Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-31
SPORTING MATTERS

tween Eddie Gardner and Squirrel
Finnerty booked to come off before the
Bridgeport Athletic Club last night,
didn't materialize. Yesterday after
noon Manager Murphy received a tele-
gram from p. J. Scanlon of Niles, O.,
stating that Finnerty was taken with
cramps and couldn't be present. The
ELEVENTH hour disappointment was
sumner to the managers of the club,
but there was absolutely nothing to
be done but call the whole thing off
and the big crowd of sports that had
anticipated one of the liveliest little
in tn most pleasing frame of mind
when the announcement was made.
The unlooked-for interruption in the
plans was q bad ending to
the painstaking efforts and
expense of the local parties to the
event to make it notable and success
full in no small measure. The mana
gers of the Bridgeport Athletic Club
had at no small outlay, arranged every
detail for pulling off the mill, and
Gardner is in fine fittle, the result of
hard and diligent training. The fiasco
is hard on the reputation of the club,
too, although it is unfair to hold the
promoters responsible. The public is
sometimes just little unreasonable,
though, and the large number of
sports who had come from distance
to witness the go, will want better
assurance when they come again.
Finnerty, who was to fight Gardner
last night, was, according to news
paper reports, pretty well tuckered in
the fight with Jack Reeder at Youngs-
town, Saturday night, and it is not I'M
reasonable to suppose he didn't look
upon the controversy with man of
Eddie Gardeners reputation and ability
with any great relish. Finnerty got
the decision over the Altoona boy, but
after the pounding he received in the
twentieth round it would perhaps be
uncharitable to express in words the
meaning of the winks and inuendos
apparent in sporting circles here last
night. Some are so unkind as to say
the name Gardner" has gotten to be
sufficient of itself to cause a first-class
case of cramps with not a few pugi-
lists who count themselves we'll up in
their class. But whether it was Reef
er, Gardner or grip that is responsible
for Finnerty's cramps, the result is
the same and Squirrels" reputation
for gameness will not be entranced
until he gives tangible evidence of be-
ing the real stuff.
While there is no desire or intention
to find fault with the business meth
DDS of the Bridgeport Athletic Club,
yet a suggestion in good faith may not
be distasteful. In all events of impor-
lance it is indispensable that forfeit
sufficient to insure the presence of the
principals at the ring or compensate
for necessary expenses of the club,
should be posted. This should be an
invariable stipulation of the contract,
especially when the parties are not
known or their reliability vouched
for. 1t is stated $50 was posted with
Niles newspaper by P. J. Scanlon
Finnerty's manager, as a forfeit, and
Manager Murphy will go after this, but
sum not less than SIS or S100 with a
local newspaper would hereafter be
more to the point and would be more
assuring to the patronizing public.
The statement in yesterday morn
lngS paper that Finnerty had arrived
at Bridgeport Sunday was an error for
which the Register is in no wise re-
sponsible. The information came
through Manager Murphy, who it APP
pears was so certain that the Niles
man would be in on an Afternoon train
that he gave it out in that manner
to the newspapers. The mistake was
natural one under the circumstances
1Ol Tie CiuD udu every assurance mat
Finnerty's appearance until the tele-
gram was received yesterday after
noon.
In speaking of the name Gardner"
being provocative of cramps it is
timely to recall that last November
Yock Henninger, Of Pittsburg, was
caught up in the same way just before
the match scheduled to come off with
Oscar Gardner. 1t is suggested that
it might facilitate this matter of ar
ranging bouts if the Gardeners should
change their names for a less formid-
able nom-de-guerre.
This afternoon Oscar Gardner ac-
cOmpanied by his brother Eddie Gard
ner and Winnie Winder, Hughey Ar
mold and Chas. Smith, leave for New
York, where the former goes into
training for his go with Solly Smith
1t is possible this will be the last
effort of the Bridgeport Athletic Club
to engineer a pugilistic event Their