Marquess of Queensberry Rules

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 71.20.47.173 (talk) at 02:51, 19 March 2011 (→‎Marquess of Queensberry Rules in popular culture). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Marquess of Queensberry rules is a code of generally accepted rules in the sport of boxing. They were named so because John Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry publicly endorsed the code.[1] The code of rules on which modern boxing is based, the Queensberry rules were the first to mention gloves in boxing.[2] The Queensberry rules are intended for use in both professional and amateur boxing matches, thus separating it from the less popular American Fair Play Rules, which were strictly intended for amateur matches. In popular culture the term is sometimes used to refer to a sense of sportsmanship and fair play.

History

The boxing code was written by John Graham Chambers in London in 1865, and published in 1867 as "the Queensberry rules for the sport of boxing".[3][4] This code of rules superseded the Revised London Prize Ring rules (1853), which had themselves replaced the original London Prize Ring rules (1743) of Jack Broughton. This version persuaded boxers that "you must not fight simply to win; no holds barred is not the way; you must win by the rules" (17, sect. 5, pt. 1).

One early prize fighter who fought under Marquess of Queensberry rules was Jem Mace, who won the English heavyweight title under these rules in 1861. In 1889, the Queensberry rules came into use in the United States and Canada.[5]

Rules

  1. To be a fair stand-up boxing match in a 24-foot ring, or as near that size as practicable.
  2. No wrestling or hugging (clinching) allowed.
  3. The rounds to be of three minutes duration, and one minute's time between rounds.
  4. If either man falls through weakness or otherwise, he must get up unassisted, 10 seconds to be allowed him to do so, the other man meanwhile to return to his corner, and when the fallen man is on his legs the round is to be resumed and continued until the three minutes have expired. If one man fails to come to the scratch in the 10 seconds allowed, it shall be in the power of the referee to give his award in favour of the other man.
  5. A man hanging on the ropes in a helpless state, with his toes off the ground, shall be considered down.
  6. No seconds or any other person to be allowed in the ring during the rounds.
  7. Should the contest be stopped by any unavoidable interference, the referee to name the time and place as soon as possible for finishing the contest; so that the match must be won and lost, unless the backers of both men agree to draw the stakes.
  8. The gloves to be fair-sized boxing gloves of the best quality and new.
  9. Should a glove burst, or come off, it must be replaced to the referee's satisfaction.
  10. A man on one knee is considered down and if struck is entitled to the stakes.
  11. That no shoes or boots with spikes or sprigs be allowed. [6]
  12. The contest in all other respects to be governed by revised London Prize Ring Rules.

Marquess of Queensberry Rules in popular culture

The fantasy author Terry Pratchett, in his Discworld novel, The Fifth Elephant, mentions a parodic version of these Rules entitled "The Marquis of Fantailler's Rules". This Marquis was a nobleman who got into a lot of fights, mostly because his name was the Marquis of Fantailler.[7] These Rules are mocked throughout the book as being ineffective in Street Fighting, and generally result in the last words of the fighter being "Stuff the bloody Marquis of Fantailler...".

  1. The rules are mentioned in the 1980 film Hopscotch, when Kendig, played by Walter Matthau, says of the CIA, "They don't play by the Marquess of Queensberry Rules."
  2. In the 1952 film, The Quiet Man, Barry Fitzgerald pronounces that the town brawl be fought by the Marquess of Queensberry Rules.
  3. In the 1976 sci-fi, At the Earth's Core, Dr. Abner Perry (played by Peter Cushing) calls, "Never mind the Queensberry Rules" as David Innes (Doug McClure) fights Jubal, 'the ugly one'.
  4. In Giant Days, a special serial of Scary Go Round by John Allison, it is said that Esther de Groot masters Marquess of Queensberry Rules.[8]
  5. In episode 1 of comedian Russell Brand's show RE:Brand, "Dad Fight", Brand challenges his father to a boxing match, mentioning that it will be conducted under Marquess of Queensberry rules.
  6. In The Kingston Trio song "I Bawled", the narrator "tried to tell of the rules of Queensberry", but his assailant pays him no heed.
  7. Punk band Gallows Recorded a song named Queensberry rules, on Grey Britain

References

  1. ^ Harris, Brian (2008) Intolerance: divided societies on trial p.182. Wildy, Simmonds & Hill Publishing, 2008
  2. ^ Eric Dunning Sport matters: sociological studies of sport, violence, and civilization Routledge, 1999
  3. ^ Queensberry Rules The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
  4. ^ William Joseph Baker (1998) Sports in the Western world Retrieved 2010-12-10
  5. ^ Black Belt Oct 1999 Retrieved 2010-12-10
  6. ^ Lawyers' reports annotated, Book 24
  7. ^ http://wiki.lspace.org/wiki/Marquis_of_Fantailler
  8. ^ http://scarygoround.com/gd/?date=20101112
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marquess_of_Queensberry_Rules&oldid=419567712"