The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-09-05
Referee Billy Rookie Defends Decision
In tho WhiteINeIsh Champion
ship Bout Yes
terday.
WAS GIVEN FOR POINTS
What Two Fighters, Managers and
the public Have to Say About
the MiIl-DecIared Tame
Attain.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo, Sept
5.-Billy Roche, referee: II simply
decided the fight ON points. Welsh
landed the most blows, which con
stitute points under the Marquis OF
Queensberry rules. The men fought
under those rules. II they don't want
to fight that way, let them get some
new rules. Anyone who will read the
Marquis of Quensberry rules will see
why / gave my decision as did.
White didn't fight He had the
chance of his lifetime and didn't take
1t. Could give him the champion
ship? No. Could I give him a draw?
No."
Charlie White: 81 had to fight two
men, the referee and Welsh. To win
from him you've got to knock him
cold. Referee Billy Roch's decision
was the rankest / have ever seen.
Freddie Welsh will never lose the
lightweight championship as long as
he is allowed to choose his own ref
cree"
Nate Lewis, Whites manager: II
think it's time the press and public
Of America demand that Freddie
Welsh defend his title in fair and
square way. Billy Roche's decision
In giving the fight to Welsh was the
worst robbery ever perpetrated. /
would like to have them give Charley
White fair fight with the champ
by having the press and the public
name the referee from the twelve
leading ring officials in America"
Defends Welsh.
Welsh hit three blows to Whites
one. He led the fighting and three
fourths of his leads landed. He was
never harrassed and forced White to
stop with stiff left when White
showed his only squirt In all the
twenty rounds. Billy Roche's deci-
sion was all right.
Freddie Welsh: II fought him sfmp-
1y and straight to retain my title.
used every method I knew to pile up
points and had Charley White top
ped on that score easily"
Mr.. Average Fight Fan sat on the
becalmed veranda of the Antlers no
tel today twirled his cane and de-
clared:
Never again."
He and several thousand more fight
fans, some here, some departed, were
endeavoring today to resurrect the
fight game from the quagmire into
which a great majority of the fight
following population Of this western
section declare it was plunged yester
day through Referee Billy Roche's de
cision at the end of the twenty round
lightweight championship battle be
tween Welsh and White. Roche gave
the battle to Welsh on points"
Favors Charlie White.
It is unQuestionably q matter to b,
argued But the preponderance o
argument is in favor Of Charlie White
The universal opinion is that for
championship affair, yesterdays bat
tie was q poor exhibition Of fightin
ability by either principal. 1t is ger
eally agreed that Freddie Welsh Is
punchless champion, but 1t Is ais
agreed that White is a shameless cor
tender for the Welshman's title. Thei
fight yesterday was humorous, q
times in its tameness.. Bean-shoote
blows Welsh tapped the Chicagoa
during the majority Of the rounds. I
four, possibly five of the late rounds
White showed some punchy battling
The question OF which should cour
the most in the giving Of decision
score of taps or a quintet
: punches-was what was being aske
today.
i Freddie Welsh and his wife an
, baby and Harry Pollok left for De-
, yer today. They will go to the Pac
r fic coast in a few days. The Whit
! party VIII return to Chicago by IL
. end of the week.