THE BOXING BOOM IN THE KHAKI CAMPS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 22, 19 March 1915, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE BOXING BOOM IN THE KHAKI CAMPS.

By EUGENE CORRI, the Most Popular Referee in the World.

(From "Tit-Bits.")

I can truly say that in all my thirty years as a referee of boxing in all parts of the three kingdoms I have never known the noble art to be so popular as it is to-day when fighting is in all our minds on a grand and terrible scale. It seems as though the youth of the nation cannot find vent to the feelings in anything but the robust game of fisticuffs. By the youth of the nation, I am proud to say,' is meant the young men of Great Britain, who are now training m the numerous khaki camps to fight for their Country on the continent when Lord Kitchener has got them licked into shape to finish the big jolt we have on hand with Germany.

By every morning's post come to me urgent invitations from commanding officers, near and far, soliciting my services as referee at boxing exhibitions for the entertainment of the soldiers. The closing of public-houses as early as eight o'clock at seaside towns has made the nights rather long for the men in barracks, and nothing serves so well to while away the weary hours as boxing displavs. " Many professional pugilists are distributed among the camps, and they are kept bus\ putting plucky novices through their paces. "Smoking concerts are no good at all," said a commanding officer to me. "The men won't turn in to hear songs they have all heard before, and they are* in no mood for such mild amusement. Their backs are up for fighting, and fighting they must have. And I don't blame them. Boxing is the soldier's right and proper pastime, infinitely better than standing round the ropes watching football." • Johnny Summers had the time of his life at Shoebury, while training for his championship fight with Private Basham ar the National Sporting Club. There was quite a rivalry among the men for the satisfaction of squaring up to Summers, who never administered so many hidings in so short a time before. Some, of course, put up better «shows than others, and one and all took their hidings with the requisite amount of pluck. Summers made himself a prime favourite with the Lancashire Borderers, not a, few of whom bore on their bodies and faces for days the evidences of Johnny's stinging punches. I rather think Shoebury discovered a man with the making of a champion in him in the person of a rugged Scotsman called McKay. When Mr. Bettinson, of the National Sporting Club, and Mr. George Dunning, of the "Sportsman," were at Shoebury the other day, seeing Summers doing his work, the professional told them that, in his opinion, McKay was worth a trial at the club. I agreed with Summers, and I suppose I may claim to be able, from long experience, to spot the raw material of a potential champion. Never did the National Sporting Club present such a soldierly appearance as now, when khaki-clad officers and men compose a large portion of the weekly Monday night audiences. Most of the Canadian and New Zealand officers, have made it their practice to run up to London from their respective quarters for the express purpose of seeing the Monday night bouts at the club. Members may be seen bringing bunches of khaki guests with them, and the club is delighted to extend every hospitality to our kinsmen from beyond the seas.

A war correspondent returned from France told me that boxing matches had actually taken place at the front during a lull in the fighting. I can easily believe it. I myself have sent sets of boxing gloves to regiments on the eve of departure, and a young marine of my acquaintance, now interned in Holland, wrote asking me to send on to him two pairs of gloves. Needless to say, I did so, and I feel sure that the Marines have made good use of them to relieve the monotony of their side-tracked position. The pity is they cannot have an international boxing tournament with the Germans, by way of letting off steam.

At Epsom, where the U.P.S.—United Public Schools—Corps is going through its military preparation, boxing is all the rage. There I saw a young South African boy named Hissik, aged about twenty, who is just about the cleverest and cleanest amateur for his years I have seen for many a day. I really think if he were to go in for the amateur championship he would win. Should it be his lot to go to the front, as lie hopes, and to return fit and well, as wo all hope, I trust he may be induced to pu ; - the gloves on with the best of them.

1 told the commanding officer what I thought of him, and he said, "He is a wonderful boy. He can beat all our lot." "and any other lot," I added.

A fine big fellow, lie weighs between cloven and twelve stone. It was only through a domestic bereavement that Mat Wells was prevented from sparring with him. I was refereeing that night, and should have much liked to have seen the two meet. " I don't care how big he is," Mat said, when asked to box with young Rissik. As might be expected, the Sportsmen's Corps at Hornchurch is especially keen about hosing. The 21st Surrey Rifles, stationed at St. Albans, are fortunate in having among them that great boxing enthusiast, Captain .lames Forties, late of the Irish Guards, who has done more for boxing than any other man 1 know, except perhaps Mr, Bcttinson. When Bombardier Wells was looking about for the shortest cut in the heavy-weight champion, an unknown man. Captain Kowles, did much u> nave the way for Lhe young Indian arl illervman.

When 1 refcreed for the 21st Royal Rifles at St. Albnns the other week, I found ill O'Keofe there, in full regimentals, as ;i sergeant. His promotion had been quick, as might he expected of the self-respecting Irishman, who has installed himself as the hero of the regiment with the boxing boys, and I imagine that means all of them.

One of the officers said a significant thing io me. either at Birmingham or Sheffield, for I get mixed among mi many refereeing trips. Pointing to a pile of papers and magazines sent by kind friends for the men's edification ami entertainment, he exclaimed, "The wiong sort of stuff. Nothing hut sporting papers are wanted here, and as much boxing material as you like. It doesn'l matter whether the tights are ancient oi- modern, whether they know the lighters or never heard of them hefore, they will pore for hours over descriptions'of boxing matches. I really hi lieve love stories or tracts would make most of them ill. They arc not in the mood for sentiment. Only fighting stuff

On every hand the same thing was said. It really astonishes me, and yet ! suppose there was nothing very suri;i i-i'i" about it. I.ef me burnout this i d'by telling three stories thai belong to' the presi nl lime. At a very

swagger school two liny aristocrats, it-jed respectively aboul four and five, were put into the ring with myself as referee. One of the litle gentlemen came up to my knee and said, ''Please, Mr. C'orri. when you say 'Break away, there!' will won rlo il in the same way a; you shouted it at Olympit?"

Apparently some elder had put the juvenile up to this, and 1 am told my voice is rather of the parade ground or quarter-deck order on these occasions. Anyhow, I assured the little fellow that 1 should keep it in mind. It came when least expected. "Break away, there!" I shouted, about as loudly as a megaphone. My young and noble friend — both of them, for that matter —jumped nearly their own height in the air like two startled bantams, while the audience .laughed heartily at the funny occurrence.

At Tlford they had a boxing exhibition or. behalf of one of the War funds. "Remember," suid one of the boxers to me, "this is only an exhibition —no decision, of course." Promising to attend to this, I suggested, by way of a diversion for the audience, that he should hit me on the nose, as if by accident, I to look frightfully put out, and he to apologize for his mishit. As the bout proceeded I forgot about this, and was reminded of it very effectively, when the fellow suddenly slung me an awful backhander on the nose, which nearly blinded me. I tried to look amused with very doubtful success. To make matters worse, the boxer forgot his bargain, offering no apologv. Never again will I take such liberties. At a similar sort of function Bombardier Wells and O'Keefe were having an exhibition spar, when the Bombardier commenced letting go some rather hard punches at O'Keefe. who bore with it all for a while, and then, thinking Wells might knock him down, or even knock h>m out, unless he stooped liini he railed out, loudly, "Stop it, Billy; Urn not the Kaiser!"