The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-31
Champion Herman Sh0ws
Contempt for Boxing Lam
He Refuses to Meet the Quaker
Novice Fighter One Pound
Overweight.
ny CHARLES r. MATHIsoN.

If any pugilist In the world has more
contempt for boxing law and ring rules
than Pete Herman. bantam champion
of the world. his identity is a secret
Johnny Kilbane. the featherweight title
holder. and Johnny Wilson. who holds
the middleweight championship solely
because he will not defend 1t, are ag-
gravated examples of the cautious brand
of champions. but they are modest in
their attitudes compared to Herman.
It Is recorded of Abe Attell that he
once claimed forfeit of $500 because
prospective opponent was four ounces
overweight but to the credit of the then
featherweight champion he completed
the match In the ring and defeated his
opponent despite the added four ounces
Attell had some reason for his Shylock-
TAM. for his opponent was dangerous
one.
Herman. however. being matched with
a third rate bantam named McCue, and
because the youngster was one pound
overweight the champion not only re-
fused to go into the ring, but walked
out Of the National A. A. of Philadel-
phia, disappointing 1000 persons who
had paid to see the title holder in bout.
The weight agreed on was 119 pounds
for McCue but the champion was not
required to make weight at all.
Should a Champion weight
McCue weighed 100 pounds. Herman
refused to step on the scales. II am
champion, why should l weight" was his
sharp retort.
All manner of inducements were Of
fered Herman. but he DOTTED his hat and
walked out of the club fifteen minutes
before his bout was scheduled to be
staged. Four hair raising contests had
been decided and there was naught else
for the club officials to do but get q
substitute for Herman.
McCue offered to box any one in the
club within five pounds of his weight.
and finally took on frankie Brown of
New York, sturdy, experienced feath-
erweight.
Herman was hired by Matchmaker
Frank O'Brien of the National A. A to
box McCue. No articles of agreement
we're signed by Herman. Neither was
there any money forfeit posted for
weight. O'Brien Is one of the squarest
rien connected with boxing. So far as
his word is concerned. that Is as good
as a Government bond. McCue came To
Philadelphia and was at the required
weight when he arrived. On SATURDAY.
afternoon he was hungry. He ate some
poached eggs and toast and drank some
weak tea Manager German was sur
prised when the little fellow stepped on
the scales and weighed 100 pounds
Herman was obdurate and would not
make the concession.
More Money Refused.
The champion was to have received
a guarantee of $1,000, with the priv
i'ege of S5 per cent. and the club treas
urer Harry It. Donaghy, said that In
order to avoid q disappointment, the
first of the kind the club ever had. hs
was ready to give Herman an amour
considerably more than his guarantee.
There were other boys in the club
house, boxers of no special ability. who
could make the required 1l9 pounds
and who offered to 60 on with the cham
pion but he refused
There Is small question that the
Philadelphia boxing authorities VIII
take action against Herman. and there
Il reason to believe that their action
will be followed by various boxing com
missions.
1t was not many months ago that
Herman signed a contract to box Jimmy
Wilde In London. Charles IL. Cochran
was the promoter, and the match was
extensively advertised in England. AT
the eleventh hour Herman sent word
that he would be unable to keep the en-
gagement but gave no reason. AS ne
Immediately made a number of matches
with mediocre opponents in this coun-
try It seems likely he had some doubts
az to. his ability to defeat the worlds
fiyweight champion.
AS the boxing officials of various
States Increase cooperation IN punish
ing offenders. conditions will be apt 10
be unpleasant for boxers like Herman.
Herman. Wilson and Kilbane are not
held in high esteem by the rams anu
unless they soon defend their titles
against able opponents they are apt to
be ostracized.