The Washington herald., 1916-02-20
Claim Is Made that Richard,
McCracken Company Are
in Game for Big Money.
M ARSHALL LOST ROLL

Competition to legally incorporated
boxing clubs of New York which has
developed through the operation OF out
side interests has aroused the pro-
meters Of the metropolis 20 a state Of
revolt
In this instance the boxing commission
Of the Empire commonwealth is the
object OF the criticism directed and from
present indications q spirited protest will
be made to that honorable body, asking
it TO prohibit a continuance OF the
practice
The men who have invested their money
in boxing clubs, who have paid the State
tax regularly. have taken out yearly
licenses, and who have in other ways
labored 10 establish the ring game ON
a permanent basis hold to the view that
the practice OF allowing outsiders 10 step
in and handle the big boxing matches.
such as the WillardMorsn and the Nc
Fsrland-Gibbons affairs, is not dealing
fairly with those who have given time,
capital and effort to develop the sport
into a legitimate enterprise.
1t is pointed out that the New York
commissioners frequently have stated
that they intended to cooperate with and
help the clubs that are trying to build
up the game. yet when the really big
money matches are proposed they are
taken over by speculative interests whose
sole purpose is TO make money out Of the
enterprise, and in this the commission
has given its consent.
The activities of W. C Marshall and
Tex Richard and his partner, Sam Nc
Cracker, are cited as instances in point.
Marshall swung the Gibbons-McFarlsnd
battle He took the match away from
the incorporated promoters by Offering a
guarantee that the other clubs would not
risk While 1t is true that Marshall lost
considerable money in the venture, that
fact does not lessen the injustice OF the
thing from the legalized promoters angle
Of view II Marshall had not horned into
the proceed ngs one OF the big clubs OF
the metropolis undoubtedly would have
secured this match, on a straight per
centage basis and in that case g good
profit would have been returned to the
promoters.
similar condition now exists in the
prospective Willard Moran match. Two
men who, heretofore, have never been
identified with the ring game OF New
York in any way, have, by the power OF
their wealth, taken away this big match
from the incorporated clubs. II is q spec
ulstive proposition on the part Of Rick
ard and McCracken exclusively.
Action like this tends TO disrupt the
boxing game, not only in the metropolis,
but In other flstic centers OF the coun-
try, because the star boxers and their
shrewd managers continually dodge
matches with each other until angels
like Marshall and Richard and their kind
appear with fabulous guarantees.
Many notable ring matches are he
ing held up right now because of this
condition. notably Welsh-W White
bout, a battle between Gibbons and
Dillon and another match between
Mcfarland and Gibbons. These ring
celebrities realize that there is an
insistent demand for long distance
matches between them, but they are
showing no disposition to get down
to business and talk fight They are
simply waiting until a speculative
promoter appears who will pay them
the price they think they are worth.
In the meantime the legitimate pro-
moter must stand idly by and bemoan
the fact that the matches he seeks,
and which will make him some money.
cannot be secured, solely because of
the dilatory tactics of the fighters.
OF course, there are many who will
contend that the man who is willing
to take the gamblers chance on the
big enterprise is entitled to some con-
sideration. That is all very true, but
IL this speculative gent wants to take
a chance he ought TO confine his oper-
atlons to places where he will not
conflict with men who have had their
money invested for years and where
they operate under the protection of
a state charter. Ii is this latter class
that the various boxing commissions
can and should protect, but IL the
commissions decline to do so. as is the
case now in New York State, the one
who is hurt most seriously is usually
the legitimate promoter. The specu-
Iative. fellow is likely to get by with
cleanup. because he picks OF only
the cream OF the ring matches.
There is considerable justice in the
present stand OF the boxing promoters
II is a matter OF record that the ring
gabe has not been any too profitable
for the various clubs. yet the pro-
motors have stood the EsT uncomplsin-
ingly. they say. and have always lived
In the hope that luck would eventually
break in their favor,
By permitting outsiders to operate
It u claimed By the promoters that the