The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-06-12
Bic FUSS.
STARTS OVER
REFEREE:
Foxy Tex Richard Passes
The Buck But They
Shove Tt Back.
Ey FRANK q. MENKE

N.
TOLEDO, O., June 12.-The
refereeing duck" which Tex
Richard attempted to pass along
to the national boxing commission,
probably will be returned-and
without any profuse thanks.
And then, about week later,
Richard. nobly aided and abetted
by the Toledo boxing commission,
will attempt to force Messrs. Viii
lard and Dempsey to accept for
third man" chores, the one and
only man they have objected to in
loud and plaintive tones.
Ollie Pecord is that man. Ollie
Pecord. one time bartender and now Of
fetal referee for the commission
For 2 long. long time Richard has
realized lat any effort on his part 70
hearken to the pleas OF the commission
and name Pecord would provoke a free
for everybody clash with the fighters
And so he attempted a shrewd diplo-
iA2SAN iitOsc undoubtedly would
have succeeded II Mai. Anthony T.
Drexel Biddle hadn't spoken prema-
turely.
The situation. very briefly is this:
The rules OF the Toledo Boxing Com
mission provide that its official arhitra-
tor-Pecord-must preside at all fstic
functions in this thriving purlieu. With
cut doubt it impressed this upon Rick
ard when he got the license to stage the
fight here and perhaps Tex not cogniz-
ant Of the stubbornness of Willard and
Dempsey, promised TO jam Pecord in
the officiating job.
But as soon as Pecord was mentioned
70 them. Willard and Dempsey exclaina-
ed almost in unison:
No Pecord for us. He may be a
great referee. but there is too much at
stake for each of US. 10 let an unknown
handle the job The referee must be a
man OF long experience"
In rebuttal, the commission took the
stand:
It's Record or nobody"
In this crisis Richard hoped a train
for New York and hunted up Biddle,
president Of the National Boxing Com
mission. He explained his plight and
asked Biddle TO influence his commits
ard st the same time put in a lot OF
kind words for Pecord. who after all Is |
said and done has accumulated an en-
viable reputation.
The Richard came back. explained his |
idea Of submitting the whole thing to
the National Boxing Commission and
got the consent Of all parties to agree |
to it's decision. 1t is likely that Richard |
did not mention the fact to the fighters |
that he might have espoused the cause |
of Pecord
All would have been well IL II hadn't |
been for the fact that some New York !
newspaper folks picked off Biddle
Tuesday night to the extent Of getting |
him TO mention the name of Billy Ro- |
cap. g sport writer of Philadelphia. And |
when this news was flashed into Toledo. |
something akin to chaos began 10 reign. |
The fighters wanted to know how in |
blazes Biddle could do any appointingI
before he got the letter and before the |
board met on the question. And Rick |
ard, who had hoped that if Biddle made |
any announcement at all he would men
ton Pecord got more feverish the long t
er he thought about the whole matter /
Late Wednesday he issued a statement |
in behalf of Pecord-and right away /
the nEhterS got ali steamed up ABOUT 4
the statement.
we don't want Pecord."
Meanwhile Biddle is quite unhappy |
and claims he was misquoted concern
ing Rocap-that in speaking his name I
he merely mentioned his personal choice |
and not the selection of the board. Bid /
die undoubtedly has contracted a few
more wrinkles on his forehead after
reading what Richard had 10 say about I
his personal selection.
So it's rather safe gamble that when |
the National Boxing Commission meets
Friday it will decide that It has trou
bles enough OF its own-that it wants /
none imported from Toledo.
And then will come a merry little /
brawl when the brace Of noble fist
cutters, the anguished but determined /
Toledo boxing commission, and the dis
appointed Richard meet 70 decide /
Who'll referee this scrap anyway"