The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-10-29
IF 1T HAPPENS IT'S HERE.

TIE squabb.e over the referee in the
Battling Nelson-Jinmy Britt battle which
took place an Colma. Cal. or the afternoon
u Sept 0 Is apt TO lead those who are not
81 The inside of the aghtlng game 10 be-
lieve that referees OF boxing contests, or
glove lights. as they are termed, are. as
rule. dishonest. and that they will stoop
10 almost anything to rob one Of the con
testants of the winners end Of the purse
aud thereby also place black mark
against his record which he prizes highly.
A fighters record IS his chief stock in
trade, and list Of defeats against It de-
pTyes him Of contesting for large purses.
This was one Of the principal reasons Why
Billy Nolan, Nelson's mana ger, objected
s. strenuously 20 Jim Jefrries as referee
a. the much talked OF night. Noian
thought, as the betting indicated. that
Jefr would favor Britt. and that he would
Eee H. IL that the native son would win.
4 victory over Britt meant much for
lie Battler," and Nolan would rather
ave him win for q $40 note than have
aim lose for a $4,000 purse, Of which the
oser's end would have amounted 10 oVer
$4,000. II was the black mark against
ais pr0tGge's record that Nolan was
guarding against when DE refused 10
EarU for Jefrries, but the probabilities are,
IeeiLg that Nelson won SO easily, that
a. would and could have won just as
landily and as decisiveiy had Jen been the
;hird man IN the ring. Forewarned is
:orearmed, and Nolan was not going 20
take any chances His man won. as he
expected he would. and he is reaping the
fruits or his victory by drawing Sl.J00
week for boxing three short rounds with
g sparring partner. Had hs lost. whether
honestly or rot, he would not be worth 10
ctn,s a week.
J. does not follow that because Nelson
Won with Eddie Graney as referee. he
could not have accomplished the trick
with Jeffries as Judge. Neither does IL
follow that, because Nolan objected Co
The retired heavyweight champion. that
he DEM would not have given the e. Bal
tier - ali that was coming TO him, but
lhe fact remains, nevertheless, the sport
ing public still believes the Britts intended
10 Job Nelson. and that Jeffries was 10
have been "a party 20 il. IL should be re
member5d that JEFF is not what is termed
a referee. as his first and only job tn thai
capacity was a. Reno when Marvin Hart
and Jack Root fought for the title he had
tossed aside.
Referees as a rule aer honest. but am
forced Ia admit there are some that would
not hesitate TO toss a night for money
inducements. Cases wherein the ring Off
cial decide against the winner for what
there Is IL il for him rarely come toliEAt
because they are clever enough 10 cover Up
thei- tracks. Sull We hear Of them coca
sionally. Ring officials that can be got "
never are successful and are only en-
pioyed when Job is afoot IL is difficult.
however, to convince the dyed in the wool
fight fan and the majority Of lighters thar
referees are honest and conscientious ana
whenever they render "a decision that
does not conform with their ideas they do
rot hesitate 10 can him Is thief ana
" robber.'
An honest referee. however, does not pay
much attention 10 the abuse he receives
from the fans nor the fighters. as he-knows
the fan is kicking because he lost. prob
ably d So bet, and that the losing fighter
always thinks he has won. .H-
T. was only the other day that 7 got
taste Of a beaten fighters temper. TIE
7ghter or supposed fighter. was Paddy
Nee. and his opponent was " KID 20 Farm-
- The contest called for six ROUNDS the
first three OF which were fairly even. but
IN the hnal three sessions Farmer went
around Nee like cooper goes around a
barre. The kid hit Paddy when and
where be pleased and made him look
Ike the rankest kind OF a novice. PADDY
simply was not in il, only there had 10 be
e. man in the ring with Farmer 20 make
a contest even II only as ii punching bag
ard Paddy played the role 20 ricety
A blind man, just by hearing the whackS
a. Farmers gloves against every inch 81
Paddy's upper anatomy, could have de-
Cidad the contest, and when / lifted the
" kid's arm III token Of victory. PADDY
raised = howl ard buttiug into me. said:
" Hully gee, You give him de fight when
I went and done all de fishtin'." " Yes,
md YOU got all the punching, 7 replied.
Thar. however. cid not satisfy the much
t=ateu PADDY as when bee left the ring
- cut loose as follows: " Dat s de rawest
Seal ever got. But Wat's dc use of squeaI-
b. Dat mug up dere is a Dutchmau
IaI,udlug 10 mel " ard he always gives a