“LETTING GAME DOWN”

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 April 1938, Page 9

“LETTING GAME DOWN”

BOXERS’ CRITICISMS. “Boxers might well take a leaf from the wrestlers’ book, when discussing others who follow* their sport. If you ask a professional wrestler his opinion of another man, he will tell you ho is a ‘tough guy.’ The professional wres,tiers are all -’tough guys, and they never let their game down by criticising the men they met or hope to meet. They never decry their own sport.” stated' Mr G. H. Sceats, secretary of the Gisborne Boxing Association, discussing at the recent meeting the attitunde of boxers- towards the promotion of matches. The secretary said 1 that he wished to urge boxers —both amateur and professional—not to undo the good work of the associations. A lot of harm was done by boxers who publicly or seini-publicly decried' the talents of others who were able to get matches. An undercurrent of criticism seemed to exist in the game, among those who should be doing all they could to build it up. This critical attitude must do harm to the public regard for boxing, Mr Sceats thought, and he suggested that boxers- should’ follow ,tbe example of the wrestling professionals and refrain from running down their own sport. If one could not say a good word' for a fellow-sportsman, one should at least not say a bad one, he considered. The secretary’s remarks were endorsed by a round of applause from the meeting, and Mr W. L. Clayton, patron of the association, warmly commended the suggestions offered.

He added that the associations would have to find some way of dealing with amateurs who failed, to keep their engagements when matched by associations. Boxers- hiad no right to enter for competitions, and then, merely to suit their own convenience, to pull out without notice. Associations were put to expense and trouble in organising tournaments, Mr Clayton pointed out, and the failure of amateurs to keep their engagements tended to spoil the tournaments, discourage the boxing associations, and above all to kill public interest in the sport. There- should be some penalty applicable to men who failed in their engagements without reasonable cause. Only firm and prompt measures seemed likely to check a growing evil.