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Show 10 BATTLES FetiaiAT SEA Boxers in Pacific Fleet Ring Contests Need Good Sea -Legs . LOS ANGELES, June 6 (By the Associated Press) Nighl battles of I the se: that wpuhl thrill i h. in- t blase devotees of the squared circle occur with almost fortnightly frequency fre-quency aboard the battleships of the Pacific fleet. Good sea legs are one of the main requisites for title con-tenders con-tenders among the gobs for the great gray sea fortresses are baaod right on the Pacific ocean, there being insufficient insuf-ficient harbor room, and very seldom Is a match hold when tho whole arena with its thousand or more white-capped yelling enthusiasts does not roll in swells sufficient to send tho uninitiated un-initiated in search of lemons, effervescent effer-vescent powders or other mal-derner preventives BliKAOHERS ERECTED These officially sanctioned and officer-judged boxing matches, doubly serving an a morale builder In line of entertainment and an aid to physical! development, are most picturesque sportinp events, making a rare treat for civilians fortunate enough to win bids to be aboard ship during these smoker-. The big fourteen-lnch guns of turrets tur-rets Nos. 3 and 4. forward on the main, deck, are swung asldo, and a regulation regu-lation ring, with electric round indicator, in-dicator, electric gongs, electric loud-speaking loud-speaking or amplifying announcera making it moro modern than in tho' I comerclal arena, is erected. The arena tented with canvas if weather bids but moro frequently under a Btarlit' canopy, usually provides for a thousand thou-sand or so fans, but in larger events, BU( h as fleet championships, or fleet smokers of extravanganza merit n real "Greek theatre" ia erected, with bleacher.! twenty or more rows high and oaring for some three thousand spectators V AFDEVTLIE ACTS In th"- blggur affairs, oltimes the special vaudeville entertainment ln-terluded ln-terluded between matches, may have a girl act. but almost invariably the gobs' language gets beside llelf In the vernacular expressions, and the admiral or senior officer may scowl and the ensign announcer, a favorite among the boys will bawl the boys out by telling how he vLsted a gymnasium gymna-sium and saw a punching bag and alongside tut; wu.it a i&t uf big dumbbells. dumb-bells. "You fellers oughta know the lady can't hear her music when yer hash-traps hash-traps open," he cries. Officers of the vessel glance at the admiral bo see whether there Is offense in the Junior officer i-o emasculating the English but smile at the remark and its effecr la likn a good heater on a cold night There ih an intense sporting spirit in these affairs, keen rivalry between the forces and support of favorites with an hrdor that exceeds even tha: of colleges. After thu closing match the boy "pipe down." the admiral leads other officers to the wardroom for refreshment, and the thousand to thre thousand gobs "follow the green Una" or electric lights to chow. These affairs are staged by the of-fict of-fict rb ;iml i rtw of the ship upon which the program is held, and for the larger fairs a fund of 2000 la raised by the men. |