The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-01-04
By James J. COrbett, Former Heavy
weight Champion of the World
Especial to the F'armer.)

weight Champion of the World.
Especial to the F'armer.)
In the set of new rules promul-
gated by the New York State Athlet-
fc Commission recently a few compar-
atively unin1portant features are in
troduced, while certain crying needs
of the sport are entirely overlooked
The new deal is about what would
be expected from a collaboration by
two men directly opposite in their
views of how boxing should be con-
Quoted, and outside of a minor detail
here and there the latest pattern in
ring regulations oan hardly be term
ed an Improvement on the old.
Commissioner O'Nei, to give that
gentleman credit due, realizes that
professional boxing is not a parlor
game and wants to govern the sport
accordingly, Major Dixon, his asso-
ciate, is apparently Influenced very
much by his experience in amateur
sport with which he has long been
identified.
There are several paragraphs OUT
lining the duties Of the referee but
after reading them through carefully
one wonders why referee at all. The
job calls for nothing in the way of
knowledge of boxing or experience in
any capacity with the sport. A clerk
from the ribbon counter who haG
never witnessed a bout could per-
form the duties assigned to the third
man in the ring.
The rules tie a. referees hands so
effectuaIIy that he scarcely has more
authority than. the average spectator.
In fact, as understand the new code,
his discretionary powers and ring au-
thority are confined to- the privilege
of stopping a bout should it become
so one-sided that it is obvious to ev-
erybody present. He is not even al
lowed to disquaIify a foul fighter.
There is not line to govern his ac-
tons in such a contingency And
as for giving decisions, perish the
thought That would be playing
right into the hands of the horrid
gamblers and too terrible to contem-
plate.
I would like to see three red blood |
ed men on the Atlantic Commission. |
A new Governor is now on the job. [ |
hope he feels the same way about it, |
too. and I have reason to believe he |
does
The Commission has also underta-
ken the regulation OF weights in the |
different classes and to help out mat |
tiers has created two new divisions or
classes paper-weights and commits |
sion-weigtts, the former to be limit
ed to los pounds and the latter Ca
new name for the Hght-heavies) set
at IT'S pounds
This is in accordance with a re-
quest made, it is said, by the ring au-
thoritieS of England and France to
assist in compiling an International
scale to govern the various divisions.
1t is a step in the right direction
and any movement that has as it's
object the establishment of world /
vide standard should be supported
Still New York state is not the entire
u. s. A., and it strikes me that those
interested in the sport in other box
ing centers of the country should
have been consulted upon such an
important matter as revision of
weights, before the Commission sub
nitted the new scale to the ring au-
thorfties of foreign countries for ap-
prevail
The most radical changes in
weights in the New York scale are
made in the smaller divisions. It is
a more difficult task for the average
bantam weight to concede one pound
TO an opponent than for G. heavy
weight to give away ten times as
much Yet the local body had widen
ed the breach between two of the
smallest classes by increasing the linn
it in the feather-weight class to 1875 |
and reducing the bantam limit to lis.
From this it is evident that the Com
lnissioners have great deal to learn
about classifying boxers according to
weight.
Sam Langford will have to come
back home now-and to Joe jean
nette- There is no chance for Sam
bo to dodge the Hoboken coon any
longer He played the string out in
Australia by putting Sam McVey
away in thirteen rounds and now it's
a case of home for the ''tar baby"
McVey was good meal ticket while
he lasted and Langford fattened finan-
ciaIly on the proceeds of no less than
FIVE battles before he put the X o.
across and killed his mans drawing
powers
Just year ago the two Sans met
for the first time in Sidney and Nc
Vey was awarded the decision after
twenty hard rounds. The battle had
been billed for the championship
Of the world as it was thought at
the time that Jack Johnson had quit |
the game for good and when the Cal
arnia negro was given the verdict
me Australians proclaimed him
Champ
AS an illustration of the value
clever manager is to a fighter Nc
views case is cited. Langford left l.
this country rated second only to
Johnson and many were of the opin-
ion that Sam was the better man.
When McXey t'copped'' the decision
he had the chance of a lifetime TO
gather some big money and to gath
er it fast. A manager ION to his
job would have taken the coon to
America by first boat where they
could have booked at least q years
theatrical engagem ents on the
strength OF the victory over the SEN
Boston negro Furthermore
AIcVey would have been in position to :
challenge johnson and the papers
would have forced the big smoke to
make the match quit In any
event it would have meant codes of
advertising and coin for McVey and
his mana ger. AS it is Sam McVey
probably has little to show for his f