THE COLOUR LINE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 566, 10 May 1913, Page 6

THE COLOUR LINE.

THE VIEWS OF PARSON DAVIEP

Parson Davies, who was born near Belfsal, Ireland, about sixty-one years ago, and who is one of the best known and most respected American sporting men, has something to say on the boxing question that is bound to be of interest. The paison came to this country, says the New York Police Gazette, when he was but twelve years of age. Hd was the manager of Peter Jackson, the greatest of all negro boxers, but he is quite sure now that never again will the member of the coloured race be important factors in championship contests. "I believe," he said recently, when interviewed on the subject, "that the white boxers in future will conduct championship battles ' among themselves and if the negroes desire to fight for titles the competitions will be among men of ths black skin. "True, blacks and whites may be pitted against one another in unimportant bouts, but the tendency is to separate the races on account of the prejudice that prevails against such contests. Boxing promoters have the example of baseball magnates before hem. It is true there is no rule of organised baseball that would prevent a negro becoming a member of a national agreement club, but there ia a tacit understanding that negroes shall not be signed. "The boxing authorities are apparently following out that idea, and it will result in the elimination of the negro from pugilism within a few years. Those black men who desire to box will be comDelled to compete among themselves. "This condition of affairs is due almost to ths conduct of Jack Johnson, the first negro to win the championship of the heavy-weight division, and other black boxers who are well behaved will be the eufferere.

"However, if all the negro boxers conducted themselves as Peter Jackson did there would not be the prejudice that now exists in the public mind. Jackson was an exceptional negro in all respects. He was remarkably intelligent, fairly well educated, could converse on many subjects, and was quiet and unobtrusive in manner. In my opinion he not only was the greatest heavy-weight bo cer of his day, but I question if any of his successors possesed the claßa that Peter Jackson possessed when he was in his prime. "When Jackson was beaten by Jeffries the negro was a mere shadow of his former self, and never should have been permitted to fight the boilermaker. Had I been in charge of Jackson's affairs at that time he never would have entered the ring against Jeffries. Jackson was done for and should have been sent home to Australia.

"In addition to being a wonderful fighter, Jackson was a humane boxer. He disliked to punish an opponent and was the only true boxer I ever heard of refusing a match because he thought his prospective opponent was outclassed. I matched Jackson with McCarthy in San Francisco, and Jackson told me he would not box a man so inferior to himself. "I informed Jackson that if he expected me to get a man who would beat him, I Would have to resign as his manager. I also impressed on him that, as boxing was a business and the monetary side of it must be considered, it wag up to him to box McCarthy. He finally consented,but said he would dispose of McCarthy as soon as possible in order to spare him any punishment. Jackson settled McCarthy in a few rounds. "Jim Corbett has received much praise for staying sixty-one round* with JackHon, but it should be remembered that Peter was on one foot at the time, having turned his ankle a few days before the bout. "One thing not generally known is that Jackson was once practically matched with Sullivan. President Fulda, of the California A.C., who had been trying to get Jackson and Sullivan in the ring, received a telegram from Sullivan consenting to a match. As Jackson was always eager for a bout with the Boston boy, the match was practically clinched. Fulda was arranging the details when suddenly an unfortunate occurrence threw the entire affair in the air.

"Two novices in order to settle a grudge got into the ring of a small club in San Francisco, and one of them died as result of the punishment he received. The fatality put a damper on the boxing game on the coast for several years, and the SullivanJackson match went a-glimrnering. "Jackson later tried to re-open negotiations, but the white champion seemed to have lost all interest in the proposed contest. "Thiß should effectually dispose of the claim of Sullivan that he always drew the colour line. I personally know that Sullivan was sitting in the ring in a hall in Boston ready to go on with a match with George Godfrey, when the police interferred. I have no doubt that Fulda still has the telegram he received from Sullivan in reference to the match with Jackson.'"