The Washington herald., 1915-10-03
BANTAM CHAMP !
QUESTION
Evidence Is Given Showing
Ertle Was Not Fouled by
Kid Williams.
DOES NOT LOSE THE TITLE
By RINGSIDE,

New York. Oct. kid Williams
is still bantam-weight champion of the
world. Johnny "Kewpie" Ertle. his
manager and adherents notwithstand-
ing. 1t will be recalled that Williams
was disqualified in the fifth round of
his recent bout with Ertle for landing
a doubtful foul blow. Immediately
Ertle and his cohorts claimed the
bantamweight championship; and there
their contention.
We herewith offer a few reasons
why Williams was not dislodged as
bantam champion that evening. First
of all, the game-cocks weighed in at
lis pounds ringside, which is not the
recognized bantam-weight standard.
The legitimate weight is 116 pounds.
True. Ertle scaled ia pounds; but
Williams swayed the beam at lis, and
therefore his title was not at stake.
Then again, his title was not in
the balance as the bout was contest
ed in a State which does not permit
of referees decisions. AS neither could
be declared the winner. ii follows that
neither could be adjudged the loser.
Under ring ethics, knockout means
an undisputed victory, and if a cham
pion be laid low by such a blow he
would be deprived of his title. A foul
AUTOMATICALLY makes tHe OHeNuer tHc
loser But 1t must be a palpabl foul
foul was not committed by Williams
against Ertle.
In the first place, ii is still moot
ed question whether Williams did land
an unfair blow. 1t had to be pointed
out to Ertle by his manager that he
had been fouled. for "Kewpie" made
no claim until his manager and sec
onds had made concerted cry that
he had been fouled after Williams had
landed a seemingly low blow. Ertle,
after the cry by his manager and
handlers. sank to the canvas and ap-
pealed to Referee Barton to declare
him the winner Of foul.
According to this arbiter. Williams.
to his mind, had landed a blow to the
groin. and he promptly disqualified
him. But he as promptly disclaimed
making any decisions, knowing that
he was not permitted to do SO under
the boxing laws Of Minnesota.
According to Manager Harris. who
piloted Williams to the championship.
Ertle was dropped once in the third
round, and three times in the fourth.
Before dropping to the canvas. Ertle
according to Harris) cried out: MY
manager says I'm fouled, and I won't
fight any more"
Several seconds after the question
able blow was struck. Ertle conde-
scended to have a doctor examine
him, and after a superficial glance the
medico announced that Ertle had
really been fouled. Later. it was
learned that the doctor was an in
innate friend of Ertle's manager. a
Mr.. McNulty.
Another bit of evidence that Ertle
could not have been badly fouled, if
he were fouled at ali, was produced
by Ertle himself a few moments after
the physician announced the foul
Ertle jumped out of his chair and did
high glee that he was the worlds
champion. Surely a
fighter-and one weighing only ia
pounds-could not have done this lit
tie stunt had he been struck any kind
Of a blow in the groin.
Carefully weighing all the evidence
at hand, II seems that a plot had been
concocted to trick Williams out of his
worlds championship. The concerted
cry of, first Ertle's manager. his sec
onds and then himself almost bears
this out.
The foregoing is not offered as an
alibi for Kid Williams. or for his
manager, Sammy Harris. 1t is written
with a view of showing that schem-,
ing and trickery are still known to
fight managers. and that the native
son" stuff still is running strong. and
still in vogue in some cities.
There is but one way to reach an
amicable settlement of the contro-
yersy. and that is to have Williams
and Ertle fight it out over the twen-
ty-round rail. with a referees deci-
sion attached and let the winner be
recognized as the undisputed bantam
weight champion of the world.