The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-05-03
MANY WAYS TO
CHEAT SCALES
ABE ATTELL TELLS HOW SOME
FIGHTERS PRACTICE DECEP-
TON AND GET AWAY
WITH 1T.

|
AS long as there are weights agreed
upon for boxing contests" says little
Abe Attel Just so long there will be
ways and devices to fool the scales.
| don't know just when the first trick
was worked upon the weights, but I'll
just bet a little money it was within
a month after old-time boxers began
to make matches at any stated number
of pounds.
THE tricks and lodges by which
men try to fool their adversaries on
the weight question are almost innum-
cradle. and some of them are really
classy In their style and execution.
Oldest of all, and one that Is still tried
but seldom worked successfully, is the
trick of putting wad of gum on the
underside of the 100 pound weight.
That used to fool many greenhorns and
sleepers, but nowadays no boxer goes
TO the scale without first grabbing the
weight and inspecting the under side.
when this dodge began to fail. they
filled the holes i'm the bottom Of the
weight with shoemaker's black WAX.
trusting to the stuff to harden and look
enough like lead or iron to pass inspec-
ton. That went for a time, but now
boxer will dig into the holes with his
finger nails and there is a swell row
If he finds any wax therein.
"One manager knew long ago had
a special 1OO-pound weight made for
him. with every detail correct, but so
filed with lead that il was eight
pounds to the bad. If a man weighing
40 pounds was weighed with that dick
or iron his poundage registered 1872
See the idea? This manager had il
soft for a long time. He could always
slide into the places where the weigh
ing was to be, substitute his stuffed
disk, get away with the trick. and
then slip i'm again next day to replace
the genuine weight. He was an artist
too.
"One night at the old American club |
in Chicago he had Paddy Sheehan, |
tough welter, matched with Kid Rob |
erson, a dangerous negro. Weight |
about $50 and hadn't time to train |
down. Mr. Manager went To the club |
early in the day and, to his horror,
found that the weights were locked up
and under guard of a uniformed at
Lendant. Did it stop this boy? Not
weights and test the scales. 1t was
lone, and as they walked back from
he scale room Mr.. Manager remarked:
This floor would be great for quoits.
See?' And so speaking. he took the
weight from the attendant and
SKINNED it across the floor. OF course
ne ran after it, and when he brought
I back IL wasn't the same weight-not
~ jugful.
That night, after the men weighed
n, Robertson came into the ring with
lis black face ashy colored.
What's the natter queried man
II the front row.
Mattah. white MANI Robertson re-
lied. Why, Abs sick. Alive got
'alloping consumption. Dis mawnin I
Ah' weighed 1888 pounds. and right now
when All weighs i'm, An weighs only =
81.
"Out on the coast they have d olever
rick. If your man Is overweight leave !
he scale alone. Take gimt right UP
here. There will always be a jam |
round the scale, everybody looking at I
he weights and the beam To see you l.
ont monkey with them. Let your
nan hook finger into the coat pocket
+ friend standing by. II will throw I
n the weight upon the friend and the q
Gale will not bulge. In 80 cases out !
Z 100 nobody will get wise--every a
ne VIII be rubbering at the beam or :
Fights sra
kid Farmer, a good western fighter
'as overweighted one night. lie Q
lripped in the scale room and stood c
handsome cane by the chair 'coutaiu- q
lg his clothes. Then he ran over to d