The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-01-25


weight Champion of the Worldly
(Wrftten For The FHarmer.)
A bill has been introduced In the
Massachusetts, legislature to legal1ze
boxing exhibitions and to provide for
the appointment of a State Commits
MON to supervise the sport. At pres
ant boxing is tolerated In the Bay
State although under existing laws the
holding of such an exhibition consti-
tutes q crime
To overcome the objections of those
rnisguided individuals who oppose
referees decisions on the ground that
they encourage gambling and are
therefore a menace to boxing, a clause
in the bill specifies that decisions are
not to be made at the ringside. The
plan calls for the appointment of in
spectors'' who shall attend all contests
and make notes OF the points scored
by the contestants, ETC., and who
must file these notes with the Com
mission within twenty-four hours af-
ter each bout. the commissioners to
later make public the official And
ing
have been given credit in the
press for assisting in the framing of
the Massachusetts, bill Whatever
credit due is coming to Eddie Kee-
vim, the Boston sporting writer, who
has engineered the bill from the be-
ginning of the agitation to place box
ing under state control. The only as
sistance rendered Mr.. Keevin was to
suggest that some plan be incorporat-
ed in the bill that would provide for
<ecisions informed him that the
s-no-decision'' contest was unsatisfac-
tory to boxers and patrons alike as a
thorough test OF it in New York State
has demonstrated. The plan to ap-
point the inspectors Is Mr.. Keevin's
and In view of the fact that 1t was
pointed out that the bill would likely
led rim Ne
decisions. approved the scheme when
my opinion was asked IN the matter.
Ny stand on the decision is too well
known to call for further comment
here L have commended right along
that the New York Commissioners
made a mistake In ruling that decis-
Ions should not be given and believe
that the members of the board will
come to the same co=ssiusion before.
very long However. should the bill
now pending in the Massach usetts
Legislature become a law it will be in
viii work out.
Although Johnny KiIbane, the
feather-Height champion. easily out
pointed and decidedly outclassed both
Johnny Dundee and Eddie O'Keefe IN
the good opinion of local critics. Those
young men were practically unani-
NOUS in denounctng him as inita-
zfon of what a title holder should be-.
Apparently taking their cue from the
experts" Gotham prom oters have
sfde-stepped KiIbane ever since
Il the truth were known, however,
It would be found that the real rea-
SON of his long absence from New
York is not due to a lack Of apprecia-
ton OF Johnny's fighting skill, but to
a reluctance Of the promoters to
--come through" with the amount of
money the champion demands and
considers in keeping with his dignity
as and the drawing powers Of, a
feather-weight title holder.
Local fight handlers complain of
poor patronage, but fail to realize
that the falling off in attendance is
due to their own failure to provide at
fractfve matches. All Winter long
there has been a dearth of good
bouts Many OF the cards offered
for the entertainment Of New York
fans would shame a tank town pro-
moter-
But to get back to KiIbane. AL
though the Gotham clubs can't see
him as an attractive card, the promo
ters across the bridge think different
~ When the fact became known
that Johnny would consider 8. propo-
sition to box in New York the Irving
Athletic Club of Brooklyn, jumped at
the chance to sign him. Evidently
the Irving people have faith in his
drawing powers az they have offered
= substantial guarantee, which the
champion has accepted by the way to
box Young Driscon, a promising local
feather-weight, next Tuesday night
With all due respect for the opinion
Of the wise" Manhattan promoters I
would like to go on record right here
that Kilbane breaks the Irving clubs
records for receipts.
Leach Cross made a number of
friends by the game battle he put up
against Joe Rivers. There have been
times when Leachie was suspected of
n desire to ">dog" it. but if such a
thought entered his mind during the
Rivers mill he managed to keep 1t I'M
der control. But for that matter
Leach had little choice in the style
Of lighting that prevailed during the
bout Rivers carried the battle to
his man all the way and Cross had to
light to protect himself or deliberate
fy quit. AS a lighting "hot tonale''
The Mexican more than made good.
In discussing the bout before leav-
ing for Los Angeles, Rivers said that
It was the first short contest he had
laken part in for a long time. He is
accustomed to the longer distances,
and for that reason did not get going
At top speed until the latter rounds.
Joe also claimed that better under
standing of the rules governing bouts
IN this vicinity will enable him to do
better the next time he starts
Compared with the manner in
which Packey Mcfarland and Jack
Britton. have handled Cross in the
past Rivers work could hardly be
called impressive, but it is not as an
exponent of boxing that this youngs-
ter shines. He is more on the VOL
cast type ana depends. on strength,
hitting power, aggressiveness and
stamina to carry him to victory. If
he can maintain his speed and
strength throughout a twenty-round