BOXING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 217, 1 February 1913, Page 7

BOXING.

SALE OF SYDNEY STADIUM. The name of Hugh D. Mcintosh has come to be associated with big deals. That is why he lias been re-christened "Huge Deal'.Mcintosh" in Australia. A few mouths ago in a. few hours he completed, for a staggering sum in cash, the purchase of one of the finest vaudeville circuits in the world—the Harry Hiekards Australasian circuit. For a time he devoted himself jointly to building up and increasing the profits of the circuit, and at the same time extending and improving his big boxing business, which centred round the Stadium. He found that the vaudeville circuit demanded all his time and energy, and one morning he decided to sell the Stadium. This deal also was completed in an hour lor two. Hugh D. Mcintosh, when his mind is made up, does things on the I rush. At half-past ,12 o'clock on December 24 I Hugh D. Mcintosh found himself no Monger the, proprietor of the Stadium. 'lt had been sold for £30,000 to Mr. "Snowy" Baker, with all the agreements, contracts and contingencies relating to the business. Of course it is difficult for the public to realise that there has been a change of ownership. Many people, indeed, prefer to believe that Mr. Mcintosh is still the owner, and that Mr. Baker is merely a figure-head. This is. however, not the ease. Mr. Mcintosh has definitely parted with the business to Mr. Baker. Mr. Reginald L. Baker, usually called "Snowy," is a well-known athlete, footballer, swimmer, champion amateur boxer, and physical culturist, whose name in sport in Australia stands second only to that of Hugh D. Mcintosh.

Mr. Mcintosh's name has been closely associated with everything big in the boxing world in Australia. 110 indeed created boxing in that country, and raised it from the position of an insignifii cant, doubtful .amusement, into a big, healthy sport, in which tens of thousands of people were keenly interested. His name has become known all over the world its a mammoth boxing promoter, f and just when he went out' of the game ' he was preparing a scheme which would ) have given him complete control of I boxing and stadiums in America, England and France, to be run in conjunction with the Australian business in such a way that boxers would be under conI tract to him the whole year through. i Long years before Mr. Mctntosh launchj ed out as a promoter of pugilistic con-gests-and drew the attention of distant I countries to Australia, in a manner that/ had done more to advertise it than anyI thing else he was keenly interested in t the game. j The books of the Stadium show that j up to the end of the last financial year

over a quarter of a million people had ipaid for admission, including the 20,200 who saw the memorable battle between Tommy Burns and Jack Johnson, when the former lost the proud title of champion boxer of the world to ihe big black —supremacy which the white race has vainly endeavored to win back. To th* everlasting credit of the management and the sporting public of the country, it can be written that there has never been a scene of violence in the Stadium. There has never been a complaint of rough treatment, and so careful have the airangement been that there has not been even a torn coat.

The Sydney Stadium was erected in phenomenally rapid time in the beginning of August, 1908, and another in Melbourne within eight days of the one in that city. The Melbourne structure had a short life. There was only one contest there—that between Tommy Burns and Bill Lang, on September 0, 1008. The first contest was fought in the Sydney Stadium between Peter Felix and the'late Sid. Russell. Then followed Jack lllackmore and Jim Grifl'en. But the first really big bout was supplied by Tommy Bums and Bill Squires. Burns was champion of the -world and Squires the champion of Australasia. The American Fleet of lfi battleships was in Sydney harbor at the time, and the city was crowded with visitors. A large crowd saw Burns beat Lang after a most exciting contest. Then the scene ywas transferred to Melbourne, where Lang went down before the all-conquering Canadian. After that Mr Mcintosh and his lieutenant (Mr. Ted. Covell) reutrne.l to Sydney, where such contests as Thorn-Douglas and Joe Grim-George ! Stirling were staged.

Tint all the time the interest had boon working up for the greatest contest Australasia had ever witnessed, from an international point of view—.Jack Johnson and Tommy r.urns. The sight at Rusher tier's Bay on that day will live in the memories of those who saw it. Surging thousands crowded into the Stadium unfit there was not a seat left. Next day £ti()o had to he returned to people who had bought tickets but could not obtain seats. The total takings were. £20.00(1. Thousands of people hung about outside climbing on to hundreds of vehicles in the vain endeavor to hear or see something of what was happening inside. Enterprising and agile youths climbed telegraph posts in the neighborhood, and looked down from their perilous positions at the great black fighter beating Burns. There had probably never been such a scene nt a boxing match in any part of the world—certainly not in Australia. That light made the name of Mcintosh and his Stadium ring through the sporting world, and the eyes of all boxers were hungrily turned to Australasia, which they regarded as an El Dorado. Mr. Mcintosh then went to London with pictures of the big fight, with which he toured the world, and cieared £52.000 profits, and tor nine months Mr. Covell controlled the big concern at Kushctitter's Bay. The night that Mr. MeTntosh returned Ilnholz met Arthur Cripps, old Bob Fitzsimmons being the referee. Eitzsimmons himself returned to the ring, and was beaten by Bill Lang on a scorching hot morning - Boxing Day. 1000 -after which he went on tour with the pictures of the fight, and also on the Ricknrds vaudeville circuit.

UNUOLZ. Kmlie T'nliolz. who, in conjunction with Jack Curley, a successful American boxing promoter, runs a. "health" farm at Arvada. Colorado. U.S.A. finds time to take a hand in fisticuffs now and again, and do at least well. Listen to this, clipper from the Chicago American of November '29: —Memphis.. Term., November ■>'.).- -Making the gamest kind of battle against disheartening condition. Rudie Unbolz, the Denver veteran lightweight fighter, held the youthful and vigorous Joe Sherman, of this city, to a draw after eight rounds of highly interesting boxing here. Unbolz came here under the impression that the weight was to be 1351b at 10 o'clock in the morning, but discovered later on that Sherman would not even make 13Slb, and finally that, while lie admitted weighing 1481b, he would not get on the scales at all. Unbolz finally said be. would fight him if he weighed a ton. ft was a rough-tough battle all the way through, and the veteran Unbolz showed that he had some corking good lights left in him still. In the sixth round he had such a great shade the better of it that he more than offset an early advantage that Sherman secured. Unholz easily out-finished Sherman, and was far the more effective hitter. Sherman totfk a good lacing, as he certainly can, some of Unholz's punches looking' to be hard enough to fell,.an ox.