IN THE RING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1764, 31 May 1913, Page 12

IN THE RING.

IBT "Mehcubt."! , THE TRAGEDY AT CALGARY. June 11 and 12—Provincial Championship, Town Hall, "M'Carly Fell Dead." TII6 word "Tragedy" is not writ large in tile history or boxing. Of romance:) and comedies thero have been, and always will be, plenty, but Happily sucn intelligence as that which slioclscd tUc sporting world 011 ilonday last comes to hand but rarely. , . . The cable message briefly advised us that alter being lilt over the heart by Pel key, "M'Carty tell dead." lor luller particulars we must wait, but dt is not Hard to conjure up the final dreadlul scone in the ring. We need not, liouovei, (jo into that,' though: one can; uluiosfr'Hte'! Iho giant Pclkey launch his punch and 'stli M'Cartv fall. There would bo tho count, and tho "Out" that meant so much, and then, presently, the stunning realisation that death had happened. Boxers have .been killed in tho ring before, but the fatalities liavo generally been iu minor affairs, and, although equally sad, they haw not creatcd the same stir in tho public mind.' M'Carty's rapid rise to the front of the heavyweight division—coincident, as it was, with the vacancy caused by Johnson's enforced retirement —the "booming' w ilich lie has received, ami tho natural speculation as to his true value as a claimant for the world's championship, have all put. him very much in tho public eye. these things, of course, invest the tragedy at Calgary with a melancholy that would not ha'vo be?n felt had the thing occurred, say a year ago. And, unfortunately,.it will not redound to tho well-being of tho snort. That, however, is an aspect ot tho alfair that it is useless to speculate upon * As for Pelkey's part in the. nothing but sympathy can be felt for the big Canadian. Ho will, presumably, have to stand his trial, but 110 doubt tills mil prove to bo but a formal affair, and tho least part of his trouble. _ He is practically on the threshold of his career amont the big men of tho, game, and such an ending to his first l>ig essay must 1 cgiimbtuto a, big set-back to him.

Was M'Carty a Nebraska Man? Reverting to M'Carty, tho following note-of his career was published in on American paper just after his recent dekit of "Jiin" Flynui— With Luther M'Carly's latest and greatest victory came a fresh crop of stories regarding the real sito of his birthplace, and his true name and lineage. Wlctn Luther first emerged from obscurity by defeating Carl Morris. bis biography was limited on practically every leading sporting pa"o in America. As usual in such liardly anv two stories entirely agreed. After taeh succeeding victory afleged facts wore dug mp regarding him. A tale that lie was part Indian had a wide circulation. Another l\Ji9 to the effect that he first saw light iu Missouri. Now Nebraska claims him for onr> of her sons. And that claim seems to be correct. One of the latest "discoverers of M'Cartv's birthplace insists that it was Sidney, Ohio, and he furnishes details tending to show that instead of romancing around the country snico childhood he was really a digger of ditches and sewers in tile quiet village named until three years ago. Still another story is to the effect that M'Cartv's real name is George Frank Human, and that he is of IrishAmcriean parentage. According to this story, both M'Carly's parents nre living on n Nfhvnslvn Vtuicl>» hi? being a wealthy cattle raiser.

The King is Dead: Who is the Next One?

"Now, of course, comes the inevitablo discussion as to who will bo tho next In claim the big title. Pelkey Ims yet to prove himself, Carl Morris is done with, so also (temporarily, anyhow) _ is Bombardier Wells. The elimination seems to leave but Jesse Willard, nn ; ollmr cowboy boxer, and "Gunboat Smith. Of the latter gladiator wo hoard a "ooil doal on tho occasion of his defeat oMionibardier Wells, but Willard has onjovoii low publicity. He was horn on a ranch not far from Topeka, Kan., on December 2!>, ISB7. That makes linn _ 2fi vears of age, so lie started his schooling in the art of self-defence rather 'afcr than is the custom. His name of the "f'owbov Fighter" has come to him rightfully. since his early life was given over to handling horses and breaking them, and later to the business of buying and selling mules and horses. He got into (ho game finite bv clmnce, 'ns witness his own statement: "1 never saw the inside of a gymnasium until two years ago," lie said. "Never had on a boxing glove or l;ncw anything nlwit lighting. I happened to drop into Oklahoma Cifv when they were making so much of "a fuss over Carl Horn's, and liecnuse of mv size they thought that T would make a fighter. T was willing if there was money in sight, so I started fo train. "Vor two or three weeks T trained, and then at Senulpa 1 had my first ina'cli. T went against Louis l'ink. a follow (hat T think came from I he coast. We were to go fifteen rounds, tint 1 hey claimed thai* T fouled liitn in the tenth round, i guess mavbe T did. because I didn't know anything about the game, and was just sinniming away. Two weeks later I,

met him again at Oklahoma City, and knocked him out in threo rounds.'

At Uio tiuio Wiilnrd mado tho nbovo deposition, ho hod fought twenty-three mutches, and had lost only the one mentioned. Two of these went the limit of ten rounds j tho balanco ivero won by kuock-outs. Ono of tho limit bouts was with Arthur Pelkey, and, in tho other, ho (jot « newspaper decision over Luther M'Carty. The most striking thing about Wiilnrd ,is his size. 110 stands Oft. 6in„ and weighs just over lGst. A Timely "Try-out." Opportunely for tho miesent dieoussion comes news by tho Independent Cablo Association of a recent clash between Willard and Sniith. It ocourred at San Francisco this month, and tho account runs:— San Francisco, May 14. Fifty pounds advantage in weight, Bin. in height, and a reach liko tho arm of a derrick, failed to win for J>>sso Willard in his 20-round fight with "Gumboat" Smith yesterday. It was a hard battlo throughout, and the Teferee's decision was given to Smith. The heavier punch of the more aggressive and experienced Smith counted, far more in tho result than tho bulk and strength of Ids opponent, Inexperience lost tho fight for Willard. lie had tlio strength and gameness, but was sluggish to press any advantage. Out of the 20 'rounds only si.x were credited to him. Willard, in attack, used a straight left, and brought a dangerous right uppercut into play at times. 110 was outclassed in in-fighting, nad showed himself a novico in that part of tho game. Smith attacked repeatedly with left and right swings to the head, and Willard plainly bewail to show signs of wear and tear in tine' thirteenth round. Critics declare that although Smith won a just decision, with good training and experience, Willard might develop mto a very formidable heavy-weight. Opinion is strongly divided, concerning tho dlccision. 'Hundreds l>eliovo Willard was entitled to a draw, while others assert that he won. They say he was not in distress at any time, and that Smith was badly hurt at times. They think that Willard would have finished him but for his greenness.

How About "Bill" Lang? By tho way, before leaving tho question of tho supremacy of tho white heavyweights, "Bill" Lang's inclusion among tho probabilities is bound to arise eoonfcr or later. -And why not? Tho tradesmanlilco manner.in which tho Victoriuu disposed of Petty Officer Cumin in Sydney lately, tho evident earnestness .of his intention to get back into the game again, and his reported great improvement in form make him eligible as a candidate, and il must fo? admitted that, so far. the American claimants have not'shown themselves to 1)0 anything very wonderful as champions. It seems n far cry from "Bill" Lang to ".white champion of tho world," but all tho same the possibility is worth kctping in view. An Astonishing Sort of Challonge. Apropos of Lang and Co., his erstwhile opponent, Petty Officer Curran, tho Australian mail to hand this week shows that "Sam" Langford has issued a. very 6triking challenge to his white confreres. In iiis own words it runs:— "In America it hag often happened that a champion has contracted ■ to meet two men in tho ono ring, and it is my desire to md?t any two men in Australia, 'Bill' Lang and Curran preferred. In the event of my not beating both, I, of course, shall receive the loser's rnd; but should I succeed in both battles, on points'or otherwise, the lion's share shall bo mine—the conditions of tlie contest to provide that directly I have finished with on» man, the other to immediately take his place."

This is certainly "going some. In fact, there is daring about this dehance that, almost, if not altogether, figures as insoienco. It is not likely that it will ije accepted, ono wouid think. There is nothing in it for the white men, excebt of course, thfe money. A victory would carry nb glory, and. defeat would be ■ignominious indeed.; But it -«;rvcs olio purpose—it shows how topsy-turvy become things when one negro pub icy expresses the opinion that he can beat two white men.

"Johnny" Summers Defeated. Pressure on space precludes more than a passing reference to Australian boxing matters. The most momentous of thesi happenings since tho last notes appeared iS'the defeat of "Johnny Summers bj Harry Stone. . . Summers, as is known, is England premier welter-weight and his defeat »> the American must count as one of the year's lxixing surprises. It occurred at 'Brisbane last Saturday week and tho fact that the bout was refereed by, air. "Snowy" Baker himself is enough that the decision against the lishman was n just one. Ihe unexpectedness of the result is shown by a cablegram received in Sydney from London on the Monday following the contest, runmnS''~~ London, Monday, 9.40 p.m. Boxing experts are astonished at "Johnny" Summers's defeat at the hands of ail unknown boxer. There is a disposition to doubt the referee s verdict. , This is hardly fair to Stone. He is not an "unknown." His fame may not have reached England, but ho lias been very much in the limelight, about ISew York, where he is considered in quito the same class as "Willie" Ritchie and "Joe" Eivers. M'Coy Wins Again. Another Australian event of importance was the M'Coy-Spenceky contestthe former, of course,representing Australia, and the latter tngland. The end came in the lGth round when the English corner threw in the towel after their man had been decisively beaten over tho whole of the distance covered.

Tho Hagerty-Bromwich Inquiry. •. Tho Hawke's Bay Association is not to be congratulated, on tho outcomo of its nnuiry into' the circumstances surroundin'' the* recent Hagerty-Bromwioh afiair at"Hastings last week. The matter will be fresh in the minds of the readers of this column who con therefore form their own conclusions as to the merits of the finding, which runs:— "That the oommittee, after making careful and zealous inquiry, liielud- • inn the evidence of three doctors, the principals (Hagcrty and. Broimvicli), their trainers (Lnmont and Mnltub), tho referee (Mr. Sampson), and others, is or opinion that while the reforee was justified at the moment in givinc the decision lie did, there is not suilicient material in the evidence foi tlie cominittee to hold that tiiero was any' fraud, deceit, or malpractice attributable to either of the contestants. The committee is further oi opinion that although there may have been suspicious circumstances in the unexpected termination of the contest, the failure of Bromwich to give the exhibition of boxing expected oi him was, according to tho medical evidence, probably due to indisposition. With regard to the stakes, a resolution was carried which will be satisfactory to both contestants. The Local Championships. The local season opens again on Tuesday and Wednesday, .Tune 11 and 12. In conformity with ■custom tho inaugural tourney will consist of the (irovineial amateur championship and sufheient entries are to hand to call for two nights of boxing. The local schools have been busy for some limp past prenaring for the event and the association lias been advised of the intended entries of several outside competitors, notably a team from Tarnnaki. Intending performers are reminded that lentries closo toaiiglit at Armit's.

Mr. Anthony lloi*> Hawkins, .speaking nt the annual dinner of the Institute of Printers, said that there wero notable revivals in drama and literature. It was encouraging for tlie nuthor to find there was a great public waiting and ready to read v.'iiat they had long been wanting, and if there was ono thing certain among the changes and troubles of this mortal life, it was that tho interest in books would continue to grow and increase.

SilißPi'-S public sjicnltcvs, renters, know the value of "KAZOL" in clcnriiiß tlio throat and removing liourseness. A few drops of "XAZOIi" on lumii-sugnr just (loos it. Allow the stißnr to di&olvo very slowly between the cheek and gums.— Advt.