Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-07-10
CURRENT
SPORTING
GOSSIP.

cussed.
The KetcheI-Papke aght, which
went twenty rounds at Colma, on
Monday with the referees decision
favoring the mijdleweight champion
was the sole topic among sporting
men yesterday. AS the mill took
place more then 5000 miles from
here it was compulsory to accept the
various conflicting reports for what
they were worth. While it is said
that many OF the spectators cried
Robbery" when the referee. Billy
Roche decided in Ketchel's favor.
there are statements from some Of
the best judges of pugilism who were
at the ringside TO the effect that
Ketchel was entitled TO the verdict.
Referee Roche In exp'pning his rul-
ing after the mill saids
''ketchel was the aggressor at all
times. He also Iande3 the cleaner
and harder punches as scored only
knockdown, in the tenth round.
when nearly everybody seemed to
think that Papke had slipped 20 the
floor out OF clinch. There Is abso-
lutely no question that Ketchel was
justly entitled to the decision"
DR.. +. y. Jacobs. house physician
at Trinity Hospital. San Francisco.
after examining Ketchel's hands said
yesterday:
The fracture OF the right hand
presumably occurred in the early
rounds of the fght and caused
swelling OF the surrounding tissues.
which resulted ina r63iu-f OF the
iiesh and skin and prOduced bleed
ing Of the veins. I also find a dislo-
cation OF the left thumb"
The statement bears out the one
made by Ketchel that he broke his
right hand in the seventh round and
that he continued to use it now and
then until the twelfth round. when
II became useless. with both hands
injured, as proved by DR.. Jacobs ex-
animation sporting men said yester-
day that IL was easy 20 understand
why Ketchel did not score "A knock
out. Ketchels view OF the fight is
also significant
Luck was against me-" he said
yesterday, because a broken hand
prevented me from putting Papke
away when / had him going in the
eleventh round. beat him all the
way up TO that point. and I'm sure
/ could have stopped him inside of
the limit If l could have used NV
right IL was injured in the seventh
round, when / hit Papke on ton of
the head when nc was covering IN
In his own corner. But ! didn't realize
that my hand was broken for some
timc after. At the end of the elev-
enth round ] told Britt that we had
lost the $4,000 we had bet that Pap
ke would not go twelve rounds. /
knew that / would have to fight the
rcst Of the way wi:h one hand. Later
Knocked out my left thumb. which
made II doubly hard for me to in
5ict punishment toward the end of
the fight. l won thu decision All
right but am naturally sore because
did not score a knockout. Papke
ala a lot of holding in the clinches
When he was il trouble. but he never
hurt me with his blows. I will fight
MIN again at any time and will agree
to finish contest"
I was robbed in the most cold
blooded style" said Papke. 'sKetcbeI
was champion and this fellow Roche.
knowing that he was a big favorite
IN the betting, didn't have nerve
enought 10 decide against him.
draw would have been bad enough
but to give the fight to Ketchel. was
simply case of highway robbery
have challenged Ketchel to another
mill and If he accepts will beat him
sure. But Roche will not be the
referee, you can beti"
. Papke's friends on the coast had
Roche on the griddle for fair yester-
day. They said the referee was in
the employ of Promoter Coffroth and
that he was ordered TO decide in
kercheIs favor so that the Ketchel-
Johnson fight would be pulled on at
Colma next October according to
schedule; also that the fright
money" placed on Ketchef cut an
important figure. The total receipts
were $4,000 of which Ketchel re
ceived $1O,441, Papke $3,4S0 and
Coffroth $9.279.
Those who saw Ketchel knock
JACK O'Brien out twice were ujsan-
pointed by the Michigan Lions
showing. But they were inclined to
the belief that Ketehel could not
nave done his best; in fact, they said
II was possible that he had gone stale
because OF continuous training with
out letup for nearly four months.
it|was also their opinion that Ketch-
el should take long rest, get out
OF the middleweight class perma-
nently and take on flesh in order To