Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-11
REFEREE QUESTION
IS TROUBLESOME
vExATIOUS PROBLEM FACES
OFFICIALS
Recent Poor Decisions Tend to In.
lure the Standard Of Local
Ring Performs
anees

If a cloud is lowering over the ring
life of Los Angeles at present, an
ominous appearing formation has
arisen on the pugilistic horizon. What
is going to be done about the referee
question?
That something must be done and
done quickly is evident to those who
have followed Maud Junction affairs
recently. Time was when an official
decision at the east end arena might
be accepted as a rule by fair-minded
devotees of the sport. There are al
ways those who will protest, what
ever the judgment rendered, but in the
main Maud Junction patrons have had
little to complain of.
This, however, was before the con-
stant change of officials became the
order Since then there has been but
small satisfaction. 1t appears as
though Pacific Athletic club directors
have a problem to solve or suffer ma
terially thereby.
Witness last Friday evenings affair,
presided over by Gus Herget. Two
draw decisions were given which by
the longest stretch of imagination
could not be supported.
AS Los Angeles is the center of
American boxing why can it not be
the center of all that is good as per-
ldlilS 10 Jne SpOTCE Inere mas been
considerable talk of raising prize ring
standards herea abouts, but method of
determining the winner of a fight
would be much more to the point. Then
again the Philadelphia plan of giving
no decision would prove better than
nothing at all.
One feature of the modern English
that the decision of q referee is dis
puted seldom. Naturally the ques-
tion is raised as to how the British
officials act during a battle.
British Method
An elevated stand is provided for the
referee from which he watches every
action of the men, carefully recording
the results of each round. When the
battle is over he figures his table and
decides which man had an advantage
during the go.
A protest may be entered that it
would be impossible to keep the men
separated without some one to break
them. 1t was never intended that men
should be forced to break by a third
party This very act of breaking has
caused no end of trouble in American
ring contests, one of the principals often
declaring that the referee SO intervened
that an advantage was given his op-
ponent.
The English official orders his men to
break. If they do not he threatens dis
qualification and as rule experiences
little trouble. If a Maud Junction
referee, backed by his club, should dis
qualify few ringsters for not break
ing the end of such tactics would be
reached with remarkable celerity.
There can be no claim that such an
arrangement would be impracticable.
1t might require little time, but few
reforms have been effected otherwise.
Any one taking the trouble to peruse
files of reputable sporting papers will
observe at a glance that practically
every ringside writer agrees as to the
comparative merits of the men under
consideration in so far at least as
general impression is concerned. 1t is
seldom that a battle of Importance
occurs in which accounts vary mater
tally relative to which man had the
advantage.
When it is considered that these men
leave the arena Immediately and very
rarely voice an opinion to one another
it is evident that some method exists of
determining points of vantage.
Certain ii is that referee remaining
in the ring would experience some diff
f1culty in keeping pencil account of the
proceedings if obliged to break men
under existing conditions. No other
way than position of vantage outside
the ropes remains open.
Pacific Athletic club officials have
expressed themselves as anxious to per-
feet ring fighting so far as they are
able. 1t will certainly not enhance the
situation should a few more demon
strations occur such as marked last
Friday evenings card, which was all
that could be desired with the excep-
tiOn of rpflrpn actions