Judge, 1897-03-13 · page 20 of 24
Judge — March 13, 1897 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes late-19th-century American boxing through anthropomorphized characters (likely prizefighters depicted as "pugs"—slang for boxers). The cartoons mock contemporary boxing culture and training methods. Key satirical elements: **The matches depicted** appear to reference real prizefights, with characters like "Jabbet" and references to competitors training and fighting. The humor targets corrupt practices: spectators discussing fixed bets, trainers allegedly using chloroform-laced gloves, and managers obsessed with profit over fair competition. **"Anti-slugging courtesy"** panel jokes about nationalism—Uncle Sam boxing opponents and stars representing foreign nations he'd "floor"—mixing sports satire with American exceptionalism humor. **Social critique** focuses on boxing's seediness: money-driven corruption, rigged matches, and the sport's association with lower-class gambling and vice. The overall message mocks how turn-of-the-century boxing combined athletic spectacle with obvious fraud and moral degradation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Fussr axrron—''Say, Jim: by de unscientifick way Mike 's puttin’ up his dukes I t'ink we better ‘bedge* our bets, See?” Seconp setrox—"*’Sh! Mike's all rite (Aearse/y); he's ot chloroform in bis gloves.” Jim (who has gor in a chance blow)—" He's recoverin’, Jake. Count dem ten seconds faster—you know how your money is placed.” Mr. Johnson made a : Y upped? very pretty block of Mr. Jackson's COPYMONT 1897,87 THE JUDGE PUBLISHING COMPANY OF NEW YORK. Jabbet had no money for expensive hotel training, so be adopted rigorous course of heroic exercise, that put him in a great financial, as well as athletic, condition for the battle of bis life. Tue CHAMPION— while I'm traini: Manacer— der fee ¢ a We CHAMPION (0 “ desgh tes etd biel eotrtecs, Der governor of dgr state “s goin’ ter stop ins, Bill! ef we didn’t ‘Tue eurenee (disgustedly)—* Heer’ vod ie (ditgustedly)—" Heer's a pretty ME Don’t der gloves ft Simmons 1" nal tree { cider git yer man a couple o° ¥ some stuffinY or I'l pam.bage ac ja’ or I'l call de fight THE GREAP LONG TAtneo OF ANTI SLUGGING Conrrsy. Par (just over)—“An’ phwat do thim stars reppersint, cel duane a Naruxw— I'm serprised at yer ignerence, uncle; they reppersint wot any forrin nation'll see ef dey put on der gloves wid Uncle Sam.” , ER os ‘The “reel punch that made “ groggy" and floored the great John Le ‘Sackett a Withelms Litho Co New York UP-TO-DATE “PUGS.” comicbooks.com