Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-11

SpOIS tUdI oltneT
showed the class that has made him one
of the leading candidates for the middle
weight title.
The announcement of the weights fur
nlshed the real surprise Of the evening
McGoorty scaled at 155 and Gibbons
14oA pounds. And therein may lie the
explanation Of the mediocre performance.
Both were too finely drawn, and it was
evident that much Of their speed and
stamina had been left in the gymnasium
or on the road. At the finish neither
showed many signs Of punishment, but
Doth were very weary athletes.
II one were to award victory to the
man who landed the greater number of
blows Gibbons might be called winner.
put even that count was very close.
Mike overlooked several splendid oppor-
tunltles to land effective punches. and
MS lack of aggressiveness at such times
was evidence of the respect he enter
famed for McGoorty's we'll known WALTON.
MAC, on the other hama. was willing to
loice matters throughout, but discovered
early that he was no match for tbe 81
raul man in skill. He was wise enough
10 realize his only chance lay in rushing
and playing for the body when he Sic
ceeoed In cornering the agile Gibbons. II
was ooiy upon such occasions that Mike
his exhibition of blocking and footwork
was the feature Of the evenings enter
talnment.
The scrap disappointed thousands Of
tne faithful, in that it left the middle
weight situation practically undisturhed
In SO far as settling the matter of SUI
periority of either. The fans had looked
forward to clash that would determine
whlch or the pair would qualify for
the finals in the race for the title. In
To
men in the estimation of the public
as champion eligibilities.
Willie Richie enjoys the double dis
tinction of first Californian to annex
the lightweight championship, and first
OF that division to win the title on a
Ioul While the Golden state has turned
out many high-class lightweights in
SON who ever grabbed the honors. Dial
Hawkins. Jimmy Britt, Eddie HanIon
and other Californians made pugilistic
history in their days. but failed in their
TO get to the top of the class
through fouling his opponent, it does
not alter the fact that Richie fought
a great battle, and it is entirely con-
ceivable that Willie would have won
decisively within the limit had the fouls
not occurred, as detailed reports of the
contest indicate AID was a beaten man
at the time, and resorted to unfair
tactics through desire to escape the
ignominy of a Knockout or was SO
dazed that he did not realize what he
was doing.
Richie certainly proved his class
Thanksgiving day, and it is doing him
an injustice to try to rob him Of hard
earned honors by advancing the. argu-
ment that Wolgast was a dead one or
that the title is not clean one True.
AID is not the man he was before sick
ness made inroads upon his vitality,
but the sixteen-round struggle did not
suggest that he is all in as a fighter.
1t may be that his we'll known over
supply Of confidence kept him from
properly conditioning himself, but that
is his own affair, and should not be
offered as an excuse by even his most
ardent admirers. Every champion has
his day, and AID had his. Nevertheless.
the splendid battle and the fact that
he was not knocked out, entitle Wolgast
to a return match whenever the new
champion is ready to resume his career
in the ring. For the present Willie will
take to the footlights, as the other
champions before him have done, and
reap the financial reward the new job
assures him.
The important question before the house
just now is will Richie raise the limit for
lightweight championship bouts from the