OCR Text |
Show CALLS FRENCH Paris Writer Alleges That Boxers From America Do i Not Get Square Deal By NEWTON C. PARKE. (International News Service Staff Correspondent) PARIS, April 25. Complaint that American boxers are no longer treated' fairly by French crowds Is made byj Jean Auger, well known French sport writer, In an article on "Boxing and1 Boxers," in which he appeals for fair play for Americans fighting in French arenas. I "There was a time," says Auger,' "when to be an American boxor was enough to win favor of the Parisian, public. That was in the days when Willie Lewis created wild enthusiasm in Paris by his science. After him Harry Lewis had his portion of success, suc-cess, and other Americans, including Jeff Smith, who is our guest now, had great popularity. "But times have changed. We must confront the fact that today American boxers not only are no longer popular but that they often obtain from the ringside crowds a reception that is beneath be-neath tho most elementary Ideas of politeness. "At the Nouveau Cirque and at the Cirque de Paris, I have noticed with sadness that when an American meets a Frenchmen, or even a Belgian, tho crowd commences from the first round to show a disgusting partiality. I know that this is only the fault of a noisy minority, but it is none the less to be, regretted that the French people, who have the reputation of being the most polite in the world, include some folks who have nothing more to do than omit vulgarities at a boxing bout. "Even if these people have no politeness po-liteness they should at least respect 'Americans who taught us 'tho noble art' I would like to know where we would be had we not had Frank Erne, who opened the first big Fronch boxing box-ing arena and who created the first big French boxor, Ponthleu, or had we not had a Willie Lewis to teach us how to use our fists? All those who .know tho history of French boxing know how many of cur boxers owe their success to this same Willie. As a matter of fact, there is not a French; fightor of any note who did not take lessons from thiB incomparable pugil-j ist. Harry Lewis and Papke, foi their part, taught us infighting, and our, trainers and managers learned all that they know from Americans. I under-j stand very well that it is disagreeable for us Frenchmen to see a man of ourj own nationality defeated by a man of, another, but instead of insulting the victor, it would be a lot bettor to show good sportsmanship. "To prove just how disgusting the conduct of Frenchmen has become at 1 some recent bouts to cite this example. y "I know, an American who has livedo i 1 in France more than twenty years and; . who is perhaps more French than- i American. An ardent lover of boxing! ' he is at all matches; he knows many fighters In France and In on the beat., of relations with all of them. But soq-ly soq-ly because he is an American this man as he was leaving a boxing match the , other night, was attacked by three or four Idiots who acted like apaches. I might add that the victim of this ag- i gression several years ago gave to Louis Docrr," then manager of Lcdoux 1 now bantam champion of Europe, 500 francs to assist him in launching Le- 4 doux on his career." - - I ' 3 |