The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-06-21


 Written for the Evening Farmer
 After serving two years as 8 member
 of the commission in charge of boxing
 under the F,rawley law, Chairman
 Prank O,Neil has gone on record as
 in flavor of referees decisions for all
 matches to be decided in New York
 state hTr ONeil has realized for 8 long. time that the ''decisionless'' bout
 Is a. knock to the sport and hopes to revive interest in the grand old game
 by restoring to the arbdters the pr1v1- leze of naming the winners in future events He has learned by experi- erce that. the so-called popular yer dSctA is anything but what it's name inn plies with the people who foot the gbills--and in these days of commercial ism in sport that Is one big item the Commissioners can hardly afford to overlook
 r-be arguments of the knockers that decisions promote gambling, and sheuId be tabooed accordingly, would be given affair test under the propos-
 sdi syetem If 1t develops that the s-zn1b1ire element is any more active than under the rules in vogue at pres erf it will be time enough for those who have been active in their Opposi- ton to a return to regular Queens bury methods to open up with their verbal broadsides; 1t will be only fair, however. to await the popular recep- ton of the new deal
 For several months past the boxing came has suffered, from a. big falling oef in patronage Few, if any, pro 7ryoterkz have made money the past year. T4ns Is surprising in New York, especially during the cold months, and those interested in a financial way have been trying to trace the cause of the slump Evidently they have de- cided that popular interest can be re- vrived toy a return to methods which have in the past contributed a great deal toA the success of the game from a proz1Aoter'S viewpoint Which, l imagine, -has something to do with MT. O,ReIFs IropOsa1 to permit decisions if he can bring his two associates on the commission to his way of thinking
 There is no doubt that the decision 1ess-' bout has injured the sport to- esa1ly and that a rule giving referees authority to render verdicts will nelp l,orxfnr a great deal At the same time t1ose who are most anxious to stinnu- late public futerestAtf1e pFonoteFs-- need look for little increase in box off4ces receipts while they continue to deaTs out the same quality of bouts that tthey have programmed the past season The best way, and the quick est they will find to revive interest win be to furnish a. better class of enfertaznraent- By bringing the best 4nsteriaf to be obtained to New York and exercising judgment in the match making, they will discover that New Workers have not only not lost interest in boxing bat that they will pay lib eraTfzs for what appeals to. their 11k- ink In that line
 New York is the best boxing city in the world. bar none. but the fans vf1l not patronize inferior or unequal matches The sooner the Gibsons, Mo -Aahons and other leading promoters learn this lesson the better for all concerned-pubftc, boxers and promo ters-
 have long been & booster for a re turn to decisions in boxing matches ir .nSev York, as my readers we'll know, and for that matter have a-l- ways been at a loss to figure the ob- lection to them. A referees decision is nof more likely to encourage gambling than an u1npdres rulings at a nan came To the average fight enthusiast fhe question of winner and loser is quite as important as it Is to base baII fan The secret of the popular success of sports of any sort lies in the competition for superiority and in any game where that important detail is left to the imagination the interest Is naturally bound to slump
 Solar as betting is concerned 8 ma sorftv Of sport lovers believe money taIkss' whether 1t refers to question of superiority in boxing, baseball or any other game Men who like con | Eezts Of skill will wager when they l ree1 seo disposed. law or no law, and l 1paer the .spopularS' or newspaper 5ecisior1 plan there is always a chance Ior zsrzuraents and disputes over box ne matches which would be quite inn possible under the referee system
 It has taken a long time for those
 he conclusion that reforms are needed in he manner of conducting tfze sport in tf1is state A big mistake was made | In the first place by ex-Goyernor Dix In placing men of no experience in professional boxing on the com mission. The law has many prov1s- lsps which require the knowledge of men who have been allied with pro-I e@esiona1 sports to determine and en- .5rce- However, MT O'NeiPs tardy annomcement that reforms are necessary should cause us to rejoice n the knowledge that at least one zember of the commission has at last reeds of the sport A rule authoriz- ne decisions will help largely to re- new popular interest; it is up to the natcf-makers to do the rest
 Mike Gibbons can hit. Several To- al critics will insist that the St. Paul nan does not carry the wallop, but rom the manner in which he dispos- a of Young Ahearn last week at Mad son Square Garden there is no ques- ion about his punch. It all depends with the clever Gibbons whether the elloz7 he is opposed to can hit hard IT not. If he can, Mike don't take many chances and as a result doesn't ] ,7n~srr HEAR A T0ETTnu, uDncc then you can procure one that is com