"On Boxing" by Edwin L. Haislet

[joesteph]

Teri Tom's JKD article "The Straight Lead: Follow-Through and Three-Point Landing," in October's Black Belt, has her quoting from Edwin L. Haislet's 1940 book On Boxing. I'd never heard of Haislet before her article, and his book came out ten years before Jack Dempsey's Championship Fighting.

I found it online and legally downloadable in .pdf form at:

http://www.scribd.com

Just enter edwin l haislet (that middle initial is a small "L") in the Search box, and when the web page comes up, select Boxing by Edwin L. Haislet. It's really an interesting find.

[joesteph]

This is on p. 1 of Haislet's book:

In England the boxing position seems to have developed from the fencing position, with the right foot and hand carried forward, with the left side of the body back. . . .

 

There is little doubt that the present orthodox position resulted because of right-handed hitting. For any movement of the right hand in which power is needed, it is only natural to stand with the left foot forward. It is the natural movement in all throwing events, and it is the position of the blacksmith when swinging a sledge.

The fencing position makes me think of Bruce Lee, of course, and the reference to throwing events is rather perceptive. I didn't think of the blacksmith but, in giving it some thought, Haislet does make a unique point.