The Washington herald., 1917-12-19
Ringside Fans Figure St.
Paul Mauler Should
Had Decision Over vii
hams.
nv JOHN A. pUGAN.

balL1mores Dec. hs-Au aItertnhlu
without alibis would be sad and Lack
ing In its punching powers. Whether
the decision rendered by Buck Alex
ander justified the occasion or not
there was plenty and then some more
fight talk in the wind here today over
the raising of Kid Williams hand
along with Johnny Ertles' In last
nights bout. when these great little
bants ms fought to a draw.
Aexander's verdict was handed o
round Of applause by the record
breaking crowd present. and 1t was
not until after the fans and even those
who laid a wager on the result had
time to think It over that any shade
could have been given the Westerner.
II was guess work for any one who
handed out a decision in favor Of
either battler before each round had
been thoroughly gone over.
Getting down to tacks. a knockdown
Is a big factor in any kind Of milling,
and this Is just what Little Kewpie"
scored over the Wolf Boy from Balti-
more, but the st. Paul wizard went
a triple allotment in the same round.
II any shade Is to be given 1t sure
Is coming to the Kewpie, as for eight
rounds he showed that he packed away
IN thpse ZIG pounds of youth ability
of a champion He stayed in on the
Wolf Boy until the eighth session. when
a left to the jaw forced him to back
up, but he was In again in the ninth
looking for more, and the rally which
he showed in the eleventh Is stamped
''only a champion"
. Looking on the entire go from a
williams standpoint one can see
nothing but the same game Tiger Of
old. Kayoed in the second, this
OrioIe Wolf Boy came back and
forced all the fighting outside OF the
eleventh round. If ever a game bat
tier needed slightly the edge Will
Jams did. and every bit that Referee
Buck Alexander gave him was surely
coming to him.
At that 1t would not be taking any
of the laurels away from the great
little bantam-weight from the wild
and woody West. as Kewpie Ertle
demonstrated that he Is in line for a
return go with Champion Pete Her
man. but he must first make his
victory over Williams decisive one.
There may have been a slight margin
last night. but Referee Alexander
was the nearest to the milling and
his verdict after twelve OF the fastest
and most grueling rounds was a
draw, and Bucks character as an
ability to handle fighters and fight
promoters Is still untainted. as he
gave the decision as he saw IT.
Even IL Alexander pulled one of
those many "Boners'' that are be-
coming the habit in this mans town
it was tho greatest battle on record
between two little men and efforts
are already being made to re-match
them.
shortly before Tom Andrews, who
is managing the Ertle party, boarded
the train for st. Paul, Al Fried,
matchmaker Of the Peerless Athletic
Club. made efforts to re-match the
boys. Both manager wartnflx, of Kid
Williams, and Tom Andrews express
ed willingness to sign up for a re-
turn set-to and. Williams and the
Kewpie eagerly agreed. The club
management will try and stage the
affair somtime during the next few
weeks.
Opinions sure differ on the result
today. After hearing 1t from all
angles, fans, fighters. promoters and
managers, the verdicts OF the leading
ones are printed so as to allow one
TO cast his own opinion.
Dave Wartnik, manager Of Kid
Williams:
williams has always had the
greatest bad feeling against Ertle
since that st. Paul affair and, in
consequence, he was overanxious
last night It was this that caused
him to run into that right hook in
the second round, which did a lot
OF harm Williams is a slow be-
ginner. and being fioored natur-
ally did a lot of harm. The Kid,
however, never stopped, even after
being fioored. and I sincerely say.
that do not believe that ErtIe had
a round in his favor except the one
in which he sent Williams down.
I believe Williams would have been
given the decision but for the
eleventh round, when Williams was
again a bit weakened by Ertle. As
soon as Johnny's head cleared up
after the second round, 1 knew
everything was all right and expect
ed to win all the time. think the
decision was fair and believe Will
Jams will win il the boys get together
again, as I think they will. Any
how, no matter what you think, it
was a great fight"
Tow Andrews, manager of Ertle:
At have seen many fights, and with
due modesty say that 1 am rated as
a good Judge Of boxing. I believe
Baltimore folks who follow the sport
know that. and when I say that
Ertle won with plenty to spare I give
that opinion as a boxing expert and
not as the manager OF the st. Paul
bog"
Referee Alexander: ct think q draw
was the only fair decision, or, of
course, I would not have given It. The
fact that in my opinion Williams al
ways forced the fighting Is big thing
Id his favor. Although badly beaten
In the second round he came right
back and never stopped"
Joe Freeman. matchmaker Ardnore
Club, Of Washington: "Ertle, that's all
a fight as he put up. I think Ertle had
suficient advantage to warrant his
being given the decision"
Smiling Jimmy conroy, formerly of
Washington and well-known to fight
fans: "Ertle put up much better fight
than though he would and 1t was
his bout all the way. Williams and
his Tiger stun could not overcome the
advantage scored by the westerner in
the second round"
James La Fontaine, Of washington:
bet on Williams. but It was Ertle
all the way. I paid on after the sec
ond round"
Joe Freeman, matchmaker Ardmore
Club OF Washington: "Erfle that's ALI