The sun., 1919-02-09
CLUBS OFTEN RULE
BOXING REFEREES
Third Man in Ring Should Be
Safeguarded From Influ-
ence Of Promoters.
EASILY ACCOMPLISHED
Commission Should Appoint
and Assign Arbiters for
All Contests.
EASILY ACCOMPLISHED
ny CROSS COUNTER,

The objections voiced against the pro-
vision in the Gibbs boxing bill requiring
official referees to give decisions on
points at the end OF limited bouts con.
stitute a severe reflection on the intes-
rty of the present crop OF third men IN
the ring.
Opponents Of decisions intimate that
the referees could not be trusted TO Sc
lect the winners in bouts that go the
limit and that designing persons would
he apt to influence the officials. with re-
sultant scandals and other disagreesble
| features.
It also In intimated that those who bet
/ on boxing bouts would offer financial In
ducements to referees to give desired de-
cisons in important bouts.
Tampering with Judges in all kinds Of
professional sport has by no means been
I infreouent but the instances where L
! has successfully been done are not nu-
merous In boxing there have been cases
| Of dishonesty on the part OF referees but
the majority OF the scandals In recent
years have been the result OF co!lusion
between boxers and their managers.
Many OF these affairs have been pos
sible solely because OF the absence OF
decision by the referee. neither contest
ant making the slightest effort 70 box
on his merits and both being willing tn
abide by the popular verdict 10 long -
the records bore only the letters ~. D
Decisions tho Remedy.
Therefore II is quite apparent that o.
hciai decisions would furnish TIE ony
remedy for dilatory work In the ring ny
boxers who are paid large sums 70 con-
test on their merits.
f, With that desirable result accom-
n,ished there is also n specific proven.
! tat.ye Of lapses OF honesty by referees.
| "A the case stands the official reteree
ia placed in a very embarrassing posi-
tion. His compensation comes from tne
club owner, and this person usuaiy
manages from one to a dozen fighters IN
addition to controlling the CLUB.
II ia not ditficui. 10 picture me quar-
darv in which the referee finds himself
when he steps into the ring to judge De-
tween opponents. one OF whom Is man
aged by his employer, the club owner.
II does not follow that the promoter
gives the referee definite instructions 20
favor his boxer The usual procedure ID
for the promoter to remark IN an OH
hand wav to the referee;
NV nov Jimmy McShine will 20 on
IN the third bout. Just keep your eye
on him. He's a good boy and think
he Will win"
The referee knows what the promoter
means and he realizes that " ne idIs
70 favor the promoters lighter thee
will be new referee at the clun lor t"'
next series Of bouts.
Tr,sis the besetting evil OF boxing TN.
der modern conditions and It easily couo
be eradicated.
Rule Not Enforced.
An excellent rule adopted by the com
mission under the Frawley law provided
that no man connected with a club IN
snv official capacity should manage q
boxer. But the rule was never enforced
and everybody connected with c!lo'
from the seconds up to the nresaNNl
handled a cluster OF fighters AS gem
eral thing. every bout put on in many
clubs had at least one boxer manageo
by club official, and frequently both
contestants were club fighters
The promoter OF each club picked Ms
own referee. a personal friend living IN
the vicinity OF the club, who was qul'e
familiar with the managers w'sneA
Under n dec.sionless law these referees
were unable to decide in favor OF the
promoters boxers. but many visiting
boxer realized before a bout had pro
ceeded far that he was opposed both r.
the other fighter and the referee.
Should new law authorizing d.
cisions go into effect Il would make 7ro-
moter-controlled referees a dsnSerons
factor. unless provision was made 10 -
sure Independence for the ofitcials.
Com mission Control.
This could ca silly be aocomplisAed ~
taking the control OF the referees away
from the promoters and vesting II N no
commission. Some method could be DE-
vised by which the referees could r.
paid for their services from fund IN ere
hands II the commission, either from N"
State tax or an additional tax, !; "ouIi
make little difference as TO the source
OF the money so long as II did not come
directly from the promoters.
In addition the commission should a.
sign the referees To bouts the SAM ~
the presidents OF baseball le7Gu's as
sign umpires 10 games. so that TIE c"n,
teStants. managers and p-omotcTs wo''
have no advance knowledge ne q -
would be a d'fficult matter 20 corrupt \
referee previous 30 n bout, as he ~ III
not be known III he entered 80 cum
house on the night Of tho contest
II referee made suspicious rl"7Es
tho commission could invcst'Ga'" am
pass Judgment on him
II the Gibbs bill should become II"
without n clause removing Tho ~"''''ss
from the balerul intluc"-" OF 'N' '.'
manager decisions would prove 20 y" -
evil.