New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-30
New Lightweight Champ
Gives Many Versions Of
How TT Feels
BY FRED HAWTHORNE


Benny Leonard, the new lightves
champion Of the world and the frs
the millions Of persons born on N.
haitian Island ever 70 hold ths, pr.
title, has told a thousand different '.
s!ons Of how 1t feels TO he a ehama;.
since he practically knocked gu. Frss
die Welsh on Monday night at the Va,
haitian 4. G..
To one inquirer Benny said !. vi.
great" 70 another he is quoted a,
saying he felt sorry for Welsh. az
then again, Billy Gibson's boy deel.r,S
he felt just the same with the title AZ
he did when he was only Benny ksa.
ard. one OF the contenders.
But down at the Belmont Park .nt.
Yesterday afternoon Leonard, kar,,
Just picked his fourth winner and FEEL
ing very happy, tried to describe III
sensations in another way.
Benny at Sea
Il don't know" he said, in answer 81
the fatal question OF how IL feels n
be lightweight champion Of the vorl.
81 really haven't realized yet that
won the title. or course, know
did. because I've read 1t IN the paper
and all you fellows wouldn't have
on the same story il il wasn't tn,
In about a week from now ! guess |,
be on my job as holder Of the title a
able 10 act accordingly. Honest, Do
look like one now W
To tell the truth, Benny did not :.
semble a champion down at Belmor|
Park yesterday nearly as much as u
did in the ring Of the Manhattan A. c
when he wss battering Welsh down d
defeat, but then Leonard IS very sof.,
spoken, self-effacing little chap snt
expects 70 wear the same size strss
hat this summer that he spoIted yea,
ago.
Benny declared that he had an intg-
tive feeling even before he entered
tho ring against Welsh that he was
going 10 win decisiyely. Il knew
had him in the sixth round, after
had put in a hard right to the stomach.
Freddie fell in toward me and all he
muscles relaxed. He was breathing
very hard, and from then on could
feel him going, getting weaker al! The
time"
While the sporting world in geners
seems satisfied 20 hail Leonard as q,
rightful successor to Welsh, there an
dissenting voices, OF course, the loudes
and most insistent of which belongs III
Harry Pollok, Welsh's manager.
Mr.. Pollok, in a long and carefully
worded letter, claims that Md hePar'|
land. the referee, committed "griss.|
Gus error in stopping the hght ana
that Welsh was entitled 70 the benenll
If a count. In nine seconds. Pollcl
contends, Welsh might have reeoyeiea
and lasted out the tight and saved his
crown. ~,
In proof Of his argument Pollok
quotes Rule 5 OF the Marquis OF
0ueensberry rules. as follows: "A man
hanging on tie ropes, IN he!pless
state, with his ,oes of the ground, shan
be considered down." -
Now. according to Handsome Harry, al
The accounts OF Monday nights battle
agree that Welsh was hanging on the
ropes in a helpless state when NC
Partland stepped in front OF the beaten
man and stopped the bout, instead Of
counting Welsh out as he was down.
Against this mastery statement Q,
rae. there remains only one iogleA
answer Since Mr.. Pollok has delyes
INTO his musty copy Of Queensbery'
90 IN truth. are we forced 10 do that
thing. and this is what We md, unos'
Rule 5 of the revised code OF th'
London Prize Ring: The refers
shall. have power 10 stop the contef
if. in his opinion, man IS unht "
continue and that shall be deemed Y
have lost the contest"
Pollok's argument is sound as ~
as il goes, but it does not 60 ~
enough, apparently. for Rule is NOR
swceping and nullifies Rule 5 BY he
rover il bestows on the referee to epc
a bout when one man IS helpless--ahe
even Harry Pollok will not deny inn
Welsh was helpless on the ropes
Billy Gibson does not want any one
TO get the idea that either ne OF
Leonard is anxious 20 win and hold
tue % WHICH DENY - nv NfN~'.f
titled. and last night he declared thsi
Leonard would give Welsh the hN
chance to regain his championship, ana
would be willing 20 stake his rus
against the Briton's cleyerness 70
twenty-round bout for a referees dec
sion.
The next bout of Importance IN tbs
city will be staged at the Haries
Sporting Club on Monday night, wrss'
Carl Morris and Frank Moran, ~
behemcthic battlers. crash together =
their oft-postponed bout. John s@
Der Reisler. mine host Of the HarIes
Club, has enlarged the seating eapaeig
and reinforced the ring, 50 we shh
see what we shall see.
James Joy Johnston comes 70 ~
with he bombastic announcement uG
the wonderfully willing yelling w
meet Johnny Dundee at his ST. Niene
las 4. c. on Thursday night. June ,
We wouldn't think OF telling Jche'
ston this, because IL might elste ~
too much. but Dundee and WeII'a9
look like a pippin OF a card Joe sn'
Johnny are about as fast and danger
Gus a pair of lightweights as the nrs
boasts of and put up a sensstions'
battle about year ago. with VEINS
having a shade advantage.