Damon Runyon 1934 column on the decline of professional boxing

[DavidKehler]

Damon Runyon was one of the leading syndicated U. S. sports columnists for decades. Here is an excerpt from one of his columns, published in April, 1934:

"Boxing suffered the most terrific depression of all sports, partly because of the general depression, partly because of its own misdeeds, but mainly because of over-government.

"Too may rules, to much you-must-do-this, and you-musn't-do-that. Boxing commissions with commissioners who know nothing whatever about boxing have hurt the game more than anything else. Promoters are hampered, performers and hog tied.

"A boxing commissioner who understands boxing may be an asset, but there are few of this kind in the country today. Most boxing commissioners are political appointees, and 90 per cent of them lack even the gift of common sense. Others are groping [for] the cause of the boxing depression. This writer here tells you the real reason"

[Expug]

He was certainly on to something. Moreover, things got even worse in the following decades. Much has been discussed about sanctioning bodies , Don King etc etc but this was written even before the Frankie Carbo and Blinky Palermo days.

[Caractacus]

don't forget Owney Madden getting into the 'bootlegging and fight racket " buisness
when he was released from prison in 1923.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owney_Madden

He had partnered with a well connected fight manager by the name of "Big" Bill duffey fronting for him,
and at one time or another Owney Madden was the 'undercover' manager of such fighters as,

Pancho Villa
Ace Hudkins
Leo Lomski
Max Rosenbloom
Bob Olin
Primo Carnera
Jimmy Braddock
also fronting for him were
managers Joe Jacobs and Joe Gould
( i read this in Mickey Walker's 1961 autobiography, and apparently Madden also had some sway on Doc Kearns too)