GENERAL NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1255, 7 May 1914, Page 32

GENERAL NOTES.

The contest will arouse keen interest in boxing circles, the general impression being that this will constitute the first real test Carpentier has been called upon to participate in since he entered the heavyweight ranks. He will find a tough proposition in Gunboat Smith, entirely different to the easy mark Bombardier Wells proved in their two brief engagements. Gunboat Smith is undoubtedly the best white heavyweight boxer in the world to-day, and his clash with the much-boomed French boxing prodigy will be awaited with more than usual interest.

According to a London cable, Mr. R. L. Baker has arranged for Bedoux, the welterweight champion of France, and Vittet, to come to Australia. The lightweights of France have decided to entertain Mr. Baker at dinner, and he will start on his return journey in June.

Sportsmen who intend visiting Wanganui for the Steeplechase meeting on the 21st and 23rd May will be interested to learn that a boxing tournament is to be held on Friday, the 22 nd in st (writes our Wanganui correspondent). It will be an amateur tourney, but three or four star bouts which should prove of exceptional interest are being arranged. One bout, that arranged between F. W. Gould and J. Collerton, the two heavyweights who put up such an exciting cattle last September, should again prove an excellent contest. Two of the best lightweights on the coast ‘will be matched, and two good welterweights will also meet, while there will be a number of try-outs, all of which should be interesting, in view of the fact that the New Zealand championship tournament is to be held here at the end of July or early in AuguSt.

Jim Hall, the Melbourne boxer, talks of going to Sydney to fight Gordon Coghill, but a local syndicate is anxious that he should show off his paces in Newcastle. Pat Bradley is mentioned as Hall’s likely opponent, and if the pair come together the fans should see a great battle. Big things are expected from Hall, who has beaten all his men in such decisive

fashion that he must be something above the ordinary,

Milburn Saylor’s triumphal boxing campaign in Australia has been little short of sensational, for the American lightweight has not only proved a terror to opponents in his own obision, but has demonstrated that even the best welterweights are not beyond the range of his famous knockout punch, for he succeeded the other evening in battering the English welter champion, Tom McCormick, to a standstill at the Sydney Stadium. Of the all-conquering American boxer a writer in the “Sportsman” says: — “There is Red Indian blood in Milburn Saylor, beyond a shadow of a doubt. It shows in his small, lean bead, in his unfathomable black eyes, in his lithe build, in his long, gliding stride, his extraordinary length of limb and his stoicism under pain.

“His career has been an extraordinary one since that night in Canada when he knocked out Freddie Welsh, the champion lightweight of England, in the twelfth round’, and was robbed of the fruits and glory of achieve-

ment by a spurious charge of foul. Coming to Australia, soon after, he engaged in five fights in his own —the lightweight—class, and knocked out four of his opponents without having a mark to show he’d been fighting. He’d have had a ‘clean plate,’ and bagged the fifth, for a certainty, had not the Brisbane referee, Mick Dunn, given the fight to his opponent, Eddie Newhouse, of Melbourne, on a foul; said foul consisting of hitting in the breakaway, a thing that is done in every fight in Sydney, and that there is no Queensbury rule to show that it is illegal. In America, where this wonderful lad has done most of his fighting, the rule is, ‘Protect yourself at all times,’ and such a thing as barring the hit in the break is unheard of; so that to disqualify Saylor for fighting in the way he is accustomed to, and was allowed to in Sydney, was, to say the least, a harsh proceeding, and one which, moreover, not only robbed Saylor of a certain win, but the Brisbane patrons of the treat of their lives; for they’re never likely to see another Milburn Saylor.

“Having cleaned up the Australian lightweights, only one of whom, Herb McCoy gave him much trouble, and stopped an English crack, Nat Williams, in just over one round, Saylor

took on a welter, and a brilliant one at that, Tom McCormick, to wit, the young Liverpool- ex-soldier, Irish born, who came all the way from England to Australia to pit himself against the redoubtable Johnny Summers, and beat him twice unmistakeably, the second time in half a round. A tough countract, indeed, for any lightweight to undertake.

“There’s not a man of the crowd who can suggest a boxer in Australia, anywhere near his w r eight, whom he couldn’t beat,” continues the writer. He scaled 9st. B%lb. to McCormick’s lOst. 41b.; and if Tom had been a stone heavier the result would have been the same. I wouldn’t back Dave Smith to beat Milburn Saylor. McCormick was by no means idle throughout the first few rounds, and landed numbers of sweet straight lefts and snappy right jolts and uppercuts, fighting almost solely for the head; but Saylor took the hardest of McCormick’s punches as philosophically as if they were indulging in a spar in the gymnasium.”

The end of the Saylor-McCormick fight is described as follows: —The tenth round brought the end that had been merely delayed, for it was inevitable, by the extraordinary hardness which McCormick has displayed in all his battles. He should never have been sent out of his corner, co which he had gone groggy and with a face like a bad dream; but he was, and hopped out with a brave bluff at freshness and strength. They had only got within distance, however, when Saylor put his fullpporerw r er into one, two, three to the jaws, and McCormick tottered back on his heels and fell, luckily for him and the game, on his buttocks, sinking then to the broad of his back. He was done to a turn, but foolishly rose at seven and was rushed to the south-west corner. He tried to smother, but Saylor broke through with the left, and whanged his right down on to the back of the head half a dozen times, and Tom sank sideways down the ropes to the floor. There had been shouts to his corner before this, of “Chuck in the towel,” and at this crisis it fluttered in just as the. referee shouted “two,” and at the same moment the police officer rose to intervene. Hardly had Harold Baker pointed to Saylor as the winner than McCormick was on his feet and walking forward, feebly shaping up to continue. The presence of half a dozen seconds in the ring appeared to surprise McCormick, but they gently broke the truth to him and he was led away to his chair apparently protesting that he was not licked. Game tc the last, brave lad; he was the best licked man in the world at that moment. When Saylor, who has an innate sense of the dramatic, stood in his corner, with his long sinew’y arms upflung, and wheeled to all four points of the compass in mute salute of the Mighty People, the roar of cheering was something to remember. He’s a great lad, this 21-year-old Kentuckian from Indiana! A large edition of famous Billy Murphy.

Eddie McGoorty, the American middleweight, will meet Jules Dubourg, the French boxer, at the Stadium in Melbourne on May 23. Writing from London, Mr. R. L. Baker makes the following interesting reference to a remarkable veteran of the ring:—“I went to the Wandsworth Union, a few miles out of the city here, the other day to see that famous old-timer Bob Travers. Travers fought Mace and all the other great champions in his day. He is now 85 years old and still hale and hearty—one more proof of the virtues of the good old art of self-defence. The old very intelligently and interestingly of fights fifty years ago. I asked him how long it was since he boxed. He replied that he never boxed, they all fought in his day, and it is only girls’ play that the boxers have in these days. His longest fight, he. informed me, lasted two days, just as though it were a mere trifle. He remarked: ‘I had a very hard life when training for 55 years.’ ”

Herb. McCoy, the clever Victorian lightweight, has been matched to fight Milburn Saylor, the successful American boxer, on May 30, in Sydney. The latter meets Williams in Melbourne on May 25.

Hughie Mehegan, the crack Australian lightweight, will make his reappearance in the ring on Saturday night next (May 9), when he will meet Milburn Saylor, the clever American boxer, at the Sydney Stadium. This Will be the second meeting between

the pair, Saylor having knocked out the Australian champion lightweight in their first encounter. Mehegan is in splendid fettle at present, and his services should be in big demand during the winter months. On June 6 he will meet the English lightweight. Kid Lewis, at the Stadium in Sydney, the latter being expected to arrive in Australia during the next few days.

Jimmy Clabby, regarded by many as the world’s middleweight champion, is to meet Jeff Smith at the Sydney Stadium on May 23. The battle between these two formidable American middleweights should prove a memorable one.

Dave Smith, who has been suffering from a severe attack of illness, is at present recuperating at Katoomba (N.S.W.), where he will probably stay for a couple of months It is indeed unfortunate for Smith that he should be on the disabled list at a time that several high-class middleweights are in Australia, for while a fourth meeting with Eddie McGoorty is out of the question, a return battle with Jeff Smith or a match with Jimmy Clabby,

who has just arrived in Australia, would no doubt be to the Australian’s liking.

“Now,” says an American writer, “that Barney Williams has changed his fighting name to his real name — Battling Levinsky—and is making a tremendous hit, another fighter in New York, Danny Ridge, has turned over his cognomen to Battling Rosenblatt,” says Magner. “A fighter need never hide race or nationality behind an alias. If a few of the ‘Kellys’ and ‘Sullivans’ and ‘Ryans’ now fighting in different parts of the country would revert to the rightful ‘Cohn’ or ‘Bacigalupi’ they’d deserve more credit from the fans. —and get it.”

Georges Carpentier, the French champion, has signed articles for a 20-rounds boxing contest with Gunboat Smith, of America. The purse offered is £5OOO. Provision has been made for a bet of £5O a-side. The white heavyweight championship of the world, won by Smith when he defeated Arthur Pelky in California, last New Year’s Day, is involved. The match will tak e place some time in June, at The Ring, London, conducted by Dick Burge, once lightweight champion of England.

The Wellington Boxing Association will hold a carnival early in June, and with this view are endeavouring to induce the Sydney lightweight,

Frank O’Grady, to journey across the Tasman and meet the New Zealand champion, Jim Hagerty, for a purse of .£lOO on the date mentioned. At the moment of writing the Association are awaiting a reply from their Australian representative as to whether O’Grady is prepared to make the trip to. these snores.

At a committee meeting of the Wellington Boxing Association last week it was decided that in connection with amateur championship meeting two judges be appointed, to submit in writing their finding to the committee, and in case of their verdict not being unanimous the management be appointed to submit the decision to the referee, whose decision will be final.

London boxing critics are eulogising the build and styles of Colin Bell the New South Wales heavyweight, and Terry Keller, the American boxer, and expressing the hope that they may succeed in getting matches, as both are likely to prove formidable opponents. Bombardier Wells appears

to be standing off, preparing to meet easier marks on the assumption that, though the profits, may be comparatively small from a pecuniary point of view, the favourable results for him are more assured.

Boxing appears to have taken a new lease of life in England, and with the propect of a battle between Georges Carpentier and Gunboat Smith in London in June, the fistic game will receive greater prominence than ever. The defeats inflicted on Bombardier Wells by Carpentier were expected to damp the ardour of British sportsmen, but they are evidently taking as keen an interest in boxing matters as ever. According to a cable there is every evidence that London is the land of promise for the world’s professional boxers, and will be their Mecca. America is not offering the purses hitherto given by that country.

Georges Carpentier, the French heavyweight champion, is in a sense a boxing luxury. His demands when engagements are offered are excessively high—prohibitive, in fact, consequently he is not likely to be in request, excepting on rare occasions.

At the National Sporting Club last month, Digger Stanley met Curley Walker in a match for the bantamweight championship of England and

the Lonsdale Belt. Mr. J. W. H. T. Douglas was referee. Stanley expected an easy contest. He showed greater cleverness in footwork, and

hit quicker than his opponent. Walker, however, displayed unexpected resource. Stanley was frequently cautioned for holding, and then he persisted in offending, the referee disquamying him in the 13th round. Stanley is 31 years of age, and has been figuring since xyua.. He beat u.wen Moran on points, after going 20 rounds, 13 years ago., in the following year accounted tor Australian ribby vviatson, now back in Sydney, three times. Stanley is. the owner or a Lonsdale Belt through having won the trophy three times in succession.

uLEVicR Middleweight in AUGiXLAIND. GUS DEVITi SiiEKS MATCHES. Gus Devitt, the ciever New Zealand middleweight boxer, who has earned a big reputation as a boxer in Australia, particularly in Queensland, is at present in Auckland, and is anxious to meet any middleweight in the Dominion, the winner of last night’s contest between Barney Ireland and Denny Murphy for preference. Gus Devitt’s creditable ring record entitles him to wine recognition among the boxing associations in this country, and he will doubtless prove a strong drawing card if matched ac some of the local carnivals. In proor of his calibre as a boxer it need only be mentioned that he fought a twenty rounds’ draw with the famous Queensland middleweight boxer, Arthur Cripps, former champion ot Australia, who only the other day signalised his return to the ring after a lengthy absence by defeating Tim Land m Brisbane. Devitt also met Jim Clabby m Brisbane for a £3O<J purse and £5O side bet. Devitt is a rugged type of boxer, and reference to some of his battles should prove interesting to boxing enthusiasts in this country. Gus Devitt was welter and middleweight champion of New Zealand during 1908 and 1910, and welter and middleweight champion of Queensland in 1909-10.

Shortly after his arrival in Brisbane Devitt met Ed. Russell, amateur champion middleweight of Queensland, m a match for the championship of Bundaberg, the towel being skied in from Russell’s corner m the second round and the New Zealander declared the winner. At the Brisbane Stadium Devitt fought red Johns for the middleweight championship of Queensland, bur suffered a knockout in the fourteenth round after a sterling battle. At Bundaberg (Queensland) Devitt knocked out the local champion, Charles Godfrey, in the sixth round. A noteworthy performance or Devitc's was his defeat ot Archie Leckie, the well-known New Zealand boxer, in a match at Hastings for the middleweight cnampionship of the Dominion, Leckie’s seconds throwing in the towel in the thirteenth round.

Devitt also acounted for Geo. Reidy, the clever N.S.W. champion, who previously had fought twenty rounds with Dave Smith, Devitt knocking his opponent out after two rounds at the Brisbane Stadium, the fight during its brief duration being a terrific one. 't wice Gus Devitt whipped Frank Bungardy the Port Adelaide iron man, the battle in each instance being keenly contested, Devitt remarking afterwards to the audience that Bungardy had given him the hardest light of his career.

The first match between the wellknown aboriginal boxer, Black Paddy, and Gus Devitt, at the National Arena, Adelaide., drew a record house, and resulted in a draw after a cyclonic battle. A second meeting was arranged and Devitt gained a points’ decision after the twentieth round. Whilst in Adelaide Devitt fought Jack Willis at the Stadium, winning in the fifteenth round, the towel being thrown in from Willis’ corner. Devitt put up a great fight, and carried too many guns for his older rival. Devitt also met Dave Walker, the Sydney middleweight, in Adelaide, and knocked him out in the third round.

Devitt’s fight with Arthur Cripps, for the middleweight championship, which took place in Adelaide, was declared a draw at the end of twenty rounds, though in the opinion of the boxing critics if a definite decision had been stipulated for the verdict must have gone to Devitt,

A number of members of the Canterbury Automobile Association had an enjoyable trip to Hanmer Springs on a recent Saturday. A large number of cars participated, and amongst those present were Dr. Simpson (who was the first to arrive at Hanmer), Mr. Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Morton, Mr. and Mrs. Johnstone, Mr. and Mrs. Barnett, Mr. Kennett, Mr. Sead-Gow-ing, Mr. and Mrs. Kibblewhite, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Clarkson, and Mr. Guthrie. The roads were in excellent order, and the weather was perfect. Swimming, golf, croquet, tennis and bowls provided entertainment for the visitors. The run was so successful that it will probably be made an annual affair of the Automobile Association in the future.

A peculiar and disquieting incident occurred to a party of Christchurch motorists who were returning from Springfield. The old West Coast Road —that romantic track of long-ago cattle days, over which ebbed ana flowed the pioneers of the South when the yellow lure called all men to the Golden Coast —is now for long stretches covered with grass, and after rainfall it is very slippery. When travelling at about 30 miles an hour between Kirwee and Waddington the big car suddenly skidded and swung bodily at right angles to the road. Realising that to apply the brakes would make the contingent spill a certainty, the chauffeur released his clutch and succeeded in completing the curve in the hedge side at a point where there happened to be neither water-race nor ditch, the car coming to a standstill facing the direction from which it had been travelling and thus averting what would otherwise have been a very ugly capsize.

“Oh, Selina! your cough sounds most dreadful, You’ll have to take something. I’m sure; Get your mother to send to the chemist’s For Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. Mumma gives it to me and to Tilly When we have a cough or a cold— No ! It’s not a bit bitter, you silly! It’s the nicest and best ever sold.’’