THE AUSTRALIAN RING.

NZ Truth, Issue 584, 26 August 1916, Page 11

THE AUSTRALIAN RING.

REMINISCENCES AND RECORDS.

(By "Boxer Major/)

Copyright: All Rights Reserved by the Author,'

BOOK II.— CHAPTER 96,

When I undertook to correct "Taurus," a writer who has been giving readers of the "Referee" a lot of '"reminiscences" of fistic happenings of the past that never occurred, and absurdly garbled yarns about others that did occur, 1 did so chiefly because his silly yarns were m many .things cool contradictions of what I had already written, besides/ being a tissue of taradiddles almost all through. Around an atom of fact ''Taurus" has woven a dense cloud of romance and fairy tales he has been ttolad — a historian who gets his story secondhand! — and one could write pages exposing the fallacies m any one of .his. misleading chapters. Amongst other absolute mis-statments, he has told that Joe Goddard had boxed m Sydney before the period that he appeared here to keep his appointment with Mick Dooley at the Sydney Amateur Gymnastic Club, on June 24, 1890 (o£ course, "Taurus" couldn't give the date!), and, m the issue of August 2 he reiterates statements to this effect that had been contradicted by a correspondent who evidently knew Goddard well. Apparently he chose to overlook the fact that I had anticipated this correspondent with the statement that Goddard never boxed m Sydney before he met Dooley. And just here I must "call" friend "Taurus" on another point. He claims to have received his "facts" from Larry Foley, the retired champion knuckle fighter of Australia, and as one of these "facts" he states that Goddard fought Choynski first and Dooley afterwards, at the Club. Most of his other "facts" throughout these articles are on a par with this statement; absolutely erroneous. "Tauruß" was only a lad, doing his first press work at the time, and dear old "Daddy" Wilson, since gone to his rest, was the man who reported the fights for the "Australian Star," now the "Sun," m thoso days, "Taurus" was what is known as a "cub reporter," and hia only connection with the club and its fixtures was his duty of collecting "pars" through the week. He is even wrong m saying that Goddard "beat Choynski In about five rounds." In my story of the fight, reproduced, by request, of muny months ngt>, 1 told the truth, that Choynski ordered Sam Fitzgerald to sky the towel during the minute rest after the fourth round. I hinted at the time, and I say again, that It was a rank quit. My remark,

m my report m "Truth," that we In Australia were accustomed to see boxers fight on till they were knocked out and not stop because they were hurt, greatly offender the San Francisco Jew, and also very much hurt his, and my, friend, the late Phtn Thompson, who, a Jew himself, took Joe under his wing and gave him a real home nearly all the time he was m Australia; but it was well Jestifled, all the same. How for I am justified m thus "dealing it out" to "Taurus" is exemplified In the following letters from Mr. William Goddard, apparently a son of the late 'Barrier champion." One of these is addressed to me, and the other, which he asks me to publish m the spirit of fair play, is a copy of one he wrote to W. P. Corbett, and which has been ignored. Inter alia, I may observe that the stories alleged to have been supplied by Messrs. Foloy and Taylor, are absolutely without foundation. Neither has ever proved reliable where a good memory Is a desideratum, and neither ever put a glove on with Goddard. Of that I was certain before I received the letters alluded to, and which I publish here and with pleasure. God knows I have been "brutally candid" as to J. J. Goddard and his temperament out of the ring; but as to his performances 1 have /been absolutely fair, as befits one who writes not alone for the hour's reading, but for posterity; and Mr. William Goddard is evidently "sport" enough to give me credit for my attitude. Here are his letters: "148 Bank-street, "South Melbourne, Aug 7, 1916. "'Boxer-Major,' "'Truth' Office, Sydney. "Dear Sir,— My attention has been directed to your articlo of 23rd. by Mr. Wm. Maher, of the Victorian Club, and am pleased to see that your reminiscencos deal exclusively with facts, m striking contrast to the wild ramblings and ridiculous statements of "Taurus," of the "Referee." Therefore, needless to say, I am delighted at the opportunity which presents itself of bringing- under your notice copy of my letter to (he "Referee" emphatically contradicting their assertions re Joo Goddurd'jj early days, which appeared m their issue of July 12; but although they publish other letters m their iasuo of 2nd inst., commenting upon their remarks on this subject they deny me the right of fair play by silently Ignoring my denial to Mcwsra. Foloy a\nd Taylor's untruths— wJth this exception, that m last week's Issue they conveniently niter their description of Goddard-Taylor meeting from the billing: of "Barrier champion" to that of the • Illawarni navvy." He never at any time worked us n navvy; but, on the other hand, In Now South Wales, had the contract for several large Government works, on completion of which ho cum© down to Melbourne, where ho engaged m another contract at Yarra Gteu Just prior to hi« debut m the ring. "Having turned 36 last May. you will understand that I am In a position to deny that the Koley- Taylor v. Goddard engagement ever took place, In nddltlon to which my mother poslUvoly states that he wax not at any time In tho city of Sydney from 1575) j to 1888, but ou two occasions of a fly. ug visit wljlch ended m his return | homo the same night. I'rlor 10 ihis I his time wftu spent In Pyramui and I Hathurnt. You will observe also from i the letter onclojwd that I asked how long Dooley's broken hand taut IneupucituteU h!m from rttrtluT boxln«. This wa» also Ignored. [ Uooley broke \ hit* loft furestngvr ucroxM the buck of Oh* hand, m tho fourth round.— MUI.') "Fair crltlcißm Is welcome, whether It be for or nKainitt the abilities or dhiqimlltlcttUon.M Q f t) ,, e ' a j oßl relative, but It eonveyx a totally different fooling when v paper reduce* Km atuiun to publixh mien mifi-HtutcmcnUJ n» Ihoj-'o to which I r«f«-r, "Mr. Win. Mahur Ist v recognised authority on all otd-ilrut* «üb)ict."«, and Im I'ljclowcd with tiu< most n-U'titlvo memory that I lmvo yet Como m contact with m young or old, and h-« could uubstautluto what I hv.-.» lutpin rttatcd. H8 I inighi nu'tulon Uiat ho v.,6* liccjualiUfil with my fattier ami !i:« movenients long before he took v* lie ropetl tiretui. ■Trustlnts the foreuolng remark* v. ;H rnt-pt with a better fute than those I addressed lv tin- 'Hef«r<«e.' and thankit.? you m untlcliuaion. 1 remain. ;, >urs, etc-, "WM. GODJMKD." Here 1* the copy forwarded with the j

above, of the letter Mr. Goddnrd refers t0: i 1% 14S Bank-street, "South Melbourne, July 17, 1916. "W. F. Corbett, . Esq.. " 'Referee* Office, Sydney. "Dear Sir, — I see from July 12th Issue that you are returning: to the 'Referee,' so take this opportunity of addressing you personally to emphatically state that Joe Goddard and Peter Jackson never engaged In a contest— friendly Spar or otherwise — prior to their meeting- m Melbourne m 1890, as mentioned by Tom Taylor m the issue of 'Referee' above referred to. "Tom Taylor next refers to his own little experience with Goddard, but m his attempt to raise himself on a high pedestal as a great 'Old Timer* by asserting that he dropped Joo m the third round, whereupon he turned it up, he has m his own words furnished conclusive evidence that his phenominal performance m compelling Goddard to 'turn It up' is a concoction upon which he can no longer trade and gain bestowing looks of admiration from his audience if you publish the following 'knock-out' to his incredible story: *'-Io mentions that he was billed to meet Goddard m Goddard's wellknown title of the 'Barrier champion.' As you know, this title he earned In his third of fourth professional engagement by defeating Owen Sullivan at Broken Hill. Immediately returning to Melbourne, he fought two or three other contests* and a few months afterwards left Melbourne for Sydney "to fulfil his engagement with Dooley. '•The above should be sufficient to Induce Taylor to 'turn it up' and also at the same time convince him that it could not have been Joe Goddard whom ho saw box with Peter Jackson. Next, m endeavoring to belittle Goddard's victory over Dooley by stating that Dooley broke his left hand early, might I ask how long this broken hand Incapacitated Dooley from boxing? "Now, m the same article, Poley tells us what he did to Goddard m a boxing lesson, and also about Paddy Slavin being present; but I can tell Mr. Foley that not only did Goddard never seek a lesson m boxing from any man, but also that he never stepped Inside the White Horse gymnaßlum prior to his debut as a professional, and also that I the first time he ever set eyes on Paddy Slavin was at Yarra Glen, Vie, m 1888, where Paddy was showing, and Goddard walked five miles from the bush to that township one evening to have a look at him. After Slavln'a usual performance he invited any of the audience to step into the ring and spar four rounds. Goddard stepped forward and boxed four rounds with Slavin, at the end of which Slavin | complimented him on hla great natural strength. ! "If Messrs. Taylor and Foley wish to j know anything concerning Goddard's history, I shall be pleased to furnish : them with any information they desire, j and I might take this opportunity of telling them something else tHat they or the public have never known, and that is that Joe Goddard was thirtythree years of ago when he commenced his professional boxing career, his first contest being with the late Nat Ryan, and probably he never would have been seen m the ring had s lt not been for the fapt that these two desired to settle their differences, which thoy did— first with the bare knuckles, and as Ryan was not then satisfied, they fought with the gloves. "Trusting you will be good enough to publish the foregoing facts, and* Shanking you m anticipation.— l remain, yours truly." [It Is very evident to me that both Foley and Taylor, men for whom 1 have a warm friendship, are mistaking Borne other man for Qoddard. Neither had as much chance of putting the k.o. oh that magnificent savage as I had the day ho assaulted me. and Norman Turnbull held me m his giant grip to prevent me from using my Malacca can© on his head. I agree absolutely with Mr. William Goddard that J. J. Goddard was never seen, as a ringator. m Sydney, until he came over from Melbourne, not long after his defeat of Owen Sullivan, at Broken Hill, to meet Dooley. He did not even know a single street m Sydney, lot alone where to find Larry Foley'u Halh when [he arrived there for the contest.— "B.M."] i (To be continued.)