The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-07
By James J. Corbett, Former Heavy
 weight Champion of the World.

By James J. Corbett, Former Heavy
 weight Champion of the World.
 Especial to the Farmer.)
 New York. Dec 7.-At Madison Square Garden Wednesday night Ed die McCoorty and Mike Gibbons box. ed ten rounds to draw. That would be the only fair decision when every angle of the contest is carefully con- sidered. The plain fact is that neither man did himself proud and while at times the bout developed in to good boxing exhibition, it was only in spots that either showed the class that had made him one of the leading candidates for the middle weight title.
 furnished the real surprise of the ev- ening. McGoorty scaled at 155 and Gibbons 14S 3-4 pounds. And there in may lie the explanation of the me- diocre 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 both were very weary athletes.
 If one were to award victory to the man who landed the greater number of blows Gibbons might be called win ner, but even that count was very close Mike overlooked several splen- did opportunities to land effective ness at such times was evidence of the respect he entertained for Mo- Goorty's well known wallop. Mac on the other hand was willing to force matters throughout, but discov- cred early that he was no match for the St. Paul man in skill. He was wise enough to realize his only chance lay in rushing and playing for the body when he succeeded in cornering the agile Gibbons It was only upon such occasions that Mike appeared to call on his best efforts and his exhi- bition of blocking and footwork were the features of the evenings enter tafnment-
 The scrap disa appointed thousands of the faithful in that 1t left the mid dle-weight situation practically un- disturbed in so far as settling the matter of superiority of either. Tho fans had looked forward to clash that would determine which of the pair would qualify for the finals xn the race for the title. Instead the bout served to lower both men in the estimation of the public as champion ship cligfbiIities.
 Willie Ritchie enjoys the double
 1istinction of first Californian to an- nGX the ASAL-WG1SnL cnam plOnSn1D and first of that division to win the title on a foul. While the Colder. State has turned out many high-class Hght-weights in recent years Willie is the only Native Son. who ever. grabbed the honors. Dal Hawkins, Jimmy Britt, Eddie Hanlon and other CaIifornians made pugilistic history in their days but failed in their attempts to get to the top of the class.
 Although Wolgast lost the title through fouling his opponent it does not alter the fact that Ritchie 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 Ad was a beat en man at the time and resorted to unfair tactics through desire to es- cape the ignoniny of a knockout or was so dazed that he did not realize what he was doing
 Ritchie 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- snent that Wolgast was a dead one, or that the title is not a clean one. True, Ad is not the man he was be- fore sickness made inroads upon his vitality, but the sixteen round strug- gle did not suggest that he is all in EL known over supply of confidence kept him from properly conditioning him. self, but that is his own affair and should not be offered as an excuse by even his most ardent admirers. Ev- cry champion has his day and Ad had his Nevertheless the splendid bat fIe and the fact that he was not knocked out entitle Wolgast to a re- turn match whenever the new cham ujon is ready to resume his career in the ring. For the present Willie Will take to the footlights as 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 Ritchie raise the limit for lightweight champion ship bouts from the 133 pound mark that Nelson and Wolgast insisted on. Willie is naturally heavier man than his immediate predecessors and 1s5 pounds is about his figure in the best of condition. If he decides to set the mark at that notch during his reign he will have precedent to back him. Lavigne, Erne and Cans won the title at that weight and it WAS not until Battling Nelson assum- ed control of the situation that the weight lines were so closely drawn
 Personally I would like to see the limit raised to 135 pounds at, say 3 o'clock on the afternoon of contest This would be in line with the Eng fish and Australian figures and would permit of international contests for -~@ szAxlA,s chamDionshfD. something