The herald., 1897-03-11
At SiIer's Interpretation OF Ring
Rules
WANT CLEAN BREAKAWAYS
With No Hitting Unless Both Hands Are
Free
Both Bruisers Claim That the Other Fellow
Is Gettlng the Best Of the DeaL
sller's Letter
Associated Press Special Wire


which the men are to fight on March
II. He has decided that tho men shall
be allowed to strike In a clinch with one
arm free. and on breakaways. This is
generally believed to hC more to the ad-
vantage of Fitzsimmons style of fight
ing than to Corbett'S Fitasimmons has
long declared that he did not desire to
have any hitting with ore arm free and
demanded that the breakaways should
be clean and with no punching. This
is generally thought to be ruse on
the part of the Fitzsimmons crowd; on
the other hand, Corbetfs friends claim
that hitting with one arm free will ex-
actiy suit him.
Silers letter to the two principals In
the big fight is as follows;
Carson City, New, March 10, 1897.
James j. Corbett, Esq. and Robert
Fitzsimmons, ESQ.
Gentlemen Herewith l hand you
each the rules of the Marquis of Queens
berry, under the provisions of which you
are to contest fer the heavyweight
championship of the world in this city
on March Il. 1897. Accompanying the
rules. 1 hand you some suggestions and
instructions. These are based upon
careful study. research, equity and fair
ness You are the principals to what
will be the greatest contest of modern
times. You have both trained care
fully and assiduously. The principals
and the public are alike engrossed to
the extent never before made manifest
in a like encounter. While it is de-
parture to issue instructions TO the COM
batants on battle like this week in
advance of the meeting, l think the I'M
portance of the affair fully warrants
this move. 1 am confident that you
both want to win solely and wholly on
your merits. Neither of you can afford
to have the slightest suspicion of doubt
cloud the title which will belong to the
victor. To that end I herewith hand
you the rules and certain interpreta-
tions under which you are to battle.
A copy of the Marquis of Queensberry
rules was sent with the letter, which
continues as follows:
The first three rules need no comment,
as they are plain, simple and understood
Oy alAilOSN CNCiS iNU4C ACoAt AZ"
ever. requires some analysis, as some
of the points are often misconstrued.
The rule says: IF either man falls
through weakness or otherwise he must
get up, unassisted, ten seconds to be al
lowed him to do so. the other maN
meanwhile, to return to his coraer."
This, of course, was intended to pre-
vent a man from standing over his fall
len opponent; it proba bly, never occurred
to the framer of the rules that al times
a man either falls or is knocked down
in his opponents corner If then the
man on his feet retires to his corner as
the rules direct, he will be standing
over his fallen opponent and doing just
what the rules mean he shall not do.
To avoid all disputes or this score. l
will simply instruct you in case of
knockdown to retire at least ten feet
from your fallen opponent, to give him
an opportunity to rise.
Rule twelve, which says: The contest
in all other respects to be governed by
the revised rules of the London prize
ring" is, l consider, one of the most i'm
porfant of the twelve rules, and appears
to be the bone of contention in almost
every contest, to inquire cf the princi-
pals whether they choose to hit in
clinches with one arm free and also on
breakaways. Invariably the principals
agree not to hit in the clinches, or on
breakaways, but they generally forget
all about their agreement, and fire.
quently violate it. This, then causes
not only the seconds. but spectators. to
cry foul every time blow is delivered
in a clinch or in a breakaway and
causes much trouble and argument. 1t
also makes the duties of a referee ardu
GUS and disagreeable and keeps him
continually in hot water. Furthermore,
It gives the referee an opportunity to
decide the contest on technical foul,
which is generally unsatisfactory to ev-
erybody concerned.
Neither of you, I am sure, desires to
win the coming contest on a technical
foul, and to avoid such contingency
through hitting in clinches with a free
arm and in breakaways l will rule that
you be permitted to hit in clinches with
one arm free and also on breakaways.
With this Interpretation of this rule an
nounced a week before the contest you
will both have ample time to practice
these important points and Will have
no cause for complaint should either of
you be caught off your guard. Pivot
blows. missing with either hand and
whipping back with the elbow, meeting
an opponent with or deliberately strik-
ing with the elbow or knees are barred
and will be considered foul Should any
of the above blows have any material
effect on the result of the contest /
shall use my judgment accordingly.
Should any of the seconds Of either prin-
oipal enter the ring during a round to
render any assistance to the fighters or
prevent them from committing foul,
or to throw water on them, it shall be
deemed foul.
Coaching by seconds during the rounds
is Objectionable to everybody and is apt
to create discord and argument Both
OF you have undoubtedly mapped out
your plans OF attack and defense and
need no advice from your respective
seconds. The latter will, therefore, re-
frain from making any comment during
the contest.
Trivial fouls may be unintentionally
committed by either OF you, which, un-
less they have a direct bearing on the
result, Will be overlooked by me at my
discretion.