1746 to 1750 in sports

Events in world sport through the years 1746 to 1750.

Boxing

Events

• 1746 — Jack Slack defeated several opponents in provincial rings until 1747. ^{[1] [ better source needed ]}
• 1746 or 1747 — Slack had a fight against Tom Aguer in a bout at New Buckingham, but the outcome is unknown. ^{[1] [ better source needed ]}
• February 1747 — Jack Broughton introduced mufflers (early boxing gloves), based on the ancient cestus, for use in sparring contests only; matches remained bare-knuckle. ^{[2] [ better source needed ]}
• 1748 — Jack Slack (who was known as the "Norfolk Butcher") sold his butcher shop to his brother and moved to London. ^{[1] [ better source needed ]}
• 12 October 1748 — Slack defeated Ned Hunt in a 40 minute 8th round fight in London. ^{[1] [ better source needed ]}
• 1749 — Slack opened a School of Boxing in Bristol. ^{[1] [ better source needed ]}
• 1749 — Slack defeated John James in a 4 minute 1st round fight. ^{[1] [ better source needed ]}
• 9 February 1749 — Slack defeated Sailor Field in a 1 hour 32 minute fight in London. ^{[1] [ better source needed ]}
• 31 January 1750 — George Taylor defeated Jack Slack at London in 25 minute 17 round fight. ^{[3] [ better source needed ]}
• 11 April 1750 — Broughton challenged for his title by Jack Slack. After 14 minutes and in the fourth round, Broughton was blinded by swelling around his eyes and could not continue. Slack became the new English champion until 1760 even though George Taylor reclaimed the title after Slack refused to fight him but after he had already beaten Broughton. ^[4]

Chess

Events

• 1749 — François-André Danican Philidor published Analyse du jeu des Échecs, one of the most famous books on chess theory, which becomes a standard manual. Philidor himself is regarded as the strongest European player to 1775. ^[5]

Cricket

Events

• 1745 to 1748 — single wicket cricket became increasingly popular and was the main form of cricket in England during this decade with lucrative contests taking place at the Artillery Ground in particular. ^[6]

Horse racing

Events

• c.1750 — Formation of the Jockey Club to establish rules for British racing.^{[ citation needed ]}

Hurling

The Provinces of Leinster and Munster meet in two matches on Crumlin Commons in May 1748. Leinster win the first match, with Munster seeking a replay the week after, which is also won by Leinster after about an hour. ^{[7] [8]}

Two matches were claimed to have been held by Irishmen in Paris in 1750, the second at the request of Louis XV ^[9]

References

1. "Jack Slack". Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
2. "Broughton's Rules (1743)". Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
3. "George Taylor". Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
4. Gee, Tony (2004). "Broughton, John (c. 1703–1789), pugilist" . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/3586. ISBN   978-0-19-861412-8 . Retrieved 4 June 2022.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
5. Murray, H. J. R. (1913). A History of Chess. Oxford University Press. p. 863. ISBN   0-19-827403-3.
6. Ashley-Cooper, At the Sign of the Wicket, 12 April 1900, pp. 36–52.
7. Faulkner's Dublin Journal, 4Jun 1748
8. Blythe, Earnán P. (1963). "The First Decade of the G.A.A. in Dublin". Dublin Historical Record. 19 (1): 16–26. ISSN   0012-6861. JSTOR   30103840.
9. Bergin, John; Kinsella, Eoin (2015). "Hurling matches in London (1733-1818) and New York (1781-2) [with index]". Archivium Hibernicum. 68: 139–167. ISSN   0044-8745. JSTOR   44471107.

Sources

• Ashley-Cooper, F. S. (1900). At the Sign of the Wicket: Cricket 1742–1751. Cricket magazine.
• Bowen, Rowland (1970). Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development. Eyre & Spottiswoode.
• Buckley, G. B. (1935). Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket. Cotterell.
• Maun, Ian (2009). From Commons to Lord's, Volume One: 1700 to 1750. Roger Heavens. ISBN   978-1-900592-52-9.
• McCann, Tim (2004). Sussex Cricket in the Eighteenth Century. Sussex Record Society.
• Waghorn, H. T. (1906). The Dawn of Cricket. Electric Press.