"About a week ago a glove fight, in which blood was spilled, was pulled off in front of the church."

In 1902, Brooklyn churches were hot spots for urchins who wanted to gamble and engage in blood-soaked fisticuffs. A story about such behavior was published in the March 31, 1902 Brooklyn Daily Eagle. An excerpt:

“Barney Ritter, 15 years old, of 157 Jefferson avenue, and his brother, Israel, 11 years old, were charged in the Gates avenue court this morning with gambling craps in front of the Church of the Reconciliation, Nostrand and Jefferson avenues, yesterday afternoon, as the members of the congregation were proceeding into the church to attend the Easter services.

The pastor of the church, the Rev. W. Russell Collins, a few days  ago complained about the boys who congregate in front of the church and play ball and in other ways cause annoyance to the residents on Sundays as well as week days. About a week ago a glove fight, in which blood was spilled, was pulled off in front of the church. Policeman McGann was instructed to look out for the boys yesterday, and captured Ritter and his brother engaged in ‘throwing the bones.’ The boys, who pleaded guilty, were severely lectured and warned by the magistrate, who permitted them to go free.”

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Women also enjoy boxing, in 1901: