The San Francisco call., 1909-06-27
BODY PU NCH
LAYS CROSS
ON BACK
Hyland Should Have
Won Inside of the
Twentieth
By WILLIAM j. sLATTERY

victoriously over the PROSTATE form OF
Leach Cross and listened while Ref
cree Billy Roche tolled of 10 seconds.
A hard right punch to the body fol-
lowed by left swing to the jaw sent
the New York dentist to the floor and
ne did not have chance to rise again.
Hyland should have won the fight
in the twentieth round. From that
period till the finish, he had Cross on
the floor al least a dozen times, but
he could not put over the wallop that
would have counted more than any of
he others.
Y From a record breaking standpoint,
the mill was a success, a revelation,
but figured from the cold blooded
standpoint of boxing and fighting, it
was a nightmare, a delusion and
snare. Hyland won and deserves all
the laurels that are coming his way,
but he should apologize TO everybody
present for not ending it all at least
20 rounds sooner than he did.
Half the spectators were OF the
opinion that Cross was one of the
gzmest lads who ever landed on our
shores, while the other half thought
that he would gladly have taken the
count any time Hyland showed the
disposition 10 come in with finishing
wallop But, anyhow. he weathered
the storm Of p rounds and stalled of
his opponent in every one Of them.
BELL SAVES HIM OFTEN
In every round after the nineteenth,
Hylsnd had Cross going and he had
him on his back IN most of them. But
still the bell saved the New Yorker
round after round and it was repei-
non OF the same old story over and
over again. Even the frantic cries of
his admirers and the majority of the
crowd failed to spur Hyland on to
come over with the finishing wallop.
He would not consider any sugges-
tions. He invariably started his op-
poneut on his way to defeat and then
deliberately stood off and allowed him
20 recuperate and stall the round Oft.
Cross certainly showed marvellous
powers Of recuperstion. Round after
round he went to his corner grosgy
and apparently through for the day.
But he would come hack and fight and
stall and do the best he could TO last
II out. All these rallies seemed TO
affect Hyland. Instead of coming in
and making fast finish of ii, the
Californian would stand aloof and wait
.ill the Gotham man recovered even
more. Then he would sail in near the
end OF the round, start rally, but
the clang Of the bell would put stop
10 the good work when it seemed
well on its way
Hvland refused TO lead absolutely.
He knew nothing whatever about this
end OF the game. Whenever Cross
started rally, II was signal for his
early defeat The only reason Cross
was not put out sooner was because
he did not rally often enough. Who
ever heard of anything like this in
fight before?
Why don't Hyland 60 in and finish
that fellow? What's the matter? Go
on. Dick. Swing one and let US go
home"
LET HIS CHANCES SLIP
This was the line OF talk that was
heard from the boxes and the bleach
ers for y rounds. Perhaps Dick did
not hear It or perhaps he had sys-
sem of his own which he desired
work out, but, at all events, he was
not there with the execution. He
could not be coaxed or touted. He
wanted to win, but seemingly he did
not know how to win or else he was
fearful lest his opponent might have
something slowed away that might be
dangerous for him He had chance
10 make q worldwide reputation, but
he let it slip round after round.
Cross was a good, clever boxer and
fine ring general for the first II
rounds, but after that time he did not
figure. They all knew that he was
beaten then. It was only question
Of time. but just how much time no
body knew. Some said 20 rounds,
Others banked on q rounds, while
few of the tinlid outsiders suggested
60 But nobody had the assurance to
go on record with Al round speech.
Had he done anything like that along
the twentieth he would have been
tossed bodily out Of the arena. That's
the way they felt about 1t.
From every indication Cross used
al he had in the first 10 rounds. and
then gradually faded away Certainly
he .pever showed any signs of being
dangerous from that time on. Occa-
sionally he would start rally. but all
- -.-.~e only Sf1r7z1S for Hxl,rd