BOXING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3711, 21 December 1912, Page 4

BOXING.

(By “Wallop.”)

DAVE SMITH RETURNS HOME

“Bronzed and brown is lie,” says the old song, referring to a returned globe-trotter. Bronzed and brown was Dave Smith when he yesterday hurst in upon me at a moment when iny den literally swarmed with the boys of the ring brigade and others who delight to sit and listen and take a hand in the general talk when op-! portunity offers (writes “Amateur ’ in the Sydney “Referee”). How they crowded round the returned traveller as, buoyant-spirited, told of trials and tribulations as well as joys to the full, and experiences which mean much for his future. “Let me say right now,” &aid Dave, -“that a, man wants to,

travel to properly appreciate this sunny and great country. Possibly others who have seen as much or more than myself and live in other lands say the same with regard to the places of" their birth-- but that’s how I feel at the present moment.” “You’ve brought back something, Dave,” remarked one of the audience, with a laugh, as he placed a finger on a scar over the left eye. '‘Yes,” was the response, “and I’ve brought back something worse of the same kind. That accident in England to my left instep left me with a dead big toe — not a sign that there is life in it do I ever get now. There’s the, man who is responsible for the eye trouble.” He pointed to Frank Picato, who came over from San Francisco with him and was beaming the broadest of smiles. Then we were told that in some roughup work aboard ship 'Frank’s adamantine cranium got into violent collision with the crack light heavy-weight’s evehrow.

' “it might have been worse,” quoth Dave philosophically. “My head ain’t been the same ever since; it feels kinder smashed,” remarked Picato ruefully. “D’you see any depression there? If you can’t. I guess you’ll feel it. Run your finger over the spot.” Somebody did and said something about it being as deep as a soup bowl. “Got enough out of.your trip to buy those acres round Mosman you were always putting envious eyes upon?” queried, old Jim Barron. Dave’s face fell. “Well, no,” said he; “that’s the fly in the ointment. Apart from the failure to gather gold even enogh to cover expenses —everything was great. In England they treated me splendidly, and I found American people all I had been told they were—splendid fellows, the Press boys particularly. But the money that used to have our minds staring with amazement isn’t there at all. At any rate, I never struck any mines half as rich as the Sydney Stadium; and nobody ever told ms about any being in existence anywhere. ‘•Whether it is that the field has been exhausted latterly, or that what they, the other side of the Pacific, term ‘bull’ is as much associated with boxing purses as some other things, I do not know. “I was billed and boomed to the limit of my fight with Eddie McGoorty, whom all the country admitted was the best-accredited claimant for mid-dle-weight honors the United States know anything about. What do you think I got out of that affair? Couldn’t guess, eh? Well, just my guar-antee-1000 dollars; in round numbers, £2OO. I was on a 121 per cent, arrangement, which, as the house stood, would have panned out 480 dollars (£96). It was fortunate that wo had a substantial bit earmarked, wasn't it?

“In Philadelphia, eh? Well ’twas worse there, and Philadelphia has been a big fight centre for many years. Haven’t we heard of fabulous sums going into the pockets of boxers who showed in Phila? And then haven’t we wondered how those same fellows went broke soon afterwards ?

“My cut, at that Eldorado, for fighting Leo Houck, who shook Papke up as he had not been shaken for many a day, was just 17odol. £35). Think of it! And the whack I bargained for was 25 per cent of the gate. “The V illiams affair went something better —200dol. £(40), and Kid Ashe helped to put 200 dol. (£SO) into my capacious pocket —capacious only because of what the little in it made room for. I gathered another 250d01. (£SO) through beating Fred Hicks. There you have the financial part of my trip down to a cent, almost.

“No, not quite a year. I was away just about eight months, and stayed longest in Philadelphia. “Before I forget it, let me say a word for good old Pat O’Keefe. You all knew him well when he was here with Tommy Burns. "Pat went to all sorts of trouble to help and place me when I arrived in England, and we boxed a good deal together. lam not likely to ever forget his kindness.

“I know the “Referee” has published the result of my several battles, therefore there’s nothing in going over that ground to-day. When J got off the boat in London I tipped the beam at list 10|lb. When I stripped for McGoorty the scales showed list 7)1 b. “Training expensive in the States? Well, I should say.. I had to pay a sparring partner 25 dollars (£5) a week, and I had the devil’s own job to get hold of a rubber for love or money.”

Asked regarding MeGoorty’s quick knock-out of him, Dave said they signed to fight at list 81b and while he (Smith) had sweltered in the Turkish baths all day to make list, 7’lb, McGoorty entered the ring 51b over the agreed upon limit. It was a fine left hook that did the trick before the Australian got going, and when he was down McGoorty stood menacingly over him, uninterfered with, ready to repeat the dose or ladle something else out. with the result that directly Dave rose McGoorty was right on top of him with the punch, and hey, presto ! it was to the recumbent again for the Australian. When Dave rose the second time the referee commanded a halt. McGoorty refused to talk a return match.

“The ‘gates’ at some of the clubs are big enough for anything,” continued Dave, “but there are often five fights in one place on one night, the star turn being allotted 12J- per cent.

“Wonder what the least attractive bout would come in for?” enquired your humble servant, i “Dunno !” said Smith with a smile, and he added, “might he something for a week’s meal tickets.” | " WOLGAST AND MANDOT.

The Wolgast-Mandot ten rounds were boxed at New Orleans on November 4, and the ringside accounts, without exception, gave Mandot credit for. out-fighting the champion (says tlio American correspondent of the “Referee”). One report had it that Wolgast was “beaten down and decisively b<?sted,” that ho s:as “out-punched,

out-boxed, and out-generalled by Mandot.” Wolgast says: “That’s because they saw it through New Orleans spectacles.” It seems that Wolgast looked like a winner at the start. The other boy acted like a fellow, who was awed through being in the company of a' champion. Alan dot was cautious, and pinned his faith to long-range fighting. while Wolgast followed his usual custom of boring. At the close of the third, round Mandot looked a loser. Wolgast had been getting to the body with both hands, and the newspaper men sent out word that it would be all over inside a couple of rounds. Then Mandot took a desperate , chance. Finding lie could not keep away from the “Wild Cat,” he stood close and traded. . j Said one correspondent: “Wolgast, j taken hv surprise, wavered, broke ground, and fought like a maddenedamateur. He lost all idea of dis--tance, and allowed Mandot to block his swings, stop out of range of his blows, and brush aside his own defence.” From the fifth to the finish, it was ; all Mandot— according to New Or- ' leans. Be did host with a left uppercut, catching Wolgast as the latter came in head down. In the seventh and ninth rounds Wolgast was forced to his knees.' _ There was never a moment when olgast. was not tearing after his mail full split, but the New Orleans Frenchman, with his confidence fully restored, and his aim perfect, cut Wolgast to ribbons. It is even told that the tenth round found Wolgast fought to a standstill, and holding on to keep himself from being knocked out. When it was all over, it is said that New Orleans went wild, the scene at the end of the John L. ISIII- j livan and Jim Corbett fight being dunlicatecK . It was one of those affairs in which j the referee is merely in tne ring to see that the boxers observe .the ruies. and is debarred from rendering a decision. But the newspapers pronounced Mandot an.uncrowned champion, course, was not as enthusiastic over course, was not a sentliusiastic ovoi the tiling as the Louisiana sports: still, lie admitted that Mandot had] done somewhat the hotter work. Ho I said that while Mandot had had a nar- | row escape in the third round, the j Southerner pulled even before the end I of the tenth, and had a shade during the last two rounds. _ Wolgast before leaving New Orleans tried to offset the reports sent out. He wired the newspaper men at northern points as follow: “I had no trouble with Mandot at New Orleans q hut they don’t seem to like my stv.c down here.” . Mainlet will be sent against Joe Rivers at Los Angeles on Thanksgiving Day, so that it will be a great day for the light-weights. The v ilino ]\s of the two contests will pioba. b he matched for New Lear’s Day, and there will be sharp rivalry between San Frill cisco and Los Angeles lor the privilege of handling the bout.

NOTES. Billy Papke is finding France a land of milk and honey. Last Wednesday night, at Paris, the rugged, sandycomplexioned one from Kewanee beat Bernard in the seventh round. Papke is frequently referred to as a claimant for the' middle-weight championship of the world, hut that is impossible ; he has yet to show he can make the weight America and Australia require—ll. 4. Syd Fitzsimmons, ex-champion amateur heavy-weight of New Zealand, is much disappointed at not hearing from Cogliill. Syd. lias a backer prepared to find up to- any amount foi his man, or will back him for a tenner against de Balzac or Jack W hittakei. Already Dave Smith has been matched." “Quicker’n they do it in America,” quoth Dave. De Balzac and Australia’s light-heavy champion will face each other at the Stadium on New Year’s Day.