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Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1794, 5 July 1913, Page 12

Tho outcome would soem to prove one of two things—either that Hagerty is a good deal better than he has been credited with being, or that Keys is not the maji he was when 110 was, hore 6even years ago. This leads us to the comparison that was made by everyone who was present 011 Thursday, who also saw the clash in the Opera Houso between Keys and Tracy at that time. Is Keys as good now as 110 was then? Candidly, in the writer's opinion, judging by Thursday's showing, ho is not. This is said in 110 carping spirit. There is nothing derogatory to Hagerty's very excellent performance in the statement. But comparisons, even if odious, must suggest themselves for argument. This one was inevitable, and so may be disposed of right away. Keys is still on a high plane. His ring craft and his boxing skill are still things to eee to admire, but ono missed that dazzling brilliancy that bd nonplussed honest "Tim" Tracy 6even years ago. Certainly Hagerty ia faster now than "Tim" was then, so Keys did not have such a foil to show up his speed this time. But, allowing for this, there were things about ICeyss work on Thursday that gave indications of "slowing up," not so much in his footwork as in the collaboration' of tho eye, brain, and hand. Ho misjudged several of his blows, particularly his upper-cuts, several wellintentioned smites found Hagerty well out of distance, and in general his "timing" was in no way up to his old-time standard. ' However, with the lapse of seven, years, this is perhaps inevitable—particularly the seven years between 27 and 3-1. For the rest it may be said ,that, if our visitor was not as brilliant as of yore, he was, to the m'ost exacting of his critics, imminently satisfying. He was trained to the second, hp was never dull, and often exhilarating, and he gave a fast, clean, and gentlemanly exhibition of the art of boxing that did ono good to see. The Wellington Association stacked heavily on "Hock" Keys, and he has proved himself well worthy of the confidence. For, the second time in its career the association and the sport have to thank him for a big uplift—financially and morally. •The Form of the Timaru Boy. Now for "Jim"' Hagerty's- part in the proceedings. The hugo success of tho affair from the sporting, speotacular, and fii.oncial aspects gives one a dread of seeming to ' stop over" in ono's comments —particularly as regards the manner in which the looal lad carried himself through, in this, the most important battle of his career. In- face of this dread, it must be said that Hagerty delivered tho goods, full measure and brimming over. His manager and trainer said at the association's supper to the lads, after the fray, that his charge surprised him. Ho surprised everybody—Keys, perhaps, included. There were those—tho writer amongst them—who feared that the responsibility of the occasion would weigh heavily upon the sturdy littlo Timaruvian, and that nervousness would tell against him in tho opening rounds, and throw him off his stride until he warmed & his job.

First Four Rounds Did It. But not a bit of it. At the startinggong liageriy came out of his <joruer, and started into his man as though he were the liiost ordinary of gymnasium sparring partners. Ho was chockful of confidence, and fought from start to finish like a hardened veteran. In lact, it was his work in the first four rounds that gave him the draw, and even in the opinion of many actually won him tho battle. Tho pleasing thing about his work was that, although he rushed his man—he was on top of him the whole time—ho did so with all duo regard for his defence. There was very little of that rushing in wido open that he showed us against Theo. Burns. Did his rush fail in its object, there was generally a good smother or effective duck to keep disaster away, and, in short, in a good all-round display, it is hard to say whether most praise can' be allocated to his attack or his defence. Certainly, that long semi-rigid left of Keys found his nose a good deal—its appearance afterwards gave ample evidence of the frequency of these visitations—but as this little attention from the visitor was more in the way of a "push shot" than an actual punch, perhaps Hagerty did not trouble to avoid it as much as he would havo done had tho blow carried more sting. A Right Good Fray. To conclude: The occasion was one when the anticipation was not better than the realisation. The association promised its patrons a lot, and kept royally to its contract. The evening's entertainment was one that will be talked of for a long while wherever two or three gather together in the name of sport, and if tho high standard set on Thursday can be maintained, then certainly the sport has nothing to fear in Wellington. "Ironbark Jimmy Hagerty," After the battle on Thursday the combatants and their respective camps were entertained by the association at supper, and in the course of the inevitable few remarks, Keys came out in a new role— that of godfather. Wishing to infer tellingly to Hagerty's qualities as, a boxer, he groped awhile for a fitting soubriquet, and eventually by inspiration it came to him—"lronbark Jimmy," and "Ironbark Jimmy" it is henceforth. The Sentence! on Porter. It is always a matter of regret when a good performer in any branch of sport receives a life sentenco of disqualification, and the latest addition 'to the ranks of the unfortunates—Len Porterwill be greatly missed by patrons of the "noble art," but tho New Zealand Council and its affiliated association had no option but to endorse the sentence imposed by the Wanganui body. The evidence discloses a state of altairs no governing body could countenance. The charges raised by Porter were not substantiated in a single instance. He probably recognises now that oven the best grounded complaints must bo addressed to the parties .concerned in some semblance of a reasonable manner. Summers Demolishes Sid Burns. Sydney's tram service was unable to cope with the huge cirowd that made its way Stadiumwnrds last Saturday week to see 'the third meeting between those clever English welters—Sid Burns and Johnny Summers. The pair had mot twice previously in England, each claiming a win, and this, as the rubber battle, was every bit as keen as expected. Summers took (he lead from the first round, scoring with cleverly-placed rights and lefts, liurns meantime boxing cleverly, but not up tu the standard of his opponent. At the end of file fourth round Summers's ascendency wns so marked as to make it appear that the bout would not go tho full journey, but, in the fifth, Burns showed that he wns by no means finished. As the result of an accidental collision in the sixth round, however, Burns suffer,ed a deep cut near tho left eye, and 'this hampered him a lot. Thenco on to tho finish Summers lead in every round. Burns met with a good reception for his plucky showing, but' his display somewhat repealed tho claim made that ho Is an "exceptionally clever boxer." Latest from America. Latest reports from America makn one ponder over the position of the middleweight championship. With Clabby, M'lioorly, Gibbons Klaus, I'apke, and others all claiming it, and consistently beating one another, it i» hard to believe that any on« of them is a sonuino chain-

pion. With tho exception of Clabby, they are all noted for their highly inconsistent displays. Recently Klaus, fresh from his triumphal inarch in France, met M'Goorty in a six-round contest.

If words are but this means of concealing one's thoughts, then tho six-round bout, as conducted in tho States, is nothing moro than a glorious opportunity of not showing one's opponent what one is really capable of. And never was this better exemplified than in this contest between Klaus and M'Goorty, for neither mail extended himself.

A low nights later Klaus was beaten pointless in a ten-round journey by Jack Uillon. M. Gibbons, who lost some of his prestige by his poor showing with .M'Goorty, effected a recovery by administering a clean beating to Jack M'Carron at New York 011 Hay 17. Gibbons's exhibition was one of tho best seen in New York for somo time. Promoters do not seem to Lc rushing tho middle-weights for contests over the full championship distance, and this points to the tact that 110110 of them arc deemed worthy of a big purse. Jcsso Willard and. "Gunboat" Smith met at San Francisco recently, and Smith gained the decision after twenty rounds of iwor fighting. Willard, of whom great tilings were expected, gained some praise for his pluck, but his boxing was ama,teurish, or, as friend W. W. Naughton puts it, "as green as an early-season cucumber.

"Fight Fans" Booming Willard. For some reason or other tho ficklo "fans" havo tnken a fancy to Willard, although they despised M'Carty—a much better fighter in every way. A return Lattlo is expected with Willard as prospective favourite. Says Mr. Naugnton, in criticism of him: "The San Francisco sports warmed to Willard, and havo formed an idea that, with a little schooling, the tall heavy-weight from Kansas will blossom into a world-beater. He may fulfil all tho prophecies made in his behalf, but I have my doubts. For one thing, I do not think all tho coaching in the world will make him quick-witted enough to overcome some of tho defects I noticed in hiin. He is game, and may develop into a speedy mechanical boxer, but ho will never bo resourceful."

The Puzzle of M'Carty's Death. Mr. W. W. Naughton's latest budget from America contains some further particulars of Luther M'Carty's death in his fight with Arthur Pelky at Calgary. In the course of his remarks ho states: — Doctors were called up on tho boxing platform, and, after working over the injured champion for somo time, they pronounced him dead, and expressed the opinion that the ■ hard blow killed lum. "But there was no hard blow struck," pleaded Tommy Burns and Referee Ed. Smith. Then camo the autopsy and tho coroner's inquest, and, guided by the testimony of the surgeons, the jury exonerated Pelkey, and pronounced M'Carty's death accidental. It was caua'd, said the jury, "by a subluxation of tho fourth cervical vertebrae. While wo wore wondering what this meant a messago camo to hand over the Hearst wires. It said: "I't waa not heart trouble, but fracture of tho spine which caused M'Carty's death. .Death was actually duo Ix 3 haemorrhage of the brain, caused by the spill a 1 fracture." ' The inference, of course, was that M'Carty had received a forceful injury on tho neck or on somo part of the face or head. And here, again, tho exports were to tho fore with arguments that 110 bard blow had been struok. M'Carnoy, manager of M'Carty, said that a few light blows had been exchanged, and that then the men clinched, When they broke away M'Carty bent down as though about to send in an uppercut, and winked at M'Carnoy, in his corner. Then M'Carty slowly doubled up and sank to the floor, and his seconds wondered what had happened. lteferee E. Smith reiterated that no punishing blows had been, delivered, and Pelkey said ho was dumbfounded —that in his opinion "tho fight had not started when M'Carty keeled over."

It is nil very mysterious, and tho conclusion has not been lessened by the testimony of the, doctors. One report of tho inquest says: —"Dr. C. 6. Stuart was asked by the jury if it would bo possible for a person to dislocate his own neck by a sudden jar. Tho physician answered in 1 the affirmative, and added that, in • his opinion, it was some other boxer who fractured M'Carty's neck, mid that i't ■was only necessary for a slight tap to bo given in order to complete the work."

The doctor meant, of course, that some boxer other than Pelkey had done tlio damage in tho first instance. It will be hard, however, to make the avorage reader believe that-a man can go into a fight ivith his vertebrae in such a damaged condition that a moderate tap will cause a complete, fracture, and send him to his death. Moral: Keep Off lho Stage. Mr. Naughton's concluding remarks on tho career of the dead "whito hope" are a sad commentary, on the ways, of the ordinary successful boxer, who seems unable to profit by 'the bitter experiences of others similarly placed in the past. They/ read "Whatever the cause of the poor fellow's undoing, an opinion exists that M'Carty did not benefit physically by tho lifo he has led since he became whito heavy-weight champion by defeating AlPalzor at Los Angeles on New year's Day. Since then Luther M'Carty has devoted his time' to theatrical engagements, and had enjoyed thb butterfly existence which goes with work of that character. When ho 'resumed ring activities a few weeks ago the critics noticed n fulling away in condition and fighting qualities, and u report came down from Calgary while, ho was traininp that ho shewed up to poor advantage in his preliminary exercises. "That is usually tho way with your successful boxer. The victories ho gains by ihis strength and prowess secure him footlight engagements, and he contracts habits which render him unfit to take up his ring career where ho left off. It was so with Ivetchel, Young, Corbett, and a' score of others I could name; and what I saw at Las Vegas convinced me that it was so with Jack Johnson." Langford in Search of a Fooman. If Sam Langford stays in Australia much longer his fighting powers aro bound to deteriorate from sheer lack of worthy opponents. At latest ho was reduced to fighting Colin Bell. Tho pair met at llockhampton over an alleged fifteenround journey, but eomo curious persons timed tho rounds, and discovered that there were but two minutes' boxing in each. That the promoter of tho contest should have chnrgcd prices ranging up to twenty shillings seems .to indicate that America has no monopoly of the "brass hide." Wells and the Sydney Crowd. Matt Wells was introduced to the crowd at the Summers-Burns contest, and met with a splciuFd reception. Tho pion of I'inglaud meets Ilughie Melicgan on August 2, and it is safe to say that the Stadium will be taxed to its utmost to accommodate thoso anxious to witness the affair. Answer to Correspondent. "Takapau". inquires: (a) Did Al Palser ever light Bombardier Wells in Bugland?—Answer: No. (b) Did Palzer beat Wells in America?— Answer: Yes; by knock-out. SUFFERED ACUTELY. "For about throo months I suffered acutely from liver trouble," writes Mr. W. 11, Capon, "Turilville," Turill. i\ T .S.AY. "Mr. T. ll'Dermott, of M'Dermott and Son, recommended 1110 to try Chamberlain's Tablets, which I did. They were the only medicine that could relieve me—in fact they completely cured mo very quickly."—Advt.

In 1850 onc-fonrth of the whole of tut! silver raised in Great Hritain was (jot from mines in North Cardiganshire. According to the sixth volume of tho census of 1!)12 issued rccentl.v, 10.4 111T cent, of Londoners livo in llats. Knpoleon is- .said to have had nineteen horses killed under liini ill his various bullies. His favourite war-horso, Marengo, which the Knijieror rode for eight hours at Waterloo, lon<? survived his master, dying in England in 1629, at tho age of 3G-