Omaha daily bee., 1911-02-07
GOSSIP FOR The SPORT FANS
Boxers Violate the Rules Of the Game
in Recent Bouts.
LBBErs LIKES PUERTO RICO
Expert Thinks No ChanRes Necessary
In Base Bnn RaIes. ms the Game
A. stiII one that Thrills
the Fnns.
ny 1oHN r. POSTER.

BY JOHN B FOSTER
At least there lie none who will deny that
The recent meeting between Digger stan
lev ana "Ffankiu Burns provided ex-
cellent food Tor srgument and discussion.
Tom" O'Rourie and kid" Mccoy, among
Others. have expressed an opinion that
stanley won on points
some rather good authorities seem to be
inclined 20 believe that II was draw in
points but who won on rough house work.
Perhaps points In that respect do not
count OF course they don't under the
rules but are the rules for effect or for
ornament?
Il II admitted that both boxers violated
the rules Come seem TO be Of opinion
well Justified. that Il was not even good
exhibition Of boxing. When the referee IL
required to pry boxers apart and while
doing so Is hit twice in the head ls It to be
considered fashionable or fair boxing?
Are repeated violations Of the second
rule in the boxing code 10 be sanctioned?
The rule IL short and is very plain. II
reads. mo wrestling or hugglng allowed
How often is it broken, and how many
times was Il broken In the bout between
stanley and Burns? II is possible under
the rules 10 hug an opponent around the
neck and pound him with the free hand?
Has the American idea OF hitting with one
hand free and the other holding. improved
what In commonly described as the manly
art Of self-defence2'
These seem to be rather pertinent con-
alterations In view Of some Of the rough
and tumble exhibitions which have taken
place in New York.
Leading QuestIOn.
Il & uoitCN a hermit American
boxing to degenerate into q scramble, In
which the spirit OF the sport shall be de-
graded for the sake Of morbid desire to
witness the application OF brute force as
contrasted TO a display of skill? 1t has
been generally understood that when these
rules were formulated by the marquis
whose name they bear he was Interested
in doing away with the very faults to
which assistance IL indirectly lent when
two men Wrestle around a boxing ring,
each holding the other with one arm and
whaling" away with the free glove when
ever an opportunity offers.
SO far as "Diggers' Stanley is con-
cerned, II 10 not in the least inappropriate
to say that his exhibition was a flat and
bitter disappointment, coming as he does
from a country which has boasted that
its boxing is free OF the faults which are
StNe TelN NIlNtGloeu III ANlNIANdile
According TO the English idea Of the
spirit OF American boxing, the Digger"
was as letter perfect as II he had been
brought up In our own boxing circles, and
that may be taken az II stands for Amer
lean boxing.
CharIes n. EBbsts RETAINS.
When the steamship Coamo docked yes
terday Charles n. Ebbets, president Of the
brooklyn Base Ball club. disembarked
after a pleasant voyage through the West
india islands. His latest port Of call prior
to arriving in New York, was San Juan
40 Rico.
.ale at Ponce Mr. Ebpets was i'm
passed into service in twelve-lnning con
test as umpire. Il have discovered" he
remarked upon hls arrival home. tina
there arc more things In this umpire bust
ness than were dreamt OF by Horatio oil
any OF tie other we'll known dreamers
At that J must observe that the ball play
srs Of the island treated me handsomely
not only as umpire, but as an active base
ball club owner, They invited me to tax,
the Brooklyns to Puerto Rico for q training
trip, and Il Is a really delightful place fo
outdoor work although II is out OF tn,
question TO make the journey this year.
told them that after the season is over il
the United states there might be a chance
that Brooklyn would visit the islands, an,
play not only In the cities OF Puerto Rico
but in other cities Of the island group.
There isn't a doubt that IL would max
a hit. They are every bit a. enthusiastic
about Ease ball throughout that section o
the world-At least almost every bit-as VI
are In the United states. The sport 4
making sreat Roadway throughout all o
that part OF the globe"
Changes Ia the Base Bali Rules.
At the present moment It does not sp
pear that any change Will be made In tn
playing rules for base ball in 1911 Their
Is no aggravated demand for changes
There are some who believe that a fev
notifications might not hurt the game
but they are not insistent In elamorinl
that they shall be made.
So long as the great American publ
seems TO enjoy thoroughly Us bass ball
and Il will always do 30 unless all game
becomes tie games, for when Tom smit
goes home grumpy after his pet team
loses, "Bilr' Jones becomes hilarious to
dsgree which approaches Fourth of Jul
morning. II a. not incumbent on the has
ball folks 70 remodel their present pleas
ant pRstime
II the game arrives at that stage wher
It does not present sufficient variety {
satisfy the most sXaetinG, perhaps 1t wi
be necessary 10 modify the rules a littl,
but somehow there does not seem 10 b
even the vestlgs OF present opinion tina
such a situation 10 likely TO arise very i'm
mediatey
The old pastme looks as II Il is tit
stand pretty we'll for another term q
years with the same underPinning,