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In an article from The San Francisco Call (1910) I found an article going through the tricks of the trade of the prize fighters. The article tells about the psychological warfare of Bob Fitzsimmons, Tommy Ryan, 'Kid' McCoy and others. This is stuff that is well known today as is hitting after the bell and so on.
I have made excerpts below telling of dirty tricks which isn't possible today and goes to show the nasty business the fightgame was. This is about 'Kid' McCoy:
"The rosin on the glove.
Notice the "Kid," for instance, lithe and amiable, strolling about the ring, immediately prior to a professional engagement. There are little heaps of rosin scattered about, the canvas-stretched floor, and the "Kid" wipes his feet in them, kicks them playfully, without the least apparent preconceived intent in the world. - He smiles at his friends and pleasantly, receives their applause. But the rosin in the ring becomes gradually "accelerated" in the direction of his corner, if there be none already, there.
The gloves have been chosen; and the seconds crowd about their men, carefully pushing the horsehair padding away from the center. They bend over
to fix them on the principle that accidents will sometimes happen —in fact they always happen in the "Kid's" corner. Before he has an opportunity, to
assume them they drop regularly into that rosinheap— drop there and are squeezed and twisted into it ere they are picked up and finally assumed. And a rosined glove may be made to cut like a knife in the hands of a McCoy. Infact it often has cut like a knife, and in nicely calculated places, too. 'This is
but a single one in the sum of tricks McCoy has practiced.
Bicycle tape.
It was McCoy too, who introduced the ingenious practice of putting a heavy layer of bicycle tape upon his hands. Then the "Kid," in dressinggown, would
pleasantly argue in the center of the ring as to the desirability of that tape's removal— would argue till the tape had become hardened like iron. He would
then smilingly take off as much of the tape as was possible. But bicycle tape has the unforlunate, qualification of adhering, when heated,and the final strand would still stay on.
McCoy would grirnace helplessly and his opponent would usually overlook the last and most dangerous strand of all. McCoy's knuckles would, however, be protected with bands like iron, which a trick of the trade had made possible. This ingenious little device has been the occasion of making the pugilist of the
present time doubly careful as to the hand bandages of an opponent. It is the legacy. of,McCoy to his profession."
The article ends with this:
"After such instances of artistry as these it would be almost inartistic to descend to the comparative crudeness of a "Young" Corbett, whose virulence and reflective character of language regularly put his opponents into a frenzy which made them easy to defeat or yet the unshaven and artificially wired
condition of a Battling Nelson's hair, with which to bore into an opponent's eyes. There could only be stated that one example of cunning, when an opponent of the latter went into a contest with the lightweight champion with gloves which were in an extremely acidulated condition. These completely blinded the courageous but human Battler and almost
defeated him.
It is, however, sufficient to indicate the tricks of a trade which is apparently severe in more ways than one. Most of these tricks are unfair, yes; but what
tricks are not? Many gentlemen of many desirable professions live in glass houses, it seems. Can they afford to throw stones at gentlemanly pugilists?"
The article can be found here: http://www.loc.gov/chroniclingameric...ort=&mode=list
And here's a pic of Battling Nelson showing the wear and tear of his style:
I have made excerpts below telling of dirty tricks which isn't possible today and goes to show the nasty business the fightgame was. This is about 'Kid' McCoy:
"The rosin on the glove.
Notice the "Kid," for instance, lithe and amiable, strolling about the ring, immediately prior to a professional engagement. There are little heaps of rosin scattered about, the canvas-stretched floor, and the "Kid" wipes his feet in them, kicks them playfully, without the least apparent preconceived intent in the world. - He smiles at his friends and pleasantly, receives their applause. But the rosin in the ring becomes gradually "accelerated" in the direction of his corner, if there be none already, there.
The gloves have been chosen; and the seconds crowd about their men, carefully pushing the horsehair padding away from the center. They bend over
to fix them on the principle that accidents will sometimes happen —in fact they always happen in the "Kid's" corner. Before he has an opportunity, to
assume them they drop regularly into that rosinheap— drop there and are squeezed and twisted into it ere they are picked up and finally assumed. And a rosined glove may be made to cut like a knife in the hands of a McCoy. Infact it often has cut like a knife, and in nicely calculated places, too. 'This is
but a single one in the sum of tricks McCoy has practiced.
Bicycle tape.
It was McCoy too, who introduced the ingenious practice of putting a heavy layer of bicycle tape upon his hands. Then the "Kid," in dressinggown, would
pleasantly argue in the center of the ring as to the desirability of that tape's removal— would argue till the tape had become hardened like iron. He would
then smilingly take off as much of the tape as was possible. But bicycle tape has the unforlunate, qualification of adhering, when heated,and the final strand would still stay on.
McCoy would grirnace helplessly and his opponent would usually overlook the last and most dangerous strand of all. McCoy's knuckles would, however, be protected with bands like iron, which a trick of the trade had made possible. This ingenious little device has been the occasion of making the pugilist of the
present time doubly careful as to the hand bandages of an opponent. It is the legacy. of,McCoy to his profession."
The article ends with this:
"After such instances of artistry as these it would be almost inartistic to descend to the comparative crudeness of a "Young" Corbett, whose virulence and reflective character of language regularly put his opponents into a frenzy which made them easy to defeat or yet the unshaven and artificially wired
condition of a Battling Nelson's hair, with which to bore into an opponent's eyes. There could only be stated that one example of cunning, when an opponent of the latter went into a contest with the lightweight champion with gloves which were in an extremely acidulated condition. These completely blinded the courageous but human Battler and almost
defeated him.
It is, however, sufficient to indicate the tricks of a trade which is apparently severe in more ways than one. Most of these tricks are unfair, yes; but what
tricks are not? Many gentlemen of many desirable professions live in glass houses, it seems. Can they afford to throw stones at gentlemanly pugilists?"
The article can be found here: http://www.loc.gov/chroniclingameric...ort=&mode=list
And here's a pic of Battling Nelson showing the wear and tear of his style:
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