The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-24
Decision in Flaherty
Fight.
SPORTS DISAGREE.
Many Thought Lowell Man
Won Out.

Several Worcester men witnessed the
fight between Martin FIaherty and Os-
car Gardner in Hartford. wednesday
night. and all are strong in the belief
that Flaherty should have baeu given
the decision. one of the men is NJ. J.
.Leyden. who returned to Worcester yes
terday. He talked interestingly 10 the
Spy man concerning me fight and the
decision. Mr.. Leyden has seen nearly
all the clever ones in the ring, and when
he forms an opinion on match IL is
worth something, for he is a capable
judge.
He said yesterday that F.lahsrty won
easily.
Speaking Of the fight. ne said: Be
fore the men went into the ring it was
agreed between them that there should
be a decision. The referee made such
an announcement before they shook
hands. Flaherry had the best of the
tight all the time I saw in the news
papers today that Gardner was given
credit for having the best of several
rounds That statement is entirely
wrong. In the. fourth twelfth and one
other. he may have had q shade the best
Of It because he hit a few times more
than Flaherty. But in every other
round, Flaherty did by far the best
work.
The allegation Of foul fighting on Fla
herty's part is entirely false I saw
nothing except on the breakaway Fla
herty sometimes hit his man. But Gard
ner did the same thing. and there is
nothing in the reports to say he fought
foul The referee informed the crowd
during the fight that he would stop the
men when they were olinched and yio-
lating the rules. There was very little
hitting after he broke them. Flaharty,
evidently. saved himself thinking the
fight would 90 70 decision in view of
the agreement Which had been made
Flaherty is a great man in long
fight and always has the advantage Of
his man. Ithiuk ne fought for that pur-
pose. When the fight was finished he
jumped fls ropes Of the ring and walk
ed off,tO his dressing room as If he had
beenfa spectator all the time. He was as
fresh as when he went into the ring
met New York man who had wager
Cd $500 to $500 after the fight. He said
Without qualification that the decision
vas wrong and that FTaherty had won
the fight. The betting was 800 to $40
against Flaherty at the ringside.
Mr.. Leyden has always been an adj
uirer of Flaherty, but he looks on the
Lowell man with greater regard than
ever before. He said "Flaherty can
whip anybody Of his weight. I think.
He was underestimate by the crowd
at Hartford before the fight. Gardner
is. Of course. a clever man. He has ex-
ceptional ability in measuring his
distance and making every blow count.
He is not rated any too high. The trou-
BILE was Flaherty was not given proper
rating. After the fight all agreed that
he was good enough to carry anybody's
money"
How did the referee make such
decision, it it was mamfsstIy uufatr2"
asked the SOY man
"Of course. l can't tell the reasons
for his decision. I can say though
that after the fight I heard he is a par
ricular friend of several men who were
directly interested in Gardner What
ever his reasons We're. I know thew did
not agree with my Judgment or with
that Of hundreds who witnessed thu
tlght"