The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-11
tic lnterprcts the Rules for Clinchcs
and breakaways.
SAYS STRIKING WILL BE ALLOWED.
Each OF the rugiiists Cinisus the In
depreciation Was Given In Favor
of tho other.

strike In a clinch with one arm free and
Gu the break Always, This 10 genoraly be-
LEVIED TO be more to the advantage of
Fitxslmnions than TO Corbcst. Fitssim-
mons has long declared that he did rot
desire 10 have hitting with one arm free
and demands that the breakaways should
be clean and with no punching. This Ia
generally thought to be a rise on the part
of FitzsAntnons' crowd on the other
hand Corhelts friends claim tina; hitting
with one arm free viii exactly suit him.
siIcrs letter to the two principals In the
big fight Is AS tollowe
James J. Corbett, Esq. Robert T1txs.m-
mons. ESD.
Carson city. New. March 10. lSsI,--l;en-
tlcmen: Herewith | hand You each the
rules of the Marquis OF Quacnsbury under
the Provisions OF which you are to con
tCa' Tor tho heavyweight champion 'hip OF
the world IN This city on March Il, 1891.
Accompanying the rules hard YOU
some suggestions and Instructions These
arc based on canNul study, research.
ol,aty and faisDess. You ARE princlpsls,
TO what Will be tho greatest contest OF
modern times, You haNu hoth trained
and the purse ar. ahkc engrossed TO an
extent never before made manifest in a
Ike encounter While it is a departure 10
.ssue instrtotiuns to Inc comt4, ttnts %
-
meeting. | think the Importance OF the at
fair fuzzy warrants thus move, | AM conn
dent that you both want 10 win solely ana
wholly ON your inertia NeithAr OF yom
can atford TO have thu sltyhtes, suspicion
or doubt cloud the tiil. which win belong
TO tho victor TO THAI ond herewith
hand You the rules aud rertAin miernro-
talions undar which YOU arc 10 battle.
y copy of the Marquis OF Queensbury
rules was sent with the letter. which COLI
tnuoS as follows:
"Thn FIRST throc rules need no comment,
as they az" plain, SIMPLE aud Understood
hy almost everybody.
"RulO 4. however. requires some unhl-
ysis as sone OF the points are often Mis-
construed. Tho rule says. Ut eitncr man
falls through weakness or otherwise ne
must get up unassls'ed. ten seconds 20 he
allowed him TO do so. the other man
meanwhile 10 return to his corner
This, OF course. was attended TO pre-
vent a man from standing over ms ra'i,n
opponent IT pru54bly never occurred TO
tho Trainer of the rules tAat there ara
tmeE a man either falls or Is knocked
down Ia his oppoutnt's corner 1t then,
The man ON his f.ct returns 10 his corner
uS the rules direct ho VIII be standing
over his fallen opponent ana doing Just
what the rules mean Thar he shall NJ, 40,
ITO AVOID all disputes on TINS scoft. y
Will simply Instruct you IN ease OF break
down to retire NJ least Ten feet from your
fallen opponent, 10 give him an opportutn.
IS 10 rise.
'Rule Y, which says: 'rhc contest in all
other respects Is to be governed by the
revised rules vi the London prize rims, Is,
| consider one of the most important or
tho twelve rules and APPEARS To he inc
bono Of contention IN almost every con
Test II has been the custom of referees
myself sumong them, to inlune OF tho
principals whether they chose to nit N
clinches with one arm tree and also break
uwnys. invariably The principals oerVe
not 10 hit IN rlinches or on break aWnNA
hut they generally forget all about thor
agreement and frequently violate It. This
then causes not only the seconds, but the
spcc tntorg to cry FOUL every time "a blow
IS delivered in a cllnch or on a brock away
aud cittscs much trouble ana argument.
II also makes the dui" OF a referee ar
,llIons and disagN'eablc and Keeps him
continually IN hot water Furtherinor. II
gives The referee an opportunity to deter
mrc contest on a technical foul which
is generally unsatisfactory to every one
concerned. Nsdther Of you, am enre, ds-
sire to win the coming contest on a tceh-
G;caliiy and 10 avoid any such contingent
cy. through hitting 10 clinches with a free
ann and on u break away. | viii rule.
'"i'hat you H. permitted 10 hit IN clinch-
es with one arm free and also IN break
0Snys,.
announced week h. fore the contest vol
viii both have ample tlme to practices
these important points ana VIII have no
cause for complaint should either of YOU
be caught off your guard. Pivot blows
and whipping bark with tho elbow or
striking with tho iNncrs are barred and
VIII be considered foul. Should any of the
HE result of the contest | shall use piy
Judgment accordingly.
Should amy OF the seconds of the prin-
csplls enter the ring during a round to
render amy assistance 10 the lighters or
prevent them from commitrng a foul.
OF 10 throw water upon them, 1t shall DO
considered u foul.
Coaching by the seconds during the
round N objectionable to everybody and
y liable to create d'Rcori AMI comment
Both OF you have undoubtedly mapped
M "a MI al ,,I
need no aiivice from your respective gee
onds. The latter will therefore refrain
tror mixing amy comment during the
tionaliy committed by either nj you
which. unless they may have a drec,
tearing on the result, will be overlooked
covers AL Important points Both Of YOU
are thoroughly acquainted with the Mar
puis of Queensbury rules not touched up
on by me and hope to see YOU both live
strictly mp TO them.
with fair field. not favors and no
prejudice. / remain, Your, very truly.
George Siler Referee"
Duplicate copies Of Silor's letter w,rc
n AIDE and q copy was sent 10 both Cor
lett and tflzsimmons Corhntt wac writ
Ing a letter 10 his wife when Oilers com
munioation was banded him, ana when he
had finished writing he road tho letter
from. the referee through with great care
II. then folded Il mp. saving; y 20 not
win talk II over with my trainers tonight
ana win write a formal letter to Mr.. siler
tomorrow"
"lt gives you what you desired. does It
Doig' he was asked.
80" he answered. IAN want Is
that we fight under the Marquis of
cueensbury rules such as | have always
fought under | carry those rules IN my
head cnd | an. very likely 10 conform to
them unec nsciously while nghting. When
a new construction Ia put upon thcm /
nirhi forget all about u In the heat OF the
fght and commit a foul Internationally.
All want Is a fair show and nothing
else"
at was reported some time ago that
you desired 10 hit with one arm free"
THAT Is q mistake; ] n.,ver wanted any
thing but the regular Marquis Of Quecrs-
bury rules and never said ! aid Now,
Ftzsirnions has said he does not want 10
hit with one arm free. but everybody
knows he wants just that very thing.
Everybody comedies that Fitzsimmons Is
a harder hitter thpn | am and everybody
comedies that I am better at long range
fighting end more scientific. II stands 10
reason then that he IL the galpGr by this
thing. You Will see that Fitzsimmans will
rot agree TO this, as 10 wants to have tho
appearance Of making some concessions
10 me. However, ] am not making any
objections as yet. ! am going TO talk y
over with my trainers and will say what
I think tomorrow. ! am glad. however
that Siler has made y clear that the