"HOW I LOVE MY SPARRING PARTNERS."

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 90, 6 December 1912, Page 6

"HOW I LOVE MY SPARRING PARTNERS."

I So little lias been heard of Dave I Smith's doings in the United States that the following from an American writer will be found interesting: "How T love my sparring partners."—"This is tlio title of a little sketch composed ! by Dare Smith, the Australian heavyweight and middleweight champion. David is a gentlemanly chappie, and was kind enough to give a private exhibition of his little play* at the Arena. The performance was witnessed by Dick Klegan, Smith's manager, the janitor of the building, an inquisitive messenger boy. an energetic press agent, and your humble servant. Mr. Smith was aided and abetted by one Patsy De Lucca and a resident of Manchester, N.H., who is known as Young MeDonough. "After jumping rope for 15 minutes and doing some shadow boxing, Smith started in to show his audience how he respected the feelings of his sparring partners. Dβ Lucca was the first offering. Patsy is a game boxer. Hβ is I only a welterweight, but) has a heart of oak and has dreams of becoming a champion. "Patrick thought it would bo a good plan to floor Smith, and in this prove that he was a regular 'headliner.' So he started after our friend David like any healthy linn would after a couple of' pounds of beefsteak. The latter I cleverly sidestepped and walloped De j Lucca'on the point of the jaw with his rigli fc. "Patsy cast a. look of soorn at his opponent, but before he had time to push back his ruffled hair. Smith sent him up against the ropes with a series of sharp rights and left? He kept after him for the rest of the round, butj

would thoughtfully put on the soft pedal when the local boY was on the verge of slipping to the' canvas. •'the entertainment was continued for two more rounds, and David amused himself pushing Patsy around the ring. He was real cruel, and I don't- believe that ho has a sympathetic spot in his entire, system. He kept kicking Patsy around 'until the latter felt as though be was picking up scashclls at the bottom of the Atlantic. 'Never was so tired in my life,' gasped De Lucca as he got out of tho ring. 'This Smith is a bear. He must have been asleep when McGoorty knocked him out.' "Enter Young McDonough, courage- , oris youth. Rina! bam'! McDonouo.li landed some telling wallops. We, will not tell what followed, for McDonough is a good fellow, and has a whole lot of friends. After boxing three rounds with McDonough, Smith looked round for new worlds to conquer. 'There are no other boys who dpsiie to work out with you, Dave.' said Klegan. 'C4ee, that's tough.' replied Dave. Then he smiled blandly. '"Won't that fellow over there do!"' He pointed toward the press agent, but before Klegan could ask the latter whether he would don the padded ■mitts the dispenser of news Was' hurrying tqwjmls the office of the 'Arena.' Hγ bad forgot'to tell his boss that lie was frvlinp: in the best of spirits. Smith then looked at the writer, and I covered the ground between tho ring at the Arena and corner of Massachusetts avenue in 9 1-osec, which .is a new ; world's record. And there was a. rea[son, loo."