New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-11
Proves Himself Every inch a
Champion in the Ten
SIaShing Rounds.
KNOCKS LEACH DOWN TWICE
Third Period the Turning Point
of Battle, Although the
Victor Fails to Come
Out Unscathed.

.i,v I'm ten ROUNDS OF pONlnS Al Madison
sonare Garden last night.
Tho bout was one of the greatest ever
,.sr in this city. and if defeated Cross
,r.s BIZ no means disgraced. In every
round. just as long as boxing Of the most
,.,,re description was a physical posi-
t,Ety he stood to his guns in most ap-
rrored style. and tried his best to turn
,bs tide with one deperate punch.
That deperate punch never landed. With
,bs eve Of an eagle and perfect co-ordi-
,otion between mird and muscle. Richie
,,ss always able TO remove himself from
tho danger zone. IT must not be thought
hist Ritchie escaped unscathed. Cross
,.rded often and with terrific force, and
pitchie LETT the ring bearing the marks
y, hattie. He bled from several cuts, but
was always strong. and might have boxed
an for an indefinite period.
Ritchie showed conclusively that he is
real champion in every respect. He
boxes ike another "Packey" Mcfarland.
cyard in front of him, head up and feet
well braced he was in position to coun-
ter every move made by his opponent and
execute any stratagem he planned.
He knocked Cross down with a short
right hand jolt on the jaw in the second
round. and although Leach regained his
feet before the fatal ten seconds had
been counted ne was in such a groggy
condition that he fell when Richie pushed
him away. seeking an opening through
which to shoot a telling punch. 1t was
not that the East Side boy purposely
avoided the issue, he was incapable Of
holding his feet The wonder was that
Richie did not stop him then and there.
This round really decided the contest.
It impressed upon Cross that Richie
could hit. and gave Willie the incentive
10 try for a quick finish. Furlously the
champion drove his punches. and hard
did he land. but he was never able 10
touch the vital spot, and, although badly
beaten and slowly worn down. Cross
lasted the limit.
Cross proved his gameness in no un-
certain manner. He fought every min
ute of the time. and had he followed
Harry Lees instructions TO keep his
Of the jabs that the champion shot at
him from any and all angles. For the
first two rounds Cross carried the battle
to the champion and had him on the run
for the time being.
The Garden. packed 10 the doors fairly
rocked as the crowd cheered him on. call
Ing on him TO win the championship for
New York. Pitchie. however. was not in
the ring to lose the title so recently won
from AID Wolgast, and protected himself
nicely. He stepped in TO meet Cross's
leads with straight. snappy left hand
leads that frequently shot inside and beat
the dentist 10 tho punch.
II was that left hand which brought
about the defeat Of the dentist. From
any and all angles it rammed through,
finding the body or head as directed as
the opening presented itself. Cross built
greater store in his hooks and swings
than in straight punching. and while he
landed hard and often he failed TO land
with sufficient frequency. There were
times when Richie rocked under the on
slaught, but the cool generalship of the
Champion came 10 the fore and saved
him
With the exception Of the seventh round,
Which was the slowest of the bout, the
contest was fought at speed which
dehed the laws of nature. From the mo-
ment that the gong rang and Cross
Dashed across the ring swinging his fists
al the champion and Richie shot the
mai left which brought the encounter to
close, the men stood in and boxed with
savage fury Why both were not bat
tered even more than they were VIII
never be explained for gloves flew thicker
nan hailstones In an April shower.
II was in these mix-ups that the supe-
nority Of Ritchie stood out, the experience
gained in hard fought battles on the
coast where straight rules govern, stood
nm in good stead. He knew every trick
VI The inhghting and the snappy upper
cuts kept Cross's head bobbing like a
cork on turbulent waters.
for all the fury of the contest it was
usan. In the second round Richie
cashed in and as Cross walked away
hltchie half fell over him. Cross. straight
emns up, threw the champion TO the floor,
uazlng him. The crowd booed little. but
was plainly an accident
IN the fifth round Cross drew the blood
IRON Ritchie's nose, and. apparently gain
avg fresh courage, dashed in with several
iights and lefts TO the body. Thrown
mo Confusion by the sudden onslaught.
Nilchie retreated. but soon recovered, and
"sio himself 20 the end of the round.
IN the sixth round Cross threw all his
merry ir-o 4 rally. and dashing in fought
nih terrific fury. Try as he would
N"ehie could not hold him off, and Cross
"'' slight shade the better Of the
round
was then that Cross's strength be-
s~n 70 ebb, and thereafter the tide OF
'"e howed toward the champion, u
urn no more
IN the seventh round Richie returned
MS straight left hand jabbing; and
'e the round appeared to be slow, as
.Ompared with the preceding chapters.
n0hie held the lead Feinting left TO
e mead, Richie suddenly shifted his
mn and rammed Cross at the break Of
~ IDS a telling solar plexus punch
"e East Side boy dropped back pace
- DIS his opponent came in leading
ior the head, blocked neatly.
was ktchie's turn 10 be driven back,
.u cross followed his advantage with
I'm nights and lefts to the head. HIS
hD0"efs went crazy again and called on
az a." ior knockout. but he was never
~ ~ 10 get over the telling punch Cross
~ ~ forth for poment in the eighth