New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-25
Hiss Ring Tactics That
Are Recognized as
Quite Legitimate.
PUNCH ON KIDNEYS
NOT ALWAYS FOUL
On Other Hand, Local Referees
Could Help Sport by
Stricter Rulings.

lie energy wasted by the majority
o. spectators in the local clubs in ex-
pressing disapProral o. perfectly legi.-
ims-a tactics OF the ring is at times
amusing. Otherwise directed IL might
be used TO build another Panama Canal
or to construct a skyserspcr in record
time. For the most part, the noisy
protests are cad reflections on their
knowledge Of boxing rules. Neverthe-
less. they take the greatest pleasure in
hooting indghting, breaking out OF
clinches and lunging back with quick
leads, and a dozen and one other rec
ognized tactics Of the roped arena.
Perhaps the most abused fighter is
he who, either by accident or design.
lands blow on his opponents back.
The kidney punch" IS barred in this p
state, in Wisconsin and Australia.
But that decree was issued to pre-
vent an opponent going into clincf
and standing there, pounding his
rivals kidneys. Such tactics robbec
bout OF interest. The sef-appointed
referees have placed the ban on any
punch, whether IL lands on the kidneys.
the middle of the back. or on the
shoulder blades.
There is nothing in the rules which
prohibits landing any fair punch on
any part OF an opponents body. IL is
Just as legitimate for a man to land
= clean, free punch on the kidneys "a
it is to land a jab on the head.
q q fA-- 81 -
tors fail to distinguish the difference
between the man who fights himself
cut OF clinches. the man, who hits on
the break and the man vino hits i'm
mediately after he has been broken
from a clinch by the referee. Only
when a boxer hits on the break is he
guilty Of fouling.
Of course, there are cities where
the men protect themselves at all
times. As long as a boxer has his
hands Tree he is at liberty 10 hit. He
may hit when his opponent is holding
him, but may not hold and nit at tie
same time. To hold and hit is a
violation of the rules and is punishable
by disqualification.
A case in point may be taken fro,n
the bout between Jim Coffey and Terry
kellar, still fresh in the minds of those
who saw it. A dozen times Coffey was
clinched by his smaller opponent, but
shook himself clear and continued his
assault. He was we'll within his rights,
but the crowd, its sympathy aroused
by kellar's heroic resistance, booed.
Battling Levinsky, Dan Morgan's
promising light heavyweight boxer,
has the knack of hitting as soon as he
Is clear. The rules specify that the
men must break and step back without
hit, but they do not insist that
man walk around the ring and assume
new attitude Of attack before renew
ing the conflict. When Levinsky boxed
"Gunboat" Smith he was howled at for
landing as soon as the referee had
stepped clear after breaking the men.
He was absolutely within his rights.
Billy Madden, one of the best au-
thorities on boxing, has said: "A boxer
must not clinch, but once he works in
close he may fight as fast as he is able
and as long as he is clear. He may
fight himself clear when his opponent
is clinching, but may not hold and hi.
Any man who holds with one hand and
fights with his free hand should be
warned on his first offence and dis
qualified on a repetition"
In many instances the referees m
this city have been censured for stop
ping bouts In which a man was being
badly beaten. Il was argued in some
cases that the beaten man could have
stayed the limit" and been saved the
ignominy of a knockout. Managers Of
boxers often make this assertion.
Whether or not a man could have
stayed as they call il, any referee
is justified in calling a halt when the
bout loses semblance of contest. The
future of boxing depends upon such
timely actions.
Nor does the referee have any choice
in the matter Under the State Ath-
lotto Commissions rules a referee
must stop bout when one opponent
or the other shows marked superiority
or is outclassed. That a man might,
by reason of abnormal ability 20 as
simulate punishment, last through un-
Ill the termination of a contest has
no bearing on the matter.
II may be safely said that referees
in this city are not strict enough in
their rulings. There have been cases
almost without number where one man
OF another violates a rule and escapes
with warning. This practice has en-
couraged fighters TO a point where
they wink at rules.
ne OthLS HlnlellG commission CQuld
correct this evil by assigning referees
TO the various clubs. IL Is reasonable
to suppose that when the promoters
hire the referees the latter will not
jcopardize their positions by making
decisions which might "injure" the
club. Boxing is never weighed in the
balance.
One Of the most fragrant eases OF
where q referee failed to perform his
duties was in the Joe Jeanette Bat
Ting Jim Johnson match. In that
match Johnson landed a right-hand
smash on Jeannette's body and sent
him to the floor. Jeanette claimed
foul. In the opinion OF many at
the ringside Jeanette was knocked
out. In any event, when he went to
the floor Billy job, the referee, hao
one of two courses open. He should
either have counted Jeanette out or
declared him the victor on foul.
To the amazement OF all, he did
neither. He announced that Jeanette
would be allowed three minutes IN
which TO recover and continue the
match. This was done an order not
/ 10 disappoint the crowd" but one man
/ or the other was robbed of victory.
Jesnnette, however, gave the lie TO his
/ statements of having been fouled by
getting up and boxing ten slashing
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