The San Francisco call., 1904-04-30
EE SULLIVAN TAKES THE. LAURELs FROM WALCOTT
DECIDES AGAINST BOSTON BOXER
ON FLIMSIEST POSSIBLE PRETExT
But Few Seconds Remain Of twentieth Round
When He Proc aims Dixie Kid Winner Because
WaIcott Hits After Being Told to Break Away

Mr. Dick Sullivan Of the guild of
California referees did not add to the
reputation o. that body by his decision
last night at ColsI;a IN the hight be-
tween Joe W'alcott and the Dixie Kid.
There had beer twenty rounds Of fierce
Fighting and the end of the contest was
but a few. seconds off when Sullivan
set the house in an uproar 10y walking
up 20 the Dixie Kid aBd with finger
upraised said: Il give it to you on
foul" The alleged foui waso the film
siest possible pretext for giving the
fight 10 the Kid.
Throughout the fight Walcott had
employed kidney punch that almost
made the spectators wrlthe in their
chairs. He had just landed one of
these, which was like hundreds that
had preceded il, when Sullivan gave his
strange decision. He claimed he had
ordered the men % break away and
that Walcott struck this blow after he
had given his order.
Walcott looked at him in open
mouthed wonderment for an instant
and then taking in the full import OF
the decision rushed at the referee and
struck at him. Sullivan fell to the
floor Of the ring. rolled under the
lower rope and on to the floor. Alex
Greggains. who represents Walcotts
manager on the coast, rushed across
the ring and fairly hurled himself on
the PROSTATE Sullivan. The specta-
tors hustled Sullivan about and he
skunk out OF the building and was seen
no more
WALCOTT~S PREMONTTION.
walcott had a premonition that Sui
livan was not a suitable referee and
objected to him after he entered the
ring. Walcott said Sullivan did not
know enough about the game to suit
him. and as Eddie Graney was not
present he wanted some representative
man to act. He suggested Jack Welch,
Harry Corbett and Billy Roche as be-
ing men in whose judgment he had
confidence. An he wanted. he said,
was a man that knew his business.
Some one volunteered the informa-
ton, which was not true, that Eddie
Graney had broken his arm and could
not act. Well" said Walcott, Jack
Welch has not broken his arm and he
can act. Manager Conroth tried to
induce Walcott to accept Sullivan. and
said he would make good to Walcott
anything he might lose by an unjust
decision. This did not satisfy Walcott,
who said that the referees decision
was final, and any harm done him
could not be undone after the referee
had left the ring. Manager Coffroth
finally prevailed on Walcott TO accept
sullivan. guaranteeing both his hon
esty and his ability.
After the fight Manager Cohroth made
this statement: AS in all ring con-
tests. the bets go with the decision of
the referee as provided by the rules Of
boxing. The Dixie Kid will receive the
winners share Of the purse. 1 think
that had the fight gone the limit of
twenty rounds the best Walcott
would have been entitled to was a
draw. Consequently the club will set
tie with him on the basis of a draw,
the management making good the diff
ference in the value of the purse be-
tween the losers end and a draw"
BITTERLY CONTESTED.
The fight was one of the most bitterly
NDlllEHlEu ever CNEn lltlN. w dlEONl Idu
all his far-famed cleverness and was
the aggressor throughout, but his blows
seemed to lack the terrible Furnishing
power they had some years ago. He
was physically strong. as could be seen
by the way he buffeted his opponent
about the ring. AS usual, Walcott
could hit from any position, his arms
being apparently set in swivels. He
did not land many clean blows, but he
gave the Dixie Kid a terrible beating
about the back of the head and on the
kidneys. His work was most effective
at short range, and he kept shooting in
short-arm jabs and jolts and swings
all the time For the major part of the
fight he was kept busy exchanging
repartee with the spectators. One man
urged the Dixie Kid to keep after Wal
colt. as he had a yellow streak. That
may be-" said Walcott, but no one has
ever found it yet"
There were several rounds when the
Kid kept him so busy that he had no
time to wait. but his effervescent
spirits soon came back and he was
grinning and joking to his hearts con-
tent. While Walcott proved the bet
ter fighter OF the pair. the Dixie Kid
landed the cleaner blows. He drove
Walcotts head back with some
vicious, Iong-range swings, but they
had no more effect on the Barbados
wonder than TO upset his balance for
the moment
The Kid seemed to have a whole
some respect for Walcott and did not
take the chances with him he might
have done with a less formidable op-
ponent. He was game TO the core
and took a tremendous amount of
punishment without hinching. Al
though the fight was fierce in its way
from start to finish, neither man
scored a clean knockdown. The Kid
went down several times, but it was
more from losing his balance in max
ing wild swings than from any blows
he received.
Walcott had as seconds Henry Lew
IS, Sam Pruitt. Alex Greggains, Fred
Craig and Dodson. In the Dixie Kids
corner were Riddv Rishon Arthur Oil