The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-18
THE RULES FOR THE FIGHT.
REFEREE SILER GIVES HIS IN
TERPRETATION OF THE
QUEENSBERY RULES,
DOUBTFUL POINTS FULLY COVERED.
Permitted TO Hit in Clinches With One
Arm Free and on Rreak-Aways-The
Rules Are Believed TO Favor
Fitzsimmons.

|
| that the men shall he allowed to STRIKE
| in a clinch with one arm free ana Ill
| break-aways.
| This is generally believed to be more
! TO the advantage of Fitzsimmons than
| TO Corbett. Fitzsimmons has long de-
| clared that he did rot desire to have hit
| ting with one arm free and demanded
| that the break-aways should be clean
| gnd with no punching This is generally
| thought to be a ruse on the part OF fltZ-
rimmons crowd. On the other hand,
| Corbetts friends claim that hitting with
| one arm free will exactly suit him. Sller S
| letter to the two principals in the big
| fight is as follows:
Carson City, New, March 10, 1871
James j. Corbett, Esq. Robert Fitzslm-
| mons, Esq.-Gentlcmen: Herewith L
hand you each the rules of the Marquis
| of Queensbery, under the provisions of
which you are to contest for the heavy
| weight championship of the world on
| March II, 1897, in this city Accom-
panying the rules | hand you my I'M
| derstanding and instructions. They are
based on equity and fairness. You are
| principals to what will h the greatest
contest of modern fines. You have both
trained faithfully and assiduOusly. The
principals and the public are alike en-
crossed as was never before made mani
fest in like contest. While 1t is de-
parture to issue instructions to the COM
batants of battle like this week in
advance of the meeting, | think the m
portance of the affair fully warrants this.
| am confident that You both want to
win solely and wholly on your merits
Neither of you can GffOrd to have the
slightest suspicion of doubt cloud the
title that will belong to the victor. TO
that end 1 herewith hand you rules and
certain interpretations under which you
are to BATTLE"
A copy of the Marquis of Queensbery
rules was sent with the letter, which con-
tinues as follows:
1.-THE first three rules need no comment,
as they are plain and simple and under
stood by almost everybody.
Rule 4, however, requires some analy-
sis as some of it is often misconstrued.
The rule reads:
IF either of the principals falls,
through weakness or otherwise, he must
get up unasssted, ten seconds to be al
lowed him to do 10. The other man,
meanwhile to return to his corner.
This was the course intended to pre-
vent a man from standing over his fallen
oPpo.eh,' IL p.Io"nt Wv, .h at t,nro oro
tile lralhel VI ;ne 'u Ell 'n' i, lnooi,od
tiilles nan el.Lei "a taho ~, If tbnr
down III HIS oppeneii. voine - o ,mem,
aiie nan En i d;noats o m,;, no standing
as lhe RUE uiiec's ne "nr ,d w do;uar i,iSf
oNer lis luneh opio'iELn' sh hu IT ,nn 40 '
VIII T 'ne lI'e iie dsnmtos on this Score
IN; 1 aNo,I an niSpu'T ror III N ems naso of -
VIII Simply Instruct ~" ~ 'a to,, g foot
e eienh INV f, H. o,nono,+ 70 ,;yn him
iioii suur hunt t ~ W
an nptor ~, uni.s ~ iiav. . rrho contact j.,
N huie l., WIN 3a'a' 10 i,o,,ornod Nv
an a. JIM ie'p i,,Ios nf tbo ondon nr;ze
.ne ie,i9Ju WI VI o,,n &C tho rnost I'M
ring, Is tplsiueri oir Hi 'n na i',u "no ,
portaht VI Lne 'me',e on tnv any, !, apImost
W pe .nS uone u hs roo,, tho anstom, Of
every contest. leslie ~ has pet th me ~ inn,,;ro
OF tie ptlhIipais W hc.lei .nei onoos s5 y,
MT IN cllncnes Wlln oiIe an iree anu ih
preah-awats ihi va iimsbo ,ne o.. IN hraai
agree hol 70 III ~ 'ii.nt t oa ~ nbart
Always, pul my scnJi Ely s ioiS an ' 49,
!helr usreGilient anu iieq i, ~ i'ao
II. ms, tnen, leiuiaes t .eo, Tins sme 80
ohls pu: lglGiee " ;is lo ,;ot t'ors ,'i'o
Dl9" Is uelye I'VE III erntii ou vi ~
nreak,aWaS' ana causes llucn alsulilen. III
me duties OF referee are one n' any, nnt
uuplous gnu heep ni.'i eol'i h;.' "a n"'
water rrsquenli! u snes mn sli o3po,,
tulilty 10 eeciire II contest loiieiseu vi
FOUL Whlcn Is seHerdlly uasa.isl"f'oiS
| 10 az cohcSrneu. Nei:net Vi sou, l am
| convinced desire 10 WIN tne conliHG COIL
| tesi OH technlculi'S, anu ~ H.2ru any
| such Contingency through ni'eiIs ~
cllncheS WIN VIM free FIJI ana OH preak-
away, VIII RUE -. :.
| "Ihat you be permitted 10 mt III
| cilnches with one arm free ana also Ill
| pre9ak.aWays. ...
w. tn ms interpretation 4h Oh aHe ui n,s
mH ann htb meeh pIaot t; ,ne ool,es. you
VIII both nave ample time to practlce
| tms point ana nave no cause 1or conf
| plant should either OF you get OIL your
| guard. rlvot blows, whipping PACK
| with the elbow: meeting an opponent ana
| striking nm with the elbow or knees are
| barred and Will be considered fouls:
Should any such blow have material
erect on the contest l snail use my ludg-
ment accordingly. Should either of the
seconds of the principals enter the ring
TO prevent them from committing a foul
or to throw water on them, or assisting
them. | shall consider it foul. Both
of YOU, have undoubtedly, mapped out
your plans of attack and defense. and
need no advice from your respective sec
onds. Inc latter will, therefore. refrain
from making any comment during the