The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-22
BOXING RULES PLAIN
FAILURE TO ENFORCE THEM THE
PRINCIPAL CAUSE OF TROUBLE
N BIG MATCHES
WHAT QUEENSBERRY SOUGHT

WHAT QUEENSBERRY SUUGHf
Wanted to Elevate HoN;ng Above
the British Game as Conducted
Flaws Complained o. Are Purely
Technical, and Referees Have
Abundant Power.
Ever since the Sharkey- Mccoy battle
there has been under discussion the
question of rules that govern boxing
matches. 1t is contended that had
there been different Interpretation of
the Queensberry rules there might have
been a different verdict returned. That
Is all bosh. 1t is true the rules pre-
pared by the Marquis of Queensberry
To govern boxing matches were not
strictly adhered to, but that is not new.
There seems to be disposition on the
part Of fighters and fight promoters to
tamper with the Queensberry enact
mentS at their own sweet will, And,
ii might be added, the men who ref
cree the boxing contests that are pulled
off III the big boxing clubs are, as
rule. fully as prone to make special
Interpretation of the rules that the
famous marquis prepared as are the
principals and their handlers. Mr..
George Siler is one of that number,
and he ii is who is just now asking that
the sporting writer's of the country agi-
tate the question of rules until some
thing is done to make them more salts
factory.
SILER'S SENIORITY.
Perhaps Col. Siler is entitled to ex-
traOrdinary consideration on the
ground of seniority. He is unques-
tionably a good judge of boxing, but
as an Interpreter of rules I fear he will
not 90. For it was Col. Siler who de-
clared that rule of the Queensberry
code, meant that a boxer could hit an
opponent at will with one hand while
holding him safely with the other. Here
IS the rule:
2-No wrestling or hugging allowed.
Possibly the we'll known referee is
hasing his ruling upon the definition of
the word hug" as given in the stand
ard dictionaries. 1t is true that it
there reads to clasp with the arms"
but a ruling of Judge Gibbons, of Chi
cagO, in a breach of promise case es-
tahlishes the fact that a man with one
arm can hug. Romeo did not throw
both arms about the fair Juliet, but,
with ferVent proteStations of love, drew
her to him while his arm-not arms
ercircled her waist No one will dis
pute that Romeo Rugged Juliet. And
yet he had ''one arm free and the
Marquis of Queensberry stipulates that
there shall be no wrestling or hug
ging"
NO RIGHT TO CLINCH.
So long as the Queensberry rules are
to govern boxing they should be en-
forced to the letter. 1t may be possible,
but not probable, that there are
referees who are wiser than the man
who wrote the rules, but they should
be willing to take a back seat and
wait until they can induce the follow
erS of the sport to accept new boxing
conditions. A rule that plainly stipu-
lates there shall be no wrestling nor
hCgging cannot be construed to mean
that there shall be hitting in the cliach-
es That would annul the rule itself,
for if it states that there shall be no
cllEches then foul is really committed
as soon as the men clinch. In fact
there is entirely too much clinching In
boxing matches. The inferior man
makes that clause his haven of safety
He dare not fall without receiving a
blow, but he can run into g. clinch and
save himself. Cut out the clinches in
boxing matches. They will do for turf
battles, under London rules, for the
man who clinches there is liable to
more damage than the one who does
not. Wrestling is permitted in London
rule contests. And many a battle has
been Won by successful fall given a
competitor who has gone to a clinch to
avoid a blow.
ENTIRELY TOO TECHNICAL.
There are some who contend that
rule is ambiguous. It may be so re-
garded if one wants to be technical,
but the intent of the stipulation Is so
clear that any one who wishes to I'M
derstand it can. 1t provides that when
one of the contestants is knocked or
slips down, the other shall retire to
his corner until his competitor has re-
gained his feet. Now it Is contended
that If the fallen man should happen
to be in his opponents corner the lat
ter would. under the rule, have the
right to remain there and strike as
soon as the PROSTATE gladiator strug-
gled half way to his feet. 1t is easy
to argue. Why not then take into con-
sideration the word "retire?" How
can man retire to his corner when
he is already in it? What must he do?
He must retire" somewhere, for there
is 10 question that the rule was intend
over the other to take advantage Of
his mishap or knockdown. Then If he
cannot retire" to his own corner let
him retire to the other corner. In brief
all that sort of argument is bluff The
rule is plain. 1t is intended to prevent
one boxer from standing over another
when he is down.
NAN ON ONE KNEE.
There is more resort to technicality
upon the point that man on one
knee is down. 1t being argued that if
he is in a STOPPING position, with his
knee just off the floor, he can be con-
sidered up. Nonsense. A man when
down is down. He is entitled to ten
seconds to get up. Give it him. Com
pei the other boxer to get back at least
ten feet, and keep him there, or dis
qualify him. Drop such silly techni-
calities and enforce the Queensberry
rules as they are, and they will be
found sufficiently effective for all prac-
teal purposes. If, on the other hand.
new rules are desired, let us have them