The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-01-14
Bit of Trickery Preuents Molineaux From Winning
 TituLar Bout With Cribb
Although Negro Fighter From America Badly Beat Cribb, Misfortune and the Trickery of Cribb's Seconds Caused Him to
 Lose Championship of World
Bx JAMES J. cORRETT

Editors Note.-This is the third of a series of six articles that deal with the memorable battles fought in Europe more than a century ago by Thomas Moli- neaux, the first American fighter to in- wade foreign territory in quest of a word s championship The next chapter will ap- pear tonorrow.)
 Only the trickery of Tom Cribbs' han dlers, aided by amazing bit of mistor- tune kept Tom Molineaux. once negro in Virginia, from having enscrolled back of his name this title, Heayyweight Champion of the World. 1S10.'
 The illiterate unscientific but wonder fully courageous black man fought Cribb. the kingpin pugilist of the universe, on December 1S 1Sl9, in Sussex. Engiand- and beat him to pulp. Cribb, regarded as "invincible' never had a real chance against the terribly powerful game ne- gro It was 8 battle one-sided from start to finish, yet Crihb won. Cribb, known as "the IuclSiest champion of all time, triumphed at a moment when he himself was on the verge of collapse
 CRIBB FASTER
 Cribb was far faster, far shiftier than
 Molineaux But the negro. wholly fear less and holding the blows of Cribb in contempt opened the fight with tiger ish rush Cribb stepped away, but Moii- neaux was after him. Cribb backed and lodged, but finally Molineaux trapped him. in corner and landed the first blow of the fight It wasn't an extremely powerful one. because the negro nau tpo p hit on the run. But it caught Cribb OH
 balance and Cribb went, down, giving the
 round to the American negro.
 In the second Moineaux drew first blood with several smashing blows to the face In the third Molineaux rushed Crbb all around the ring, beating the Briton's face and body, but Cribb let loose wicked right that caught Moli- neaux on the jaw and dropped the negro. | With the opening of the fourth the 1 American was as aggressive as ever 1 although fighting with just little more i caution than earlier. He showed but l little timing in punches and made innu- merabe wild swings. But every time ne l landed Cribb winced Or went town. Tn l the eighth MolineauN had rolled up an ! immense lead in points and the crowd l which had shouted earlier 'a to l on | Cribb" had long since become silent. Realing, along in the twelfth. that l Cribb was a marvel in taking punish ment and that he must conserve his own l strength, Molinea dx again became care 1 full He dashed out with his fists only 1 when he was reasonably sure or Strlkins his target. And whenever he did Cribb became just bit unsteadier-Cirbb looked just a bit more like "a passing champion.
 BADLY BEAT CRIBB
 Mechanically. Molineaux fought along | from the 18th to the 18th. Then he tore ] loose aoair and his ever~ nlOw took rrnre and more out of Cribb. The negro might have resorted te wrestling tactics and tossed the well-night helpless Cribb to l the earth anl knocked the last bit Of fight out of him in that way But Molin- | eaux wanted to win in the American way i -yearned to achieve a championship .al- 1 most entirely with the power of his | fists.
 l And as the 18th round ended, it seemed ] as if be had achieved his aim. For Cribh. 1 the pride of England, went down in that round under :, rain of blows-a ghastly sight.
 As Sir Thomas Apreece. one of the uni pires. called "tlme'' for the 18th round, Cribb was unable to answer. At the very moment he was still in a coma. He was beaten-knocked out-the loser of the fight an1 the title or heavyweight champion of the world Brt he was saved-by the tricbery of Joe Ward .one of his sec onds-an actioa winlzed at by the English officials. who wAre willing to confenanse almost anything to save the title frcn going to an Arlerican-and negro.
 Ward. seeing that the Briton couldnt { answer the call of time" rushed into