The Washington times., 1905-12-29
GRANEY NOT FIT
FOR BIG BOUTS
Has Made Three Raw
Decisions.
BOTH IGNORANT AND WEAK
Latest Glaring Example Furnished by
Ending Fitz-o'Brien Bout
Between Rounds.
BOTH IGNORANT AND WEAK
Bv THOMAS S. RICE.

By THOMAS S. RICE.
Now that the pugilistic gossip has
centered upon the problem of picking
the next opponents for Philadelphia
Jack O'Brien, light heavyweight cham
pion. and Battling Nelson, lightweight
champion, IL is not bad idea to sug-
gest that no matter whom they fight
Eddie Graney be absolutely debarred as
referee.
Graney is certainly about the biggest
frost as third man in the ring that
ever afflicted pugilism. and it is doubt
full If one arbitrator ever showed such
woful incapacity on three such impor-
tant occasions as he has done. We will
presume he is honest. but that is his
only qualification, and even that was
brought into question when he gave his
extremely doubtful decision in favor of
Britt in Britt's first fight with Ioung
Corbett
Excuse Made it Worse.
Britt got the decision at the end of
twenty rounds, and from one end of
the country TO the other there was
howl of protest which is occasionally
raised again at this late day when Pa
cifc coast fights are discussed. That
the champion should be deprived of his
title on points after making the show
ing he did disgusted some Of the best
critics of the country who were at the
ringside, and the most capable judges
disagreed with Graney.
In defense OF the Frisco man, who
had handed out a. raw deal in favor of
a native son. IL was urged that he was
affected by the tremendous roar from
the crowd demanding that Britt get the
long end. This in itself was a pitiful
argument to make for one supposed to
be such a good sporting man that he
was chosen to officiate in a champion
ship contest, and was a confession to
a weakness and lack of nerve that rem
dered him unfit for the job on the very
face of things.
Grandstand Play Still Worse
When Britt and Nelson came together
in the bout which resulted in Britt
being knocked out Graney was chose.
referee at the last minute after a long
wrangle. In what appeared spectacu-
lar play to the galleries he called off
all bets before the fight began, but
made neither explanation nor qualih-
cation, with the result that many thou
sands of dollars were tied up because
of the uncertain way In which he left
things. 1t was an assumption of au-
thority on his part which was accepted
by the public only after great hard
feeling had been aroused.
Once more Graney's friends came to
the rescue with an explanation which
did more harm than good. They said
the reason he called off the bets was
because he had down a heavy one him
self. and did not care to let 1t stand and
also referee. If this was really the case,
why in the name OF the big mitt didn {
he call of his own gamble without
interfering with those of other people?
1t was about the poorest excuse that
could have been offered, and like that
which followed the Britt-Corbett fight,
left him worse off th1n before IN public
estimation. He could easily have an
nounced from the ring tnat he had
backed one OF the men, but would have
10 recall the bet because of his selec-
tion as referee, and any stakeholder
would have returned the money. even
If the man he bet with had been such
a poor sportsman as TO Insist that II
went IL laid. But Graney followed
the wrong course, as usual
Muttonheaded Incompetence.
The latest break or this faux pas
champion Of the world was In giving
simmons in the minutes rest between
the thirteenth and fourteenth rounds OF
their recent battle IN Frisco. 1t was
an absolutely indefensible piece OF
muttonheaded incompetence. but it was
only what was to be expected In view
OF his past performances.
It is unlikely that any other referee
In the business IL such an important
match would have accepted the word of
q boxer and called the bout at an end
at such an uncertain time. Had he
known his duties he would either have
paid no attention TO Fitz or would have
joIlied him along until the gong rang
for the fourteenth round and the fight
came TO it's logical end by the failure
of Fitz TO appear when time was called
The mistake Graney made would not
have occurred even in a semi -wind-uI
on the Bladensburg road. yet it ap-
peared in a bout for a worlds cham
pionship.
To show that Graney acted out of
sheer dumbness and because he did not
have brains enough TO realize the con-
sequences Of his act he replied wher
asked I'm what round the battle ended
1T went over thirteen rounds"
Ignorant and Weak.
absurd answer ever made to an impor-
tant question. ard proved conciusively
that Graney did not know what TO say
IN regard TO a ruling he himself had
made 1t was an open confession OF
doddering vascillation and weak-kneeC
hedging unparalleled In ring history. II
apparently had neither brains to reasoI
out nor the nerve TO decide the round
on, which bets should be paid, and lef
IL 10 the open tribunal Of newspape
critics. among whom there has natur
ally been an honest divergence o.
opinion which has confused stake
holders. Any other referee in the worl'
would have had mind enough 10 picl
the thirteenth or fourteenth and let J
go at that, for there are many thor
oughly capable critics divided on thf
subject, bat Graney tried to squar
himself with ali hands by crawfishini
out Of taking a positive position, ant
Il