The San Francisco call., 1906-04-12
STORM BREAKS
OVER OFFICIALS
Expose of Methods of the
Amateur Boxers Reflects
on the Men in Charge
MAY END sUBTERFUGE
Will Probably Be
Driven Into the PrOfes-
sional Class at Once

The long expected storm has broken
about the heads of the officials Of the
Pacific Athletic Association regarding
their failure to control the so-called anna
teur boxing. 1t all came about through
the demand of the finance committee for
an itemized account of all money expend-
ed on the recent championship tourna-
ment promoted by the Olympic Club
Among the bills presented was one by
De Witt Van Court, boxing instructor OF
the club, for 500 in fees to be paid the
boxers. When asked for an explanation
he said it was only upon the promise OF
the payment of stated fees that the boys
would compete.
Taking the results of the tournament
night by night and allowing So for pre-
liminary round bouts, S35 for first place
compensation of the gentlemen amateurs
would be divided as follows:
Heavyweights-w. schulken $40. W. Kirch-
$50 ]. Willis $5.
16S-pound class-T. Riordan $50.
15S-pound class-H. w. Fincke $45 g. Muir
ray $35. w. Heller s25.
145-pound class-Willam Mcdonald $40. J.
J. McKinnen s35. ]. Ellis $40. c. j. Hawley 50.
I35-pound ciass-Iew Powell 500 J. Bradley
$50. w Wolff SIS. ]. Ford $40. j. Rodney $40
125-pound class-w j. Leonard $40. NJ. Au-
gusta $40. j. Edwards So o. L. Kirk IS, j.
115-pound ciass~H' Baker $50. T. A. Stone
$40, H. Williams SIS. E. Menney So 7. F.
1o5-pound class Carroll s45, r. E. Gres-
ham s35 W. Austin $5. A. Stone IS. ]. Batter
ton $5 Ed Lehman S5.
PRIZE MONEY Is TAINTED.
That this is prize money and not le-
gitimate training expenses is shown by
the way the money is apportioned- The
losers had equally as much expense as
the winners, but they are overlooked.
President Harrison. for the club, and
Paul Cowles for the finance commit
tee, repudiated the bill and vow 1t will
never be paid.
Il was acting under the instructions
of Messrs. Rosenfeld, Gleason and
Levy. the tournament committee, en-
tirely in this matter said Van Court
yesterday. They knew the conditions
under which the boys agreed to box.
We would not have had twelve entries
if this promise was not made them. 1
am sorry Mr.. Harrison and Mr.. COwleS
were not informed of these conditions
before the tournament. The Olympic
Club has been compelled to do this be-
fore in order to get a representative
entry. The amount paid heretofore was
put in without being itemized and the
directors never questioned the expend-
iture.'
The members of the committee as,
sumed the responsibility yesterday.
saying Van Court acted under their in
structions. as that was the only way a
successful tournament could be made
up.
The expose indicates how bad the anna
teur boxing game is when a club wants
to obey the rules and is forced to break
them to get sufficient entries to make its
tournament a success. The money-mak-
ing promoters who are coming money out
of the efforts of young boys, share the
blame for this condition with the officials
of the Pacific Athletic Association. The
latter have proved unable to cope with
the situation, and the subsidizing of the
boxers goes merrily on.
East and West it seems equally bad.
Secretary Sullivan selected the boxers
who came from the East. Heller admitted
he fought Mike Schreck. the professional,
and that he boxed in theaters for hire.
The majority of the Eastern boxers had
hardly landed here before they made in
quiries as to the amount of money they
were to receive.
MATCHMAKERS ARE BUSY.
Every man who distinguished himself
in the recent tournament has been be-
sieged by the persons who control the
clubs promoting the four-round fights.
Kirk. one of the Eastern men, has been
matched, and two other visitors expect
matches. Kirk is said to be fighting
for purse of s125. They are all draw
ing cards and clubs can afford to pay
them well.
George Murray. who was given the
worst of the decision with Fircke. has
sent back his second prize to the Olym-
pic Club directors with his compli-
ments. 1t is a silver medal of the
cheapest character and is said to be
valued at but little more than 81.