JEM MACE'S GREAT FIGHTING CAREER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7301, 3 December 1910, Page 1

JEM MACE'S GREAT FIGHTING CAREER

OLD-TIME WORLD'S CHAMPIQN STEEMUNG BATTLES OF THE PAST. "Jem Mace, the one-time pugilistic champion., is dead from senile decay.” The above brief cablegram from Eondon, published yesterday, docs not con-, vey much to the present day generation of the remarkable career which Mace had in the pugilistic arena :in the Old Country from 1855 to 1864,' when he was at the height of his fame. He was of unique personality and the participator in many stirring .battles, most of which he Won.

No one who witnessed the public'appearances of M ace would, according to Henry Downes Miles- in a work dealing with the history of British boxing, dispute that he. was one of the cleverest and smartest and most skilful pugilists that »aer -spoiled buff in the, 24-foot ring. Had he appeared at an earlier period than the latter days of the falling and moribund prize ring, and had he choeen honestly to exert his powers, the fame that accompanied the championships of Jem Belcher and Jem Ward might also have shone, on him. The ring, however, had fallen *.nto degradation when Mace,first became known as a boxer and it was to this that s-me cf the "shady”, incidents of his , tureftr; might be ascribed. ■ FAME AS A SHOWMAN.

Born at Beeston,. near ■ Swafiham, in Norfolk, in May. 1831, he first came under public notice as proprietor of a travelling booth, wherein at loirs, race meetings and' public gatherings he played the violin, supplied refreshments and gave, exhibitions .of self-defence, /being acknowledged as a skilful professor. He had not been lons in the showman line before Jiis booth was the lesort of admirers l of glove-practice, and Mace soon, became: faaned for his readiness and . success. in demolishing aspiring-yokels. Though- often over-weighted, he , was never out-matched. and - this early experience taught him how to deal with the “big. ones," as his- subsequent fights with Tom'King and Sam Hurst showed. , . HIS FIRST FIGHT.

' Mace’s- first fight, when twenty-four years ;of age, was with an , “illustrious obscure’’ named Slack. The mill, was a very-one-sided-afiair,' nineteen minutes sufficing for - Mace to put , his opponent -through, -leaving, on without a mark ot punishment. . - His firsts appear ance■' .in the London ring wais- aga-inst-Bill’Thorpe in 1857. for ■JBSO, , neither: man' to ‘ exceed 10 .-stone., This contest Mace won in the eighteenth round; ’ Thorpe never had a olipuco of success, bciiig out-fought and out-man-oeuvred ‘in 'every round. This success brought Mace into pronyinence, and in October of the same year articles.wore signed fpr’a fight againstfMike Madden for XSO a side. Mace was at this time in business ras a publican, keeping--.the Swan Inn ‘at Norwich. •:Thai contest did not take place. Mace and his party objected to the referee—Dan Dismore—and after, a lot of-, haggling-,-the,Xloo stake was eventually handed over to Madden. - OUTED IN'TWO HOUNDS. i • Bob Brettle, of Birmingham, was next pitted againSt; the coming’ champion, but serious haunted the public mind until the. men were ; actually in the ring ;on the banks of the Medway. Two rounds only were fought, Macc o©ing defeated,. the; actual:! fight having lasted only throe minutes. •• ' AN UNEXPLAINED BIDDLE. Mace’s 1 next . match remains ah i’ linesplained riddle. He was backed, on this occasion by Bob Brettle, his previous adversary,-against-one of his own townsmen, ‘/Posh" Pa ice, for .£SO a side. The deposits were posted by Brettle in the name and on- behalf of, a man called in the articles “Brettlo’s Novice.” . It;..was not until the last deposit that it was declared that Mace was the novice. Maco won in the eleventh round. “Wo do not remember to have scon such severe , and cutting , punishment; administered; ,in so short a time in-any -battle of, modern times,” iran an account of the fight. “Maco in this contest not only justified the high opinion of his scientific quality which wo always entertained, but displayed a: steady C resolution _fqr, - which none had given him credit. His hitting was as hard as it was precise—as poor ‘Posh’s’ battered mug and bruised ■ carcase fully testified.” POLICE STOP-A FIGHT.

His appearance against Bob Travers, then known as " Langham’s Black," took place in Kent. The match -was fought m two sections. On the first day, during the sixth round, there was a general cry of "Police,” and' a . posse presentedthemselves at the ring side. There was a general - scatter,’ hostilities t being renewed nextv day. In nil fifty-seven rounds were fought, victory resting:with Mace. In the last round, after hitting out, Travers -shifted his,; position and as Mace was delivering his blow deliberately throw himself down. The referee, decided the battle against him, Mace being hailed the winner at the end of one hour and thirty-one minutes. A scene of disgraceful confusion followed, Travers’s friends assailing the referee . with the foulest abuse sand refusing to accept his decision. Travers sired tears and declared he was ready: to fight on, .refusing ito shake hands with, his opponent. Travers had been severely punished: Mace s injuries wore unimportant.

. AGAINST A GIANT. A gigantic Lancashire wrestler, Sam Hurst Gft 21iu in stature, weighing IS stone,'provided Mace with an easy victory in 1861. Hurst received ; : a severe hiding, his seconds ultimately throwing up the sponge. This battle elevated Mace to the championship of England, ho being acknowledged one of the most finished boxers who had gained the title. The title was dispulel in 1862 by Tom King, an imploring fighter, and _ the match took nlace for .£2OO a side. Mace was knocked down twice during the forty-three rounds which the fight ran, but'he succeeded in knocking his opponent out. Superiority of Mace as a scientific pugilist alone enabled him to attain victory. In November of the same year Slaco lost to King after- a twenty-one-round contest, and then fought three matches- with Joe Goss, winning two and drawing one. After retiring in England in ISO? ho visited America and eventually came to Australia, settling in Melbouinne, where ho was a publican for some time. Visiting America again in 1870 Mace fought a battle for 2500-dollairs a side at New Orleans with Tom Allen, the "Birmingham Bruiser,” heating him in'ten rounds.'aiid 'the following year he fought a t; St. Louie a twelve ! round draw

with Joe Coebnrn. this- being his last fight. • , EECOED OP FIGHTS. ■ Following is a list of Mace's battles -188 S—Slasher Slack: won, 9 rounds. i ISST-dlill Thorpe, won, 18 rounds. 3858—80 b Brottlo, lost, 2 rounds. 1859 Posh Price, won, it rounds. 1860— Bob Travers, police intervened, 6 rounds. 1860— Bob Travers, won, 57 rounds. ... . ■ 1850—Bob Biottle, police" intervened, 1850-r-Bob Brcttle,-won. 11. rounds. 1861— Sam Hurst, won, 8 rounds. - , 1862—Tom King, won, 43 rounds, l 1862 Tom King, lost, 21 rolmds. 1863 Joe Goss, won. 19 round*. 1866—Joe Goes, drawn 1 round. ■ 1866—.T0e Goss, won, 21 rounds.- . ' 1870— Tom Allen, won. .10 rounds.;■ v 1871— Joe Coburn, drawn, 12 rounds.