The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-27
PECORD IS PICKED
Official Toledo Referee Will
Officiate in Big Bout.
Richard and Biddle Selected
To Be Judges.
DEMPSEY PLEASED BY CHOICE
just So He's Fair and Can
Count Ten, Jack Says.
Challenger Has Fast Go With
Jamaica Kid Thursday.
DEMPSEY PLEASED BY CHOICE

Toledo. June 27.-ollie Pecord, Of
fetal refereeof the Toledo boxing COM
mission, will be the third man in the
ring when Jess Willard and Jack
dempsey meet in their heavy weight
championship contest here July f.
Tex Richard, promoter of the con-
test. and Maj. A. J. Drexel Biddle, a
wealthy sportsman of Philadelphia,
We're selected to serve with Pecord as
judges of the contest. Jack SkeIly. a
veteran ring official of Yonkers. was
chosen alternate referee and w. War
rem Barbourg of New York. official
time keeper
The two judges will help Pecord If
ne needs assistance, by the medium
OF giving decision provided the bout
goes the specified twelve rounds,
which no one around Toledo thinks II
will.
Record a Former Boxer.
Pecord is himself former profess
slonal boxer and ball player. He is
% years old. He came to Toledo
tnirty-nine years ago and began his
professional boxing career here as a
In the ring about five years. When
James ]. Corbett spent a week here
training for his last contest with JEFF
fries, Pecord donned the gloves with
him several times at his training camp
near the present site of the Dempsey
camp.
In 1898 Pecord was member of the
birmingham team of the Southern
league and played with the Toledo
club of the old Western league the
following year. In 1898 he played on
the Galesburg and Rock Island teams
or the Three I league. His career as
referee began in 1894 when he off
ciated at the bout between two negroes
neId IN a barn at Williston. Ohio, for a
$Z5O side bet and 1915 per cent divi-
sion of the receipts Bouts at that
time required fearless referee and
Pecord procured at .3S caliber revolver
for protection before the contest be-
gan.
Worked in 400 Bouts.
Since that time Pecord has refereed
about 400 bouts He was appointed
official referee of the Toledo boxing
commission, which was organized a
year ago last April and has officiated
at all contests held under the direc-
ton of this body.
Last October, when 1t was decided
to stage the bouts in Toledo for
charity, Pecord donated his services
and since then has refereed without
remuneration. The $4,000 he will re-
ceive for officiating on the Fourth
comes in the nature of a reward for
his work in the past.
Less than fifty pounds instead of
the heralded sixty or seventy pounds
will be the difference in weight be-
tween Jess Willard and Jack Dempsey
when they climb into the ring at Bay
view park, week from today to box
for the worlds heavyweight cham
pionship. The champion weighed him
self before starting his workout yester-
day, and to the surprise of boxing ex-
perts, tipped the beam at 243A
pounds
This is six and a quarter pounds be-
low the weight he made for his cham
= wi To J0Io A
week ago the champion scaled 24S
pounds.
just So He Can Count Ten.
Jack Dempsey expressed himself to-
day as vastly pleased with Ollie Pc
cord as referee. "Give me an honest
man who can count ten" he said
I'll hit Willard early in the scrap and
they send a referee in who will not be
afraid to start counting the second and
who will not be Influenced by super
fetal things"
Dempseys training did not slack any
yesterday, despite assertions made by
himself that it likely would. He tied
into Jamaica Kid and Bill Tate with
such vigor that Jamaica slid to his
launches after one murderous clout
on the chin and Bill Tate entered the
ring with the challenger only after a
heart to heart talk with Jack Kearns.
Tate has become tired of taking
them on the chin, despite his regard
for Dempsey and his feet were Itch
ing for move out of camp. 1t is be-
1ieved, however, the big negro has
been Gained by promises that Demp-
sey would ease up on him a bit. Jack
did slacken a bit on Tate to the ex-
tent of letting his jaw alone, but he
went after the Texans stomach for
keeps and gave the huge sparring
partner a fine afternoon with those
punches. Jamaica Kid has gained a
reputation for handing over some stiff
punches for the Dempsey considera-
ton. So much has been made of the
fact that he slowed up in his punch
ing of the challenger that both men
went into the. ring yesterday with
blood in their eyes. A sharp right !
cross to the jaw sent the Kid down
and he was willing to hug the rest of
the afternoon.
Tate Will Stick Around. |
Tate will stay in camp. He is too
valuable to the challenger to allow
him to leave. Dempsey will ease up
on him and will get sufficient boxing |
with man of Wizards size to give |
him space in reaching the Willard i
vital spots.
Willard is merely doing a days
work when he steps into the ring. He |
went thru very tame afternoon yes |
terday with the exception Of a final !
two rounds with Walter Monaghan, !
which were fairly full of action. He |
stepped ten rounds altogether