The Daily Missoulian., 1914-07-17
CROWD JEERS, ALTHOUGH FOUL
BLOW WAS EVIDENTLY
NOT INTENTIONAL.
FRENCH HURL |NVECT|VES
Carpenter Gets the Bum Jolt in the
Neck While He Is on His Knees and
Gives a Fine Illustration of Faking
Pain.

tier. the young French champion, and
the only pusilist of premier rank
France has ever contributed to the
game, was awarded the decision to-
night over Gunboat Smith, the Amer
lean fighter on a foul in the sixth
round of the fastest heavyweight light
Londoners have seen in many years.
The match between the two heavy
weights was fought at Olympia ana
was scheduled to go 20 rounds. 10
Smith and his supporters the finish
was Il tragedy because the blow of
which the American was disqualified
was neither studied nor intentional. 1T
was launched in the heat of the Whirl-
wind fighting when the Frenchman
had slipped to his knees and the spec
tators saw the gannt sailor recoil and
attempt to draw back almost as his
arm flew out.
Nevertheless, the ending of tonight's
fight adds another to the unfortunate
chapters of international sport, be-
cause it has kinded bad feeling and
is likely to be followed by long drawn
out arguments.
There has been an undereurrent of
prejudice against American boxers
among English ring followers and
however unintentional Gunboat Smiths
breach of the rules was. it probably
will be cited in support of this preju-
dice. The popular judgment awarded
CARPENTER the better of the fight on
its merits.
Pitted against such a powerful an
tagonist as Smith, it was evident that
the Frenchman's marvellous quickness
had not been exaggerated. He showed
a left lead like flash of lightning
and q powerful and equally swift
right. His footWork was wonderful
and although Smith was remarkably
quick for a big man, he was notice.
ably slower than his younger OPP
ponent.
When the French contingent carried
Carpenter to his corner in the sixth
round the utmost confusion reigned.
The ring was crowded with excited
officials and seconds and thousands of
spectators were on their feet shouting
and groaning. In this round Carpen-
tier, after playing for an opening While
l<eenly watching the Americans right,
had feinted cleverly with his left and
then brought a powerful right across
Smiths jaw.
The punch did not land squarely,
but glanced off and carried by the
force of his blow, Carpenter swung
around and slipped to his knees
Quickly Smiths right shot forth.
He drew back and plainly would have
withheld the blow on second thought.
Then he stepped back and waited for
the Frenehman to rise.
just what happened to Gunboat's
right is likely to be an everlasting
cause of controversy. The men near
est to the ring disagree widely. Some
say that it iolted Carpenters spine
hard at the back of the neck. Some
say it erazed the neck and others say
ii missed entirely.
The Frenchmans manager, Des
Camps. climbed through the ropes
with seconds following and picked up
the fighter, who was holding his head
in dramatic manner with both
hands, Des Camps carried Carpenter
to his corner here he made a great
business of rubbing and restoring him
and then, turning to the American
fighter, poured forth a stream of eX-
G1ttd TIelit1i lHN tClISeS
French and American camp follow
ers poured into the ring and sur
rounded the referee, Eugene Corri
Shouts of Foul, FOUL We're raised
Everybody talked to the referee al
once and the referee pointed to Car
pentier, indicating that the French
man was the winner.
Few were able to grasp his decision
until the master of ceremonies, by
believing and pointing to Carpenter
managed to make the result known
Gunboat Smith stood in his corner il
a green robe, reluctant to leave the
ring while hundreds hooted him
Finally, he climbed out
Carpenter was brought to the rope.
and thousands raised a great chee
for the F'renchman.
The enthusiasm of the house, from
the white-shirted aristocrats on tn
floor to the White Chapel costers il
the highest gallery was with tn
French champion from the moment h
stepped into the ring. His youth, hi
cheerful smile, his perfect body com
bined to make him the very picture Q
an athlete. Moreover. the Englis
crowd was not anxious to see the ma
who had knocked out the Englis
hope, Bombardier Wells, in 70 seconds
bested by an outsider.
Gunboat Smith, tall, awkward an
grim, lowered over the French yout
and appeared relatively bigger tha
he is because of Carpenters crouch
ing style of fighting.
In the first round 1t seemed as
the Americans superior strengt
would tell, but through the next thre
the Erenchman let himself out an
showed power behind his blows ap
parently equal to the Americans an
with greater speed. He landed mum
her of telling blows on the face an
body, with both hands, and sent Smit