Queensberry Rules

Queensberry Rules
   John Sholto Douglas, the eighth Marquis of Queensberry (1844-1900), gave his name to a code of fair play for boxing. The marquis had a longstanding interest in boxing and, according to a quotation from the Duke of Manchester, was said to have "been the finest amateur boxer of his time." He was reputed to have knocked out a "gigantic cowboy" in California.
   The actual rules were first formulated in 1876 by British amateur athlete John Graham Chambers under Queensberry's supervision. Because Chambers performed yeoman service in devising the rules, some believe that his is the name that should have been honored instead of Queensberry's.
   The rules remained in effect from 1867 to 1929, when they were superseded by those issued by the British Boxing Board of Control. The Chambers rules included the three-minute round, the ten-second count after a knockdown, and, unquestionably the most important, the outlawing of fighting with bare knuckles. The proscribing of bare knuckles and the prescribing of boxing gloves saved the sport. The first world championship bout in which gloves were used was staged at Cincinnati in 1885. At that time John L. Sullivan successfully defended his title against Dominick McCaffery. The Queensberry rules are now a synonym for "fair play in any sport."

Dictionary of eponyms. . 2013.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Queensberry Rules — ► PLURAL NOUN ▪ the standard rules of boxing. ORIGIN named after the 8th Marquess of Queensberry, who supervised the preparation of the rules in 1867 …   English terms dictionary

  • Queensberry rules — [kwēnz′ber΄ē, kwēnz′bər ē] n. see MARQUESS OF QUEENSBERRY RULES …   English World dictionary

  • Queensberry Rules — drawn up 1867 by Sir John Sholto Douglas (1844 1900), 8th Marquis of Queensberry, to govern the sport of boxing in Great Britain …   Etymology dictionary

  • Queensberry rules — /kweenz ber ee, beuh ree/. See Marquis of Queensberry rules. * * * Code of boxing rules. It was written by John Graham Chambers (1843–1883) and published in 1867 under the sponsorship of John Sholto Douglas, marquess of Queensberry (1844–1900),… …   Universalium

  • Queensberry rules —  Not bury. Code of conduct for boxing; formally they are the Marquess of Queensberry Rules …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

  • Queensberry rules — Queens|ber|ry rules, the the rules of fair fighting in the sport of ↑boxing, which were established in 1867 by a British lord, the Marquess of Queensberry …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Queensberry Rules — [ kwi:nzb(ə)ri] plural noun the standard rules of boxing. Origin C19: named after the 9th Marquess of Queensberry, who supervised the preparation of the rules …   English new terms dictionary

  • Queensberry rules — noun A code of rules governing professional and amateur boxing, published in 1867 and endorsed by the ninth Marquess of Queensberry …   Wiktionary

  • Queensberry rules — /ˈkwinzbəri rulz/ (say kweenzbuhree roohlz), / bri/ (say bree) plural noun a set of rules followed in modern boxing. {named after the 8th Marquess of Queensberry, 1844–1900, English sportsman} …  

  • queensberry rules — n.pl. the standard rules, esp. of boxing. Etymology: the 8th Marquis of Queensberry, Engl. nobleman d. 1900, who supervised the preparation of boxing laws in 1867 …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”