New Britain herald., 1915-08-17
.KED SELF OUT or DECISION.
Z Old Tim Boxer Who in Explaining
How He Licked Opponent-Loses De

How He Licked Opponent-Loses De
Al man can talk himself out of m ost
anything, but did you ever hear Of
I fighter who talked himself out OF
decision
Z Well, here's case. 1t actually hap
,oened, and I'll give you the facts
I'D figures Away back in the good
old days" about the fall of 1892
Sioux City, Iowa, was a good sport
ing town and they had boxing and
other interesting sports going in full
swing. Billy Murphy, former feather
weight champion of the world. was
living there at the time and was Il
great personal as Well as an athletic
favorite of the sportively inclined
townspeople. Thus it came abouS
that a match was arranged between
him and Sig Hart, of Chicago, the
men to go fifteen rounds ana tho
gloves to be none too big.
Tommy White, another OF the
grand cid tiers of the ring ana one
of the real brainy boys among the
early crop, was in Denver at Ihe
time, and they wired for him to come
on and act as referee, figuring MIN
quite an extra attraction. He accept
ed.
The bout was decided in the "opry
house" and drew tremendous
throng. Among those present were
the mayor, a Mr.. Short and Dig
party of other city officials.
Murphy started off in his usual
hurricane style. He was one OF the
most vigorous battlers ever saw ana
as he was getting a bit to the ola
side and trif1e passe he must nave
figured that he had to win QUICKLY
If he were to win at all. That's no"
he came to pile up tremendous
lead in the first half dozen rounos'
Hart backing away most of the tl1Il9
and waiting.
In a furious mix-up Bill swung
his famous MARY Ann" his pet
name for his famous old right-hand
punch, and the forearm landed on
Harris head, causing severe concus-
sion. The bout was stopped i'm
meditely, and the eager Murphy, VINO
never missed a chance walked to the
footights to explain to the crowd
Just what had happened.
The round ended right there, and
Referee White told Hart to go to his
corner and sit down, as he hadn't or
dered the bout stopped. Amid gen.
eral bunch of excitement, the time
keeper rang the bell for the seventh
round, and Hart advanced to the
center.
Murphy was still addressing the
house and White started to count him
out. When he got to ten and OUT
riot broke out. Everybody in the
house, including the mayor, seemed
to want to take punch at White.
1t looked to be a serious situation
for the game and dauntless White,
who stood smiling back at the angry
mob. He finally got the house quiet
enough to be heard, and for the first
time in his career Tommy made
speech. The exact wording of that
speech never will be known, but in
substance this is what Tommy told
them:
Explanation of Decision.
~ can best explain my decision in
favor of Hart in this way: Surprising
in horse race the favorite is lengths
in front all around the track and
then, just before the wire is reached.
he stumbles and falls The second
horse comes on and goes under the
wire-I leave it to you, isn't he the
winner" NJ. .- 49,.
The explanation was so unique and
fit the case so aptly that the crowd
switched like a flash, laughed heart
lily, and then applauded White. 1t
made Tommy quite a favorite in
Sioux city and he got a match there
very soon afterward.
Here's another little story about
Sioux City that Tommy White tells
and it carries with it one of the most
unique reasons L ever heard of for
stopping boxing in town.
White was matched to meet Dick
Green in a fifteen-round battle-DiclS
being our same old friend who used
to be around Chicago a good deal.
Dick went to Europe with Dick Kle-
gen years ago and helped esta blisl
boxing in many different European
cities. He is a Sioux City boy, how.
ever.
The town had police force of
eight husky coppers, and every one
of them was at the White Green bat
tie that night, the most interested of
any Of the spectators. The only DO
hceman in town who wasn't there
in fact, was a desk sergeant, and he
couldn't possibly get away.
1T so happened that one of the
prominent citizens of the town anc
hrutally murdered and robbed a.
about the time the glove contest wa.
in progress, and the coroners in
quest brought out the fact that tn
entire police force was at the mil
that evening, instead Of doing polio,
duty.
And there was no more fighting IL
Sious City after that .-~~~ ~..-.
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