The Washington herald., 1913-03-30
SMITHS VICTORY
SETTLES DOUBT
Gunboat Confines the Heavy.
N~weight Title to America by
Defeating Wells.
ENGLAND IS ELIMINATED
Uncle Sans White Hopes Have the
Best Claim on Championship
Controversy.

San Francisco. March 29.-There was
more 10 Gunboat Smiths victory over
Bombardier Wells than appeared at
first glance.
1t settled the pretentions of the one
foreigner who was supposed to have
a voice in the settlement of the worlds
championship controversy. The issue
is confined to Americans entirely now.
1t is easy enough to make this argu-
ment stick. Take the case of the Bonn
bardier to begin with. On his own
size of the pond he was acknowledged
10 be far and away the best of the
heavies. His defeat by Palzer was
excused on the plea that he suffered
from heat or had not divested himself
of his sea legs. and he was accorded
another lease of life. He came back
TO this country tabled as the repre-
sentative British heavy weight" and
he was panied because Luther Nc
Carly did not consent to a shrinkage
of the championship distance to ten
rounds and give him battle in New
York. He threatened to follow Luther
around the theatrical belt and de-
nounce him nightly.
To divert his mind from his troubles
he accepted a date with Gunboat
Smith, and now he has gone back
home"
England.
France had her George Carpenter.
Not so many months ago he was
touted as a fit opponent for Jack John
son. Since then he has been trimmed
by a pair of American middle-weights
Billy Papke and Frank Klaus.
France Out of Ii.
This means that France has hauled
down her flag.
Out in Australia they are not claim
ing anything much in the line of
heavy weight supremacy. They know
they haven't leg to stand on What
is interesting the Australian critics
just now is the question, who is Aus
tralia's heavyweight champion?
They know. of course. that their best
man. Billy Lang. was defeated by Amer
lean Jack Lester and that Lester was
served up roasted, boiled, and tricasseed
by two coIored chefs, Sam Langford and
Sam McVea.
But the Australian sporting writers
have hit upon the ingenious argument
that an American scrapper cannot be
regarded as an Australian champion, be-
cause he is a bird of passage"
Therefore. the question really becomes
Who is the resident champion of Aus
tralia and if voting contest were in
augurated, the chances are that poor old
Now. sir. nary a whimper of protest
is likely TO be forthcoming from Austria
liza, no matter what disposition is made
of the worlds championship, and for
that reason and other reasons mention
ed il becomes an American institution.
should Settle Dispute.
The question now is-When will the
American survivors of the white hope
nf tn
decide who is entitled to mount the ped
estal?
One of the strange traits of human ma
ture, as seen in fighters, is that directly
ring man achieves prominence he
remembers some old grudge that he
feels duty bound to satisfy.
Before the bars went up against him
Jack Johnson refused to box for Tom
O'Rourke in New York, because
O'Rourke, in the years gone by, refused
him an employees ticket sto a boxing
contest, or had him thrown out after
he had crept in under the canvas.
Billy McCarney, manager of the white
champion. Luther Mccarthy. is said to
be bitter against Jim Buckley, who di-
rects the fistic fortunes of Gunboat
Smith, and all because Buckley once
played some slight on Mccartney when
Billy was doing the best he could in
big Gotham.
As a consequence, it is said that no
man handled by Buckley is likely to re-
Ceive recognition from Champion Luther.
Gunboat Smith claims that Jess Willard
once ran out after promising to box him
IN New York. Now, Jess can 60 and
whistle for a match.
1t muddles the prospect, but there is
a grain of comfort in the reflection that
money has a modifying effect. 1t goes
without saving that a McCartySmith.
Smith-Wilard, or a McCarty-W
match would pull big gate. and as this
is as evident to the warning pugilistic
factions as to any one else, the chances
are that hard feelings will not prevail
very long.
America Has a Cincb.
At present, Smith, McCarty, and VIII
lard are the main factors in the cham
pionship dispute but AL Palzer will sure
~ be heard from before the thing is
finally settled. 1t would improve AIS
chances of being allowed to cut in If he
won a couple Of fights before McCarty. |
Smith, and willard get very far along |
with their three-cornered tourney. But |
no matter how the thing works out |
America has a cinch on the heavyweight |
of the world
Jim Jeffries, by the way, keeps repeat |
ing that he is seriously contemplating |
q return to the ring. He says further |
that it is a conviction that he can !
smother all the present hopes that has |
put the thought in his head.
II can scarcely be said. however, that |
Jeffries' utterances are causing anything |
like a ripple Of interest. If some clipping |
agency were to send Jim a collection of |
the remarks and opinions that his an
had provoked. he would |
probably emulate the parrot that chided
itself for talking too much.