TOLL OF THE RING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23599, 7 March 1940, Page 12

TOLL OF THE RING

FATAL BOXING BOUTS SIX CASES RECALLED SOME PROMISING ATHLETES The tragic death in hospital in Wellington on Monday of the Dunedin professional boxer, Stan Jenkin, after a brilliant and exciting bout witli Vic Caltaux, of Auckland, recalls that the sport of boxing has been attended by a number of similar fatalities in New Zealand during the past ten years. At least six other boxers, several of them of more than ordinary promise, have lost their lives as a result of injuries received in the ring. Jenkin, who had had an outstanding boxing career, was 22 years of age.

In August, 1930, Percy Rush, of Blenheim, collapsed during a boxing tournament in Palmerston North and died in hospital the following day. Medical investigation disclosed extreme pressure on the brain.

Remarkabe Oamaru Case A remarkable caso occurred in September, ]9.'52, when a well-known boxer, Ernest Gilbert Ellery, aged 25, met his death at Oamaru as the result of injuries he received in a friendly bout,with a 17-year-old Waitaki High School boy, who struck him two blows on the jaw. Ellery was West Coast champion, and had been runner-up for the New Zealand amateur middleweight championship.

In the following month there occurred in Auckland the death of Harry Valentine Johns, aged 21. He was a most popular young athlete, who had had a brilliant career in the ring. At the time of his death ho was defending his title of light-weight champion of New Zealand in the Auckland Town Hall, and in the 14th round he suffered severe concussion, from which he failed to rally. Less than a fortnight later a Wellington jockey, Geoffrey Wilson, aged 17, died after competing at the Wellington Boxing Association's tournament at the Winter Show Stadium. He collapsed after the gong had gone ill an amateur bantamweight contest, and was found to be suffering from severe head injuries. Fatality at Greymouth

At Greymouth a young professional boxer, Bert Lowe, collapsed during a bout 011 October 22, 1933, and died in the Grey Hospital two days later. Death was due to hemorrhage of the brain. The bout was described as the finest seen in Greymouth for many years.

A boxer described as of splendid physique, Stan Smith, of Wellington, aged 26, received a heavy blow on the jaw during a period of close fighting in the Town Hall at Greymouth in October. 1937, and collapsed after a subsequent blow. He died next morning without having regained consciousness.