING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1413, 13 April 1912, Page 12

IN THE RING.

THE COSMOGONY OF FIGHTING

[Bt "Mercuet."]

Another "Black Squall" Is Over.

So another "Black Squall" is over, and, this time, there seems to bo no doubt as to the winner. The irritating gentleliia.il at the Sydney end of the cable blandly informs us that "Langford won easily, accounting for 10 out of tho 20 rounds," and, with that, one must needs be content till tho next mail arrives.

Latest advices of happenings immediately prior to the contest reveal one surprising fact—that the Langford party had openly insisted on having some other refcreo than "Snowy." Baker. Of course, Langford is quite within his rights in objecting to Baker, but it would be interesting to learn the exnet grounds upon which Miev based their refusal. Baker's ability is beyond question, and his integrity is undoubted—even by tho "Referee." So why I.angford's stand? Possibly it is because his idea (as to what constitutes scientific boxing) and Baker's views on the same subject differ. Anyway the unpleasantness is over, and Langford seems to have proved (beyond question this time) that ho is M'Vca's superior. Probably when fuller accounts come to hand it will be found that caution was his undoing. Cool headedness and caution are valuable attributes for a pugilist, but, dash sometimes overwlielnib them. Is tha World's Press Behaving Fairly to Johnson? "Jack" Johnson is undoubtedly tho best heavy-weight living. No one doubts that. Tlio only question left to decide is whether he claims to be the champion light-weight humorist or whether his lack of any sense of humour is the world's record in its line. Some "screamy" interviews with him have found their way into history, but it is doubtful if anything quite so funny as a recent interview with him has ever before appeared in print: King George, according to "Jack," was merely a side-show when Johnson appeared in public in Tendon. Lord Lonsdale and Andrew Carnegie come under his lnsli, while London itself has probably hidden itself in one of its own fogs tiil" Johnson's remarks upon it havo faded .into the gentle obscurity of time. It is satisfactory to nof.e, however, that at least one spot in Europe lias entranced the champion. Paris, with its muits cocktails, and—shades of "Merrie England"—its beer, placcs itself second only to Cook County, Michigan, in the champion's estimation. [t could hardly expect to surpass Cook County, for, as all the world (or at least Johnson's section of it) knows the rest of the world revolves round that Eden Iwice a day at least. An extract from the "Referee" reads:— What is tho matter with England and tho English? In tho days of my boyhood I would readily have wagered a week's pocket-money to nothing that one Briton could lick any three foreigners, particularly at fisticuffs. Alas! how the idols ot' our youth are often shattered. A Paris telegram, dated February 25,, in a Jlamo exchange has tho following heart-break-ing story crammed into two inches of space: At Wonderland last night the French boxer Bernard scored a decisive victory over tho Englishman Jack Moekins, sending him lo the ground in two rounds. From the outset Barnard had the advantage, and his success was complete. Mocking was floored six times, and was finally settled by a brilliant blow. Bernard received an ovation, and if the hopes of his supporters are justified is likely to soon become the equal of C'arpentier. "The French boxer Jean Monne yesterday beat the Englishman 'Young' Williams, just before the close of tlio first round, after a sharp contest. "Tho English boxer Randall was beaten by tho Frenchman Nicinen in three rounds." And the defeat of the English middleweight champion "Jim" Sullivan in two rounds by George Carpenticr is the unkindest cut of all. "And Now the Frenchman Has Come into His Own." But tho forward inarch of the Frenchmen is but a sdgn of tho change that is eternally taking placo in tho boxing world. At one time, any fighter of consequence had Irish blood somewhere in his veins. And, when this was no longer true, tho legend still held sway till cold fact became apparent that tho Irish blood was as nothing before that of the Jew, tho Gorman, and tho negro. And now the Frenchman hps como into his own. Sonio day the heavy-weight champion of the world will be named Cluing Foo, or something else that will show his nationality just as well. The Awful Adjuncts of the Ring. When in training, a "pug" is tho most careful of all men, and the most careful attention is given him. But once 'lie is in the ring, where, most of all, ho needs the-best of attention, he is too often subjected to scandalous inattention, which moro often than not passes unheeded. A spectator at the recent _ New South Wales amateur championship writes as follows to the "Referee," drawing attention to an abuse which happily does not exist here to any extent, and the "Referee" itself has something to say on tho matter. "Doar 'Amateur,'—We are just back from the Stadium, and were sitting in front seats, and noticed and wcro disgusted at the sight of a filthy bit of sponge used by the seconds to wipo men's faces; it was then dipped into a bucket of water, and when tlio men come up for tlio second, third, and fourth rounds, they were wiped, etc.— you know the procedure as well as tho next man—then the unfortunate athlete had tho sponge jammed into his mouth as a 'refresher,' and each time it was put back into tho bucket, which was Retting filthier each dip. "Xo doubt you were there and saw the men with' the unshaven face pelting sponged, etc. Say, it's getting late, but give tho authorities n rub, as the whole business was most unhygienic—to soy the least." Here, indeed, is something which tho usual "follower" of the game might not notice, lnit which would surely attract the atenlion of an observant casual ringsiiler. That what is stated really occurred, and occurs, all patrons of the. game will admit to themselves, and fuel disgusted, while marvelling that tliev never noticed it. We know the same old sponge and the same old bucket of water does duty for every round, and this being the ease it; is not dillicult to believe I hat where the "corner" and all its impedimenta is provided lor the contestants in a tournament the bringing along of a iresli bucket- of water and a new sponge for oiieh baut is hardly likely to bo thought oil