New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-01
BOXING GROGGY,
FACES KNOCKOUT
BY LEGISLATURE
Promoters Ready to Toss
Sponge-Whitman Pre-
pares to Repeal Law
Nv W. o. NGEEH An

legislative ropes and very grogey'
7. f., not going to last another round.
povipc promoters arc ready to toss the
.,onge into the ring at Albany TO pre-
Won, j, from receiving any further pun
ishment
The game was Just naturally battered
into a pulp after receiving series o.
terrific beatings. TIE incompetence OF
the Boxing Commission weakened II
right AT the start. some vicious blows
below the belt delivered by larcenouS
hoxirr promoters wore IL down. II
hardly needed the finishing punch tur-
rishcd by the ring tragedy at Albany.
Tho oatrons of boxing had begun 70
cry "Stop it," long before that. heIt
* no doubt that the Legislature VIZ
act favorably upon the recommenua'Ion
If Governor Whitman that the fraWle9
law be repealed. which will mean elen'
nine ten and out" for legallZed DoN-
ing in New York State.
There is some talk among the pro-
motors Of lobby and petitions 10 save
tho boxing game, but IT has not aroused
snv enthusiasm among the boxing rams
The "sport" is generally admitted 10
no dead already. and unofficial lnquestS
are being held as TO the cause OF us
demise. Governor Whitman, IN star'-
ing 10 prcpare message asking IoI
4 repenl Of the Frawley law, is assuIh-
inc-and no doubt correctly boxing
has fallen into utter disrepute.
Little Regret Among Fans
Tho certain finish OF the boxing game
finds the reputable boxing patrons OF
New York City in the mood 10 loon
unon It's passing with apathy, II not
with actual satisfaction. The treat
mont that ticket buyers received from
tho managers of the Broadway the
Harlem and Olympic boxing cluos last
month has turned them against boxing
as il has been conducted IN greater
New York.
AZ those three clubs patrons who
Maid money for seats were refused al
mission 10 the building IN some cases.
and in others were forced to stand or
SQUAT in the aisles. The places were
bedlams Of confusion. There was nc
check 10 the greed of the promoters
and there was not even pretence OF
keeping order. The Boxing Commls-
sion and all its rules were held In con
tempt for reasons best known 10 the
promoters and members OF the com
mission.
IL is true that there have been some
boxing promoters who made some euorI
20 Give patrons a semblance of square
desI notably James Johnston, who
handled Madison Square Garden Tor
time But the majority Of the men VINO
nromoted professional boxing IN New
York City preferred 10 swindle their
patrons.
Ready TO Welcome End
To enumerate the rules OF the Box
;,c Commission which have been broken
nieht after night by the promoters
v,ould take pages. In fact, 1t would De
hard To find any rule that has not been
hroken. In other states where boxing
* conducted under identical rules pro,
fessicnal boxing seems TO hourlsh ana
TO stay clean. There Is nothing Llhe
the graft. incompetence and greed that
nave made boxing in New YORK so no.
toriously crooked and 50 sordid thst
the most ardent fans are ready 10 WEI
come its end. ,a.u.
1cient indictment against professional
boxing. There have been more boys
Killed in football games in one year
than have been killed in the prize ring
i'm the history of American boxing. II
tho game had been clean at the time
-bis tragedy would have passed as an
unfortunate accident. But the boxing
game was not clean.
Governor Whitman declared that ne
will press the work Of securing re-
neal Of the Frawley law, and Senator
George Slater. Of Westchester, Is ready
"a present a bill which will sound the
knell of legalized boxing.
Tho Governor said: apparently pub
lie exhibitions which amount 20 lttle
less than prizehghts can be gwen IN
.bts state without violating the present
statute / am IN favor of repeating the
whole Law. Certainly, some OF the re-
cent exhibitions are not OF sucn
nature as % appeal TO the lovers OF
wholesome athletic sports. The details
oil the proposed legislation viii be con-
.idered later
Democrats NAV Oppose Repea
Governor Whitman does not believe
that the law legalizing professional
boxiDg could be bettered. He does not
believe that he could do better IN the
gsy OF Boxing Commission, with the
possiblc exception of Wenck
Republican legislators will back the
Governor. with few exceptions, but a
grcat many Democrats Will oppose him.
senator Brown, majority leader, rs in
cIined 10 come 20 the defence Of the
boxing law.
Senator's Mills, Robinson, Slater and
Sage believe that the state into which
tac boxing game has fallen is due en-
,lrely 20 the present Boxing Commits
sion. They favor retaining the la@ and
yot,ing a high class commission 20
sarve without pay. Malone. of Albany,
Who sponsored the Frawiey law will
oppose its repeal, but the majority
leader OF the Assembly, Simon Adler,
saws that the law surely will be re-
realcd II the Governor wants IL.
The repeal Of the Frawley law, which
would automatically remove the Box
my Commission. would save the ad
m 'nistratiou any possible embarrsss-
rrcnt connected with decision IN the
hearing Of the extortion charges against
Crcd Wcuck. chairman OF the Boxing
commission.