Reminiscences and Records.

NZ Truth, Issue 509, 20 March 1915, Page 10

Reminiscences and Records.

(BY "BOXER-MAJOR.") i Copyright: All Rights Reserved by the Author. BOOK II—CHAPTER XXV. I I have made frequent references to | "Chiddy" (Sydney James) Ryan, m these reminiscences; and have given ! him all credit for being one of the most graceful, and at the same time effective, boxers Australia ever saw. I don't know how Chiddy would have stayed the long journey; for I never saw him box out the twenty-rounds trip, but 1 do know that he had about the prettiest approach and the sweetest left jab and right cross of the counter I ever saw. As to the "Chiddy," I've often been asked what it meant, and how he got the name. That is dead easy, and so obvious that it annoys me that anybody should need to ask. He gave himself the nick-name m babyhood, and it stuck. "Chiddy" is an infant's way of saying "Sydney," and Sydney Ryan, as a toddler, told people his name was "Chiddy." Nothing could be plainer or more obvious; and yet I have been a^ked personally and by letter, perhaps a score .of times, to explain why S. J. Ryan is called "Chiddy." It is. a sore point with Ryan that "the lads" of to-day will not believe that he ever boxed with Griffo; and I saw m a daily paper, not long ago, an answer to the question put to / A "GREAT AUTHORITY," to the effect that he could not remember (and therefore did not believe!) that Ryan ever boxed Griffo. Geewhilikins! , ' It "was probably owing to that ridiculous statement that I was asked, on a recent Monday night, when Chiddy bade me good night as he left the Newtown, car at Park-street to catch the Coogee tram, by" a total stranger who had been an interested listener to our yarn over oldHimes: . "Did he ever box with Griffo?" jerking" an indicative thumb towards the departing Sydney James. "Yes," I replied, "Ryan and Griffo used- to supply the best four rounds preliminary Sydney ever saw. I've seen a tenner m the shower, more than once." "Well, that settles an argument," quoth tho stranger, as I got off at Kingstreet. ■ But Chiddy Ryan's beautiful science did not always avail him, as the following report, from' my own pen, of one of. his contests, will show: and it will also show how a hard-heade^ "tug," of the limpet variety, can make a scientific man look foolish, sometimes. * The man, Alex Stewart, who so upset! calculations, was the same poor, half-fed wretch who succumbed to disease after being pummelled like a punching bag by Young Sandy Ross, at, I am reminded by Mr. W. Young, not the Golden Gate, but at Sam Matthews' little hall m Castlereagh-street; where, Billy Young assures me, the Yankee Savage-Jim Lewis-fatality also occurred. . . • Mr. Young's letter is worth publics - ting, not only because he, of all men, should bo able to give THE FACTS.OF FIGHTS of his time, but for. the reason that his story shows how easy it is to fall into error. I have.a fancy, however, that he is wrong about; the locale of the' Savage-Lewis battle. I have a lurkIng memory that it occurred after "Yankee Sam" had taken over the old S.G.C. rooms, York-street, from Larry Foley, who bought out tho Club's properties and lease. Says Mr. Young: "Dear 'Boxer-Major', —ln your Reminiscences and Records m last Sunday's "Truth," your correspondent, Mr. Fox, says that the fight 'between Jim Lewis and Yankee Savage took place at the Golden Gate Club. He is wrong. As a matter of fact that happened at Yankeo Sam's (Sam Matthews) little hall m Castlereagh-Btreet. The 'Gate' was always lucky m this respect. It was this fight and fatality, and another at a short Interval when ybung Sandy Ross and tho hard case Scotchman, Stewart—who promised, to die In tho attempt if he didn't beat Ross, and kept his word (at Yankee Sams'), that were the cause of fights being stopped altogether (though 'natural causes' wns proved m each instance). I had to close my hall, and then I re-opened it again, years after, and put Charlie Campbell Into the game, that Is to say as a partner m boxing' promotion." Hut to revert to tho contest between Chiddy Ryan and "Scatty" Stewart, the man who died In harness and gave the game such a bad bhick.-nye. Hero is my own story m "Truth" of August 14,

1892, of that eventful night's proceedings: