Evening star., 1912-02-25

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to keep their affairs
in prosperous condition. New Workers
have been so surfeited with the good
things Of the game since the Frawley
law became operative that it now takes
an unusually promising proposition in
the way of match to attract them in
.g0Odly numbers.
Given card that appeals, the rooters
turn out en- masse. The stars of the
game play to packed houses whenever
they deign to appear. The McFarlands,
Hogans, Palzers. Gibbonses and Browns
draw the dollars by the thousands, but
the lesser lights must satisfy themselves
with the overflow.
What the fans banker for in the boxing
game in Manhattan at present is some
thing in the line of novelty. A series of
amateur tournaments would stimulate
interest very much. Too much profess
sionalism is the worst thing in the world
for any sport. Where would base ball
stand II il were not for the amateur
end. that Is the source of all interest and
love for the game. And this applies to
boxing and all other branches of sport
Every amateur tournament. properly con-
Quoted, means hundreds Of new follow
ers for professional boxing. A man with
losing venture in the way of well
hint. And this goes for other communi-
ties besides New York city.
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In voting to adopt the rule compelling
principals In main bouts to weigh in at
and public announcement OF
weights, no matter what private arrange
ments have been agreed upon, the New
York boxing commission has earned the
thanks of the fight following public, and,
incidentally. the cordial dislike of a num-.
Der of boxers who have long paraded
under false colors, SO to speak.
Among IRhfWQ1RhfS
new ruling Is decidedly and emphatically
unpopular. There are few OF the more
prominent boxers claiming eligibility In
chat division who can make the one-hun-
dred-and- thirty -three-pound mark and toe
the scratch fitted for a hard battle. Par
ticularly Is this true Of the top-notch
members OF the brigade In Gotham and
vicinity. And yet these are the gentle
getting the worst OF the weights every
time Packey Mcfarland makes overtures
fer match. Packey demonstrated in His
latest New York bout that he can come
- close to the one-hundred-and-thir
three-pound mark as most Of the lads who
claim to be lghtweights.
y X
do not know how much power IL vest
ed in the commission, but 1t seems to me
the members might go a step further and
take up the matter Of weight revision in
the different classes. That the scale in
mits of no argument, yet the movement
TO remedy the defects apparently never
gets beyond the suggestion stage. IL the
Initiative is taken by this legally appoint
ed body It will find the reforms speedily
adopted by promoters and matchmakers
in all parts Of the country.
Johnny Coulon received the verdict at
the conclusion of the twenty-round bout
with frankie Burns for the bantam
championship at New Orleans last Sun
day. and all accounts agree that it was
one Of the most stubbornly contested bat
ties ever held between little fellows. De-
spite the fact that Coulon was favorite
in the betting the decision was greeted
with howls Of protest. There must be
something wrong with the game In the
Crescent city as at present conducted; /;
this is not the first time Referee StOuts
Interpretation of the rules has been Ques-
toned. A few months ago Grover Hayes
and much dissatisfaction was expressed
at the verdict favoring Mandot.
The referee who calls upon his occult
powers to aid in rendering decisions
Is the scream with most followers of
the sport. To illustrate: Two boys
meet in a ten-round match for points.
For seven or eight rounds one lad piles
up the points to his credit. Then the
other fellow comes strong with a spec
tacular finish, and has a shade the last
two rounds.
should any question arise as to the
one rightly entitled to the decision in
such a case? Decidedly not. But how
often is credit for a victory given to
the boxer who pulls the sensational
work of his opponent throughout the
greater part of the battle entirely for
gotten?
This is a failing Of many referees;
the incompetent ones. / mean. and there
are plenty scattered about the country.
sometimes when pressed for an expIana-
ton, the referee will advance the argu-
nient that the man he favored was
stronger at the finish. and would have
won In iea ~.ore rounds" That's
where he brings his second sight facul-
ties into play.
If "a sprinter competed with a long
distance runner in dash Of 100 yards
and was first to break the tape at the
nnish, would you say the distance man
should have been given credit for a
victory because he would win at a
half mile?
Try to get away with anything like
that and you would be regarded as a
mt subject for the foolish factory. And
met up with ought to have been con-
signed long ago. or l am no judge
Frank Moran, the Pittsburgh heavy.
weight. fresh from a victorious campaisn
IN England and France. yearns for battle
with Al Palzer or Carl Morris. or both.
Mr.. Moran is not over-particular which
one he grabs first. When 1t is recalled
that Moran won seven glorious struggles
for supremacy in the old country, and
that among his most noted victims was
ene ''marvelously clever South African
heavyweight. Fred Storbeck. 1t is ex-
Vemely doubtful If Morris and Palzer
five him a tumble at all. Seriously,
though, they say Moran did everything
Ne WAS asked in workmanlike manner
while abroad, and that Bombariier Wells
lan out on an agreement to box him for
the championship of England. Let us hops
Frank Is not false alarm.
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The ''movies" are to prove a consid-
dFablo factor In the proposed Johnson
Flynn battle. Motion pictures Of de-
thils connected with the posting Of for
&eits, etc. were taken when the inter-
ested parties got together In Chicago
list week. Jack Curiey is one grand
Hustler, and 1t Ia q pity his efforts are
rot to be devoted to the promotion oi
aDmething more attractive in the way oil
: heavyweighe contest