The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-09-27
JIM CORBETT'S REVIEW OF
 BOXING EVENTS THIS WEEK


 CBy James J. Corbett, Former Heavy
 weight Champion of the World0
 The Attorney Generals decision that the Boxing Commission had no legal right to enforce it's ruling prohibiting bouts between white men and negroes was a sharp rebuke to those members of said commission who had only a few days previous voted. to let the rule stand in spite of the fact that popular sentiment as expressed in local news papers was in favor of it's rescission. And 1t was likewise the most welcome bit of news handed to fight fans of the state since the bill legalizing the two years ago. In the first place such a ruling should never have been made. It was all against the spirit of fair play. It was framed originally to prevent Jack Johnson from coming here to box white heavyweights and simply be- cause the champions moral status was not what it should be. Which was all well and good in that particular instance, but why experts like Joe Jeanette, Sam Langford and other solored boxers should be forced to suffer because of the sins of the champion is difficult of explanation and had the representatives of the negro boxers taken the matter to court it is a cinch the unpopular ruling would have been revoked in short order.
 The Fraw1ey bill legalizing boxing says nothing about race discrimina- ton and in prohibiting all mixed" bouts the Commissioners considerably loverstepped their authority. It might not be amiss to suggest to the mem bers that it would be a good idea to consult the Attorney General when anything of importance comes be- fore them for decision in the future. In that way they can save themselves a great deal of unnecessary trouble and criticism.
 New Workers are to be treated to a lightweight hstic festival at the Gar den. Matchmaker Billy Gibson has already signed Packey Mcfarland to box Tommy Murphy and Willie Rgtchie has agreed to take on Leach Cross, New Tork's foremost candt- date for the title, for ten rounds the latter part of next month. The Me Fariand-Murphy mill will be decided on October IT, while Ritchie and Cross are to come together two weeks later.
 In addition to those mentioned Gib- son is also dickering for matches i'll which Freddy Welsh, Young Shu- grue, Jack Britton, Joe Rivers and other stars of the 133 pound division season promises to be one of the live Hest New Workers have experienced since the days of the Horton law when the stars of every division of headquarters.
 Leach Cross may be considered a lucky youth-or maybe unlucky, de- pending on which view one takes of ft-in that he is to be given the first bout with Ritchie in this city. Time was not very long ago that Cross refused to grant Ritchie match, giv- ing as the excuse that Willie would not be a drawing card Those who know Leach intimately say that was not the real reason for his disinclina- ton to box the Californian.
 Ritchie had already figured in two bouts of importanee-both by the way with champions A four round go with Wolgast, champion of Amer ica. and twenty round affair with Fred Welsh, the English title hold CT In fact, it might be said he was enjoying considerable prestige at the time and Cross excuse that he would prove poor drawing card after his great battles with Wolgast and Welsh was rather a lame one. Rftchie had come to Gotham in search of bouts, found no one willing to give him a trial When 1t was proposed to match him with Cross, then as now one of the leading light-weights in this vicinity, he jumped at the chance. But Cross couldn't see it at all and turned Willie down cold.
 RftcKie could do the same thing with Cross now if he wished to do so and not be subjected to criticism But from all I hear of the champion he is not that sort of gazabo. Re gently he announced that he would take on all corners and leave the se- lection of his opponents to the match makers. And in signing for Cross it looks as if he meant what he said for Leach is recognized the country over
 
 the lightweight division to-day.
 But to get back to Cross and his luck It is a well known fact that Leach is @pEsn4sA drawing card in this city, and as money is what the promoters are after the preference was given him by Matchmaker Gfb- son when Ritchie's consent to box at the Garden had been secured. Leach to Gibsons surprise demanded a raise on the bid offered and for a time it looked as if some other opponent would be chosen for the chanapion But when Leach learned that other candidates were being considered he quickly changed his mind and reop- eneo negotlat1ons- Result, he got the match and will draw down 20 1 per cent of the gross receipts Ae- cordfng to expert calculation this should be worth somewhere in the 1 neighborhood of ss,0OO, the promo l ters figuring on S40,000 house And 1 by the way, if his share aggregates anything near that figure 1t will be | Ahe most money by several thousands that Cross has ever received for any contest in which he has figured
 Pretty good money, eh? Many 9 man would take a worse beating for less currency.
 The amount to be paid Rftchie has not been made public by the promo ters. but taking a line from his meth ods of doing business out West it can be said without fear of contradiction that Wilie's "bit'' will be a big one
 Packey Mcfarland has exercised