GENERAL NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1294, 11 February 1915, Page 29

GENERAL NOTES.

Jim Driscoll, perhaps the cleverest toxer England has yet developed, and the holder of the featherweight championship of his country till he retired, has joined the Welsh Horse, and went into training early in December. * • m * Like Engalnd, France is losing her boxers in the great war, and the latest cross-Channel exponent of the art of self-defence to fall in action is Battling Lacroix, who has been killed by a shell in the Argonne, where considerable fighting has taken place. Lacroix, who was born in 1882, was one of the first recognised boxing champions of France, he having held the welterweight title. His career in the hempen square extended over six years, and amongst many others he has met are Matt. Wells, Bob Yewman (another victim of the war), Bandsman Rice, Young Joseph, Jack Meekins, Adrien Hogan, Marcel Moreau, Sid. Stagg, and Georges Carpentier.

Johnny Summers lost heavily, more heavily than ever before, when the other evening he relinquished his hold on the Lonsdale Belt, emblematic of the welterweight championship of Great Britain, which title Johnny won by defeating Arthur Evernden and successfully defended against Sid Burns, only, however, to lose it to Sergt. Johnny Basham (says the “Mirror of Life”). Summers feels this reverse very much, as it debars him from getting a pension of £1 a week when he reaches the age of fifty, but he has not given up the hope of regaining his lost laurels, and thus making the Lonsdale trophy his absolute property, the annexing of which will entitle him to the pension. The Basham-Summers contest was the first in which the £1 grant from the N.S.C. was involved, but had Johnny won he would not have been first to attain it, as by winning a Lonsdale Belt outright Jim Driscoll and Digger Stanley have qualified Bombardier Wells has made the heavyweight belt his own property, but as he secured it by winning only two contests, he may not be granted a pension, as, it is understood, pensions are only to be given to those who make a Lonsdale Belt their own property per victories in thiee championship contests. Sergt. Johnny Basham (Royal Welsh Fusiliers), the new welterweight champion and holder of the Lonsdale Belt, will be willing, if called upon to defend his title in a few weeks’ time, provided his military duties will permit, and he has the confidence one looks for in a champion, being indifferent as to which of his challengers comes first (says an English critic). Besides Summers being after a return “go,” Matt. Wells is on Basham’s tra.l, and the ex-champion lightweight is prepared to ratify a match for a side bet of £5OO. Dia Roberts, another challenger, can find a similar amount to box the Sergeant, but he hasn’t such a strong claim as Wells to a match, for Matt, has a victory to his credit over Pte. Tom McCormick, who defeated Summers twice. Basham is not compelled to defend his title yet awhile, for the conditions under which the English championship and Lonsdale Belt are held allow six months rest between the winning and defending of same. With no desire to take advantage of this, the new champion shows himself a sportsman, the probability is that his challengers will have to wait, there being a likelihood of Basham being sent to the war in the very near future. * * ¥ A London cable announces that there was a tremendous attendance at the National Sporting Club the other night to witness the fight between J.mmy Wilde, 7st. 111 b., and Lee, 7st. 13 lb., for the world’s flyweight championship. Odds of 3 to 1 on were laid about Wilde who was regarded as such a certainty that there was little betting. Wilde is of peculiar bu.ld, be.ng short, thin, emaciated, and angelic looking, while his ribs stick out like a dingo’s. He is nothing but bone and knobs of muscle. His reach is long, and his shoulders wide, but his chest has no depth, and it might have been expected that the fierce glare of the flashlight would have shown through his figure. Lee, on the other hand, is sturdy—a pocket Hercules. From the outset Lee used his advantage in weight, strength, and compactness to maintain a ceaseless aggressive, forcing Wilde to the rope continually. In boxing ability there was little between the men. Wilde’s greatest skill lies in evading punishment and protecting his vulnerable parts. Lee, hitting him freely for ten

rounds, piled up points yet he was unable to knock out his man. The next 'five rounds were mainly clinching and infighting, in which Lee’s greater power told in half-arm jabs. In the sixteenth round it was palpable that Wilde had no chance to even up the score, and onlookers advised him to “chuck it.” In the seventeenth Wilde was game but weak, and was al ke unable to resist and unable to punish Lee. His seconds therefore threw the towel in, an act of discretion which the spectators cheered, while they rendered the loser an ovation for his grit.

THE “GARRYOWEN” INSTITUTE OF PHYSICAL CULTURE. Our represen '.ative spent a very interesting half-hour at the “Garryowen” Institute of Physical Culture, Symond Street, when the various methods employed for the development of physical culture were ably demonstrated by the principal, Mr. W. Norman Kerr, who holds the highest u.plomas in his profession, including gold, silver and bronze medals. Mr. Kerr is a splendid type of physical manhood, and to watch the various evolutions, showing to what marvellous perfection he has developed the muscles and respiratory organs, is a revelation. The system which Mr. Kerr adopts is one that does not tail fatigue or undue exertion of the heart. The treatment is one that can Le read.ly and successfully adopted by” the weak as well as the strong. Each client is treated on his own individual merits, while the various methods of training are pleasing and effectual. It • has been proved again and again that the man who cannot spare the time to look after his health usually holds, the average good by taking time to be sick, and in the physical development of all our bodily functions we discern the highest ideal of life. The fact that there is so much need for the dentist, the optician and the physical culture expert is an abundant proof

that the human race is degenerating to a certain extent. Atrophy of the muscles must occur to a lesser or

greater extent if they are not properly exercised, for when they are working smoothly we enjoy good health, but if they are not developed degeneracy and disease will naturally follow. This applies equally to the respiratory organs and muscles, as these also play a prominent part, and when under con trol they create a form of internal massage and internal bath absolutely necessary for perfect health and strength. The process which Mr. Kerr adopts is one that stimulates and

strengthens the internal organs, improves the circulation and strengthens the lungs, thus obviating the risk of contracting colds or nasal trouble, which is often the beginning of greater evils. Mr. Kerr is a great believer in so improving the human body that it is possible to have every muscle under perfect control, and when the muscles are correctly developed the bones readily respond to their influence and the internal organs get room to work, the result being that it has a d.rect influence upon the carriage and gait. There is no doubt that to the man or woman who desires to succeed in the battle of life, perfect health, personality and individuality are the chief factors to a successful bus.ness career, and so to this end the “Garryowen” School of Culture has been formed, and sportsmen, athletes, professional men, singers, etc., would be wise to avail themselves of such an institute. The many letters of appreciation shown to our representative are a practical testimony of the ability of Mr. Kerr as a physical culturist. His clients include notabilities in the musical and dramatic world, such as Maud Allen, John McCormick, Paul Dufault, Mischa Elman, Harry Lauder, and others, while local clients include Mr. Colin Muston, Mr. Barry Coney and several members of the Bohem'an Orchestra. Mr. Peter Dawson, the eminent baritone, in an unsolic’ted

testimonial, writes: “Your excellent demonstrations to me in breath control prove that all singers should not only give their entire study to the voice but a certa.n period each day to the development of the lungs and chest. It affords me great pleasure in recommending your method to the profession in general.” We cordially recommend the “Garryowen” School of Physical Culture to our readers, as the methods and system of training employed are of the very Lest and most complete of any brought under our notice.