Portland Times_1920

8 ,. .. THE PORTLAND TIMES Sporting Editor Denver Ed Martin's Annual Review A Summary of Fistic Encounters---Records of the Golden West Athletic League---Boi,,ts Held in Portland / EDDIE PALMER Middleweight TED MEREDITH Lightweight For a long time, lovers of the box– Ing game were unable to witness bouts In Portland like many other cities throughout the country where the lid was on tight because the game was classed as vicious and brutal by those shortsighted and nar· row minded who claimed to be look– Ing out for humanity, when In fact, they were kllllng the greatest, fairest and most beneficial sport In the world - the manly art of self-defense. Time Proves Truth Time has proven the truth of the assertion, for now boxing Is the most popular sport In the country, being advocated by the most prominent peo– ple, Including army officers, doctors, ministers and a part of the curri– culum In the universities of some states. Portland Conduct• Bouts Today, boxing is being conducted In Portland on the highest standard and much credit must be given to the colored man for the part he has taken to put It on this high standard and part he Is still taking to keep It there. Before we had the Boxing Commission, several local boxing clubs or so called clubs were stag– Ing bouts here. The fans were so hungry for the game that they at– tended In large numbers, all con– testants being white boys; no col– ored boys ever appeared untll George Moore, president of the Golden West Athletic League, the only legitimate athletic club answering a.11 the re– quirements of the law, entered the ... field against strong opposition and promoted bouts. Moore Securea Beat Talent Moore spared no expense In ob· talnlng the best talent, Introducing something new to the fans by staging bouts between colored and white boys, a thing a great many thought could not be done here. The Golden West A. L. bouts soon became known as th11 best In the city, proven by the large attendance, because the card was the most evenly balanced. Fans Uahered to Seats Each fan was properly ushered to his seat. The bouts were started as scheduled with no delay. The fans were able to get home early after the smokers. The public gained confidence and the boxing public ap– preciated the manner In which the bouts were conducted. The conduct of the colored boxer who took part In all the shows held him while in the ring and out of It, has been a credit to the game. Some decisions given · against the colored boys were not exactly fair, did not meet the approval of the fans, but the gen– tlemanly way In which the colored boxers took them, without any display of anger, gained them many friends an4 made them favorites with the public. List of Colored BoxeM1 Here Is the list of colored boxers who helped put boxing In Portland on the high standard which It is today. Ted Meredith, 135 lbs., sailor of the U. S. Navy; Y:>Ung Jack Johnson, 168 lbs., Boston, Mass.; Lee Johnson, 125 DENVER ED. MARTIN LEE JOHNSON Lightweight lbs.. Oakland, Cal.; Sam Langford, 126 lbs., Oakland, Cal.; Danny Ed· wards, 115 lbs., Oakland, Cal.; Eddie Palmer, 158 lbs., New Orleans, La.; Pat Bradley, 160 lbs., St. Paul, Minn. Lee Johnson, one of the best little men on the coast, fought many bat– tles here with marked success, giv– ing away weight In most of his bouts. He beat Joe Benjamin when he was featherweight champion of the coast; beat Billie Mascott twice and fought him a draw once. He knocked out Billy Nelson, who towered over him; beat Joe Gorman twice and fought two draws with him; beat Chet Neff 1 of Seattle, and Stanley Willis of Philadelphia. He lost to Muff Bron– son twice, beat him once and fought a draw once, giving away many pounds In weight with Bronson. Little Danny Edwards the Favorite Little Danny Edwards Is the best liked boxer, colored or white, on the coast, always trying to make friends wherever he goes. Whlle In the Northwest he beat Able Gordan when Gordan was bantam champion of the coast. He won and lost one decision to BIily Mascott. He beat Bud Rid· ley of Seattle and Jimmy Lewis of Tacoma, and his hard battles with Weldon Wing wlll be long remem– bered. Ted Meredith, the Gentleman Ted Meredith, the sailor boy, has a great following, always a gentle– man, made many friends. He gave a good account of hlmselt, boxing such men as Dan O'Brien, Peter M!t- • I GEO. P. MOORE One of Portland's Most Popular Fight Promoters chle, Joe Benjamin and Chet Neff. Young Jack Johnson Great Favorite Young Jack Johnson, always smil· Ing, and a great favorite, fought and won from the best middleweights here, Including Al. Sommers, Valley Trambltas, Lowe Sims and Leo CroBB. He went with the A. E. F. to France, and ls a much better man now and Is fighting good In Boston. He will return to the coast soon, where he will be welcomed by his many friends In Portland. Young Sam Langford, Good Little Man Young Sam Langford, a good little man, has fought the hardest white boys her&--Peter Mltchie, Joe Gor– man, Chet Nett, Stanley Willis, Leo Houck, Heinle Schuman and always good account of himself. Eddie Pal– mer was one of the best mlddJe– welghts In the country, but only boxed a couple of times here. He did not seem to be able to get going In these short bouts; he Is a long distance fighter, and a good one. Pat Bradley, a M lddle-Welght Pat Bradley has many friends here. He fought Monte Farrell, one of the cleverest men In the world, to whom he lost the decision. He beat Romeo Hagen, the tough. baker boy; knocked out Joe Swain, the butcher boy, and beat Billy George of Bend, Oregon. Pat Is well liked tor his manly ways and was always trying. When the boxing game opens in September, we may see one of the best middle· .. weights In the country, Scotty Wil– liams, known to be a great man. He has been away since 1916. Scotty Williama Resides In Chicago President George P. Moore received a letter from Williams, who Is liv– ing in Chicago, stating he ls anxious to come here and box. The field should be good for him, for there are many good middle and light heavy– weights on the coast to meet him. Among whom are Battling Ortega, Valley Trambltas, Al. Sommers, Frank Farmer, Mikey King, and Frank Ba· reau. He has been looking for just such a man to meet these boys. Frank Hayes Is another good pros– pect. He 111 the son of old Ike Hayes of Butte, Montana; ls young, weighs 155 pounds, and with a little more experience will bear watching. BASEBALL Denver Ed. Martin 1919 Is a great year for baseball all over the country. Attendance at ball games the previous years had fallen off a good deal on account of the war. Many of the best players bad been drafted Into the army. The National and American League clubs are drawing big and a good brand of ball Is being played. New York looks the best in the pennant race In the National, with Cincinnati crowd– Ing her for first place. Chicago, New York, Cleveland and Detroit are hav– ing a hard fight In the American League for the flag. Vernon and Los Angeles are the YOUNG JACK JOHNSON Light HeavYwelght DANNY EDWARDS Bantamweight best bets In the Coast League. Judge W. W. Mccredie, ,president of the Portland ball team, can feel proud of the support given his team by the local fans. The Portland team was out of the Coast League last season and was just re-Instated before the 1919 season opened. Mccredie did not have the chance to gather as good a team as some of the oth'er club. Seattle was also admitted to the Coast League, making an eight club circuit, and It looks as though all clubs will make money this year. Considering the hard luck Portland bas had with their best men, either crippled or sick, with only two de– pendable pitchers, the club 111 doln1 pretty good. Next year wm see a strong team. The Golden West A. L. has been trying hard to get a team of good ball players to cope with the best semi-pro in the city, state and the NorthW!)Bt. When the season opens next year the Golden West A. L. expects to have the best colored team In the country to present Portland. Good colored ball te11ms always draw well on the coast. Rube Foster's American Giants are still remem– bered here. In Europe, where lnter-all!ed sports are being- held, the American army boys are carrying ott the honors. The colored boy Is a great facter, taking part with credit In all branches of sports. There is no reason that he should not do It right here. We need to have champions In all lines of sports, and we can have them, If we try and work hard.