The Washington times., 1905-12-25
F|Tz KNOCKED OUT.
WENT A ROUNDS
Difference of Opinion, But
This Seems Best.
WOULD INVITE FRAUDS
Stopping Fights Between Rounds Would
Open Way for Crookedness-Sup-
pose de Had Recovered?
BY THOMAS S. RICE.

BY THOMAS S. RICE.
Questions about the round in which
the F'itzimmons-O'Brien fight ended and
whether or not it was a Knockout con-
tinue 10 pour in and this problem
promises 10 become one of the most
famous in the history of the ring.
1t must be confessed that the opinion
of many experts is that Fitz was not
knocked out and that the fight ended
in the thirteenth round, but the writer
agrees with neither of these.
Fitz finished the thirteenth round
without quitting or being ordered out
of the ring. In the minutes rest he
was, to certain extent, free from the
referee, and how that rest could be
counted part of the preceding round
is hard 10 understand. Even had he
fallen dead in his corner in the inter
mission the referee could not have been
expected to take official cognzance of
that as regards the ending of the fight.
The fact that Fftz was all in had
nothing TO do with the matter at all.
The referee could not announce that
the fight was over until the full minute
had elapsed. the bell had been hung
for the fourteenth round and one of the
boxers had failed TO appear.
Would Invite Frauds.
To take any other view of the matter
would place fighters and public more at
the mercy of the referee than they are
now. and would open possibilities os
fraud and trickery that would undoubt-
edly be seized upon some day TO the
detriment of the public in general and
bettors in particular. 1t would be
strange If in the lull between rounds
spectators is distracted the third man
in the ring could suddenly announce
that one of the men had won
This power was never contemplated
by the trainers of boxing rules. even if
it has been exercised at times. The old
saying about ''toeing the mark and the
fundamental idea Of counting ten indi-
cate that there is TO be a positive act
or definite lapse OF time within which
the referee cannot .isciare fight
ended. II this were not the case con-
ditions could arise in which the referee,
by reasoning backward might some
times declare man loser while a
b round is still in progress and without
counting ten. More than once a fighter
has been so dazed or bewildered by a
blow that he has for few seconds uui,
cold or refused to attempt to rise from
the floor. or before the final ten" was
rolled of had regained his senses or
nerve sufficiently TO continue and even
win.
Might Have Recovered.
Suppose that Fitz, instead Of actually
collapsing. had simply been seized mo-
mentarily with a violent retching. which
had taken the heart out OF him but
mad really not been as bad off as he
thought. what would have happened II
he had recovered sufficiently and had
demanded. at the end of the minute
that ne be allowed to face his opponei.
! despite his previous intention % giving
up the battle? Graney would have beer
in a bad way. yet it Is not impossibl.
10 conceive that such a thing might
nave happened. and in fact, there hav.
peen almost exactly similar incidents in
the experience Of practically all mer
VINO nave reported pugilistic matter.
f1or any considerable time
For these reasons and Others a1o,,
The same line the writer must persis
IN MS opinion that the fight did not en-,
uhuI the ringing Of the bell for tn.
fourteenth round TO begin If the IA
Nas not rung that was merely the neg,
-eeI OF a technical detail, which, mad,
no diHerence I'm the force of the arg1,
ment ''O o. . u
II was Knockout.
am equally Of the opinion that Fir
was Tor betting purposes, knocked ont
tn"ush many do not take this view
titz was hammered 20 badlv mar h
was positively unable to respond TO IN
can OF Tine He was as much Iyoocl,e
out Dy not being able TO como hack 4,
the euu OF the minute as IL Ne had be-,
'nfNfh 10 ms knees and unable 10 com
back at the end OF ten seconds while tn
round was still on. II this - D,t o.
VIII some one please explain the differ
ence?
When Billy Peyton beat Joe McUm
aams so badly in Baltimore that IN
referee stopped the bout fl the tEir
round 70 save McWilIlams from possIbl
death at ;he hands Of his powerful r!va
w W. Naughton, OF the San Frnncisc
Examiner. and William Rocap OF IN
Philadelphia Public Ledger two of IN
best known authorities i'm the coilntr,
agreed with me that McWilllams wa
knocked out. and that those who b,
Peyton would win by the sleep-punc
route should get their money. II a ma
still on his feet and fun of fight. even
hopelessly beaten, was knocked out IN
der those conditions why was not Fiis
simmons knocked out when. as a resu
OF the pounding he had received. he wa
unable 10 rise from his chair when IN
bell rang2 FitZ collapsed I'm the regI
lation minute. and before the fight wa
over. and 1 consider him as much KNOCK
ed out as any man who eyer entered III
ring.
What Recap Thinks.
in reply TO hundreds of verbal an
written inquiries 10 The writer askin
his judgment as to which round ende
the recent fight between O'Bren an
Fitzsimmons. the same answer Is give
10 all. The Philadelphian won the cor
test at the end OF the thirteenth rounC
"Fitzsimmons was unable 10 answe
the call for the fourteenth round. and /
consequence there was no fourteent
round. Referee Graney saw the Cornisf
mans physical plight during the inter