Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-26
BREEZY BOXING
NEWSFROM CORbETT
New Fight Commission to Be
Appointed by New York All
Right, if Reliable.
USEFULNESS DESTROYED
If FAVORITISM is SHOWN
Waiting for Papke to Return
Home and Settle Middle
weight Championship.
By James J. Corbett.

Nohsiuefabie excitement has been Great
ca IN boxing circles through the intro
"uctloh OF a bill in the New York lesjs-
azure calling for the appointment of a
commission to regulate the sport A num-
Ger VI promoters who now conduct weekly
'outs see in the measure an attempt to
put them out OF business. or at least to
throw them upon the tender mercies Of
certain politicians, in whose interests it
IS claimed the bill has been framed State
! senator Frawley has drafted the bill
/ "hlch. to all intents and purposes, is 70
! regulate and protect boxing by
iegalzing puoc exhibitions before ath-
| ietic clubs. tnder us provisions the gov
, efnor Is to appoint commission OF three
men. TWO OF nom are to oe residents OF
! Greater New YORK wnicn is 10 ne gwen
sole direction of and jurisdiction over all
poAihE matches In lne state; also the
commission is TO determine wno are en-
titied TO licenses to conduct such boxing
exhibitions, and have tuii power to re-
woke licenses at Its pleasure. Further
more, all boxers must take out all
licenses before being permitted to partici-
pate IN contests, which are to be limited
70 n1teen rounds with eignt-ounce gloves.
Inc commissioners are to serve five
years, ana to be the judge, jury and final
court OF appeals in All matters pertaining
TO public boxing exhibitions. Right here
is the joker in the Whole affair, If any
Jobbing or grating Scneme is cOntem-
plated. TO place the sport i'll the hands
OF three men Tor period OF nve yeals
VINO have paramount control, and to
whose discretion the future of boxing as
a public institution and it's welfare are TO
be lett without appeal would be taking
long chances.
what opportunities for graft what
temptation to SHOW favors here and there
where personal friendship entered into
the matter or financial inducements would
be great enough to lure any but the most
honest and upright from that which is
fair and equitable. The commission is to
be given power, according to the bill, to
revoke licenses at pleasure and to appoint |
or remove at will those whose duties it |
will be to see that the law is carried out. |
but no provision is made for the removal |
of its own members, whose appointment |
for the term Of five years would be of the |
irOn-clad contract kind. In other words, |
right or wrong. the commissioners could !
do as they pleased and issue or refuse |
to issue licenses at their own sweet will. !
In short. they would be supreme and J
placed in Office on the theory that they |
could do no wrong.
The idea itself is a splendid one, and / |
believe eventually will be the life saver
Of the game. Yet conditions at present
are not such as to make the plan feasible.
To my way of thinking the first step
that should be taken in any plan that
is intended to better the sport would be
to remove the present legal ban which
compels evasions Of the law and forces
lovers and patrons of boxing to resort |
to subterfuge and Misrepresentation to
see their favorites in action. 1t would
be spendid plan to introduce a meas
ure legalZing the sport, limiting bouts
to a reasonable number Of rounds and
to leave the matter Of regulation for
the time being to the local authorities
under whose jurisdiction the contests are
held. The license fee should be placed at
a figure that would bar the irresponsibles
and ny-by nights with their catch-penny
lone night stand" affairs. and regularly
alone should be given the privilege Of
holding professional contests.
Waiting for Papke.
The middleweight championship muddle
is no nearer adjustment now than last
fall Immediately following the death Of
Stanley Ketchel. This unfortunate state
of affairs is owing to the fact that Billy
Papke, upon whom the majority of sports
look as the legitimate successor to the
title, has been sojourning in foreign
chimes since last September, and until his
return the fans will not look upon con-
tests as bearing on the possession of the
title.
They want to see how the Gardeners.
Houcks, kellys, Thompsons. I<lal ses and
will size up in actual conflict
with a man who, for a short period, was
the proud possessOr of the championship,
and who has in his record the credit Of a
win over the late champion via the X.
y. route.
When Papke comes home things ought
10 liven up some. they most likely
viii. Cyclone Thompson, who came back
from Australia with the credit Of VIC
tory on points over the Dutchman. may
be the first man to box the Thunder
holt provided. of course. he is success
full in the coming contest with Hugo |
Kelly Papke will no doubt be eager to be
given chance to wipe out the memory {
Of the defeat by Thompson, which he is i.
said to feel keenly, and to prove to his {
that the reports of his illness i
during the greater part Of the stay in the
antipodes were not exaggerated. 5
Billy's recent easy conquest of the Aus