The New York herald., 1921-10-09
CHAMPION BOXERS
IGNORE ring RULES
Titleholders Appear to Think
They Are Not Amenable to
Rules Of Roped Square.
REFEREES ARE OvERAWED
Exception When Kilbane
Changed Tactics to Avoid Be-
ing Ordered From Ring.
BY CHARLES F. MATH1soN.

The palpa.bly false assertion that
"the King can do no wrong" was q
popular delusion in the Old World
when kings, czars and emperors were
moro plentiful than at present. The
monarchs Of modern pugflism have
paraphrased the above declaration to
read: Give the benefit Of the doubt
to the champion"
The object OF the ancient rulers ana
of the sovereigns of the squared circle
was identical. Their purpose was and
is to create the belief that they were
not amenable to the laws governing
other mortals. A ruler by divine, right
calmly violated all the laws on the
calendar and no one had the temerity
to even raise an eyebrow.
Following this illustrious example.
the present day holders Of boxing titles
ignore every known rule Of pugilism
without a 'reprimand, much less the
punitive action plainly prescribed by
the rules. Such is the idolatry for a
championship title by referees that the
most fragrant violations OF rules by
champions pass unnoticed.
There have been several malodorous
examples of this nature In recent
months. but beyond doubt the most out
rageous instance was furnished by the
Downey-Wilson farce in Jersey City on
Labor Day. Here was an alleged title
holder so afraid of his opponent that no
did not make six leads in twelve rounds,
and he clinched every time Downey
came to close quarters for action. Had
Wilson been a boxer without claim to
title he would have been ordered out
of the ring by Referee Jim Savage not
later than the seventh round. The sapi-
ant Savage in defending his action in
permitting Wilson to disgust the spec
tators for twelve entire rounds said:
savage's Contention.
"I'd thrown him out Of the ring only
he was champion. Who ever heard of q
champion being thrown out OF the
ring?"
savage's Illuminating query not only
makes plain his slavish worship Of =
title, but it reflects the attitude Of ten
out OF twelve referees when titleholder
Is In the ring.
In substance. referees do not believe
that boxing rules should be strictly en-
forced against champions.
1t would be an excellent thing II al
boxing commissions were to serve notes
on referees that the rules must be as
rigldly enforced against champions as
they are against the humblest prelim-
mary boxers.
One notable and cheering exception
to the rule was furnished by the Kill
bane-B Burns bout In Jersey City. In this
instance champion would have been
thrown out OF the ring had he not
changed his listless style of boxing and
put some vigor into his work. Referee
Savage appears to have overlooked this
case Burns and Kilbane were boxing
eclore 4t,oOo people, and Kilbane 30
evidently was not boxing ON his merits
that Referee Harry Ertle warned him
In the second and third rounds. There
was no Improvement In the fourth round
and Ertle said to Kilbane:
Ertle's UItimntum.
Speed up in the next round or YOU
go out OF the ring"
II don't want to hurt him" was Kill
banc's excuse.
Box your best or out OF the ring
you CO." was Ertle's ultimatum.
"All right, II get him." snapped Kill
bane.
Burns was knocked out in the fifth
round.
Eut in Cleveland the referee evidently
was imhued with the same idolatrous
Worship OF title that influenced Jim
savage to permit Wilson to dawdle
smroueh Iweive rounds in Jersey City.
Inc result was that Kilbane committed
brutal foul In the first round and es-
capped the penalty. .All rlngside reports
OF the kilbane-Frush bout agree that
kilDane struck Frush a violent blow
IN the groin with his knee. and thu
victim lay writhing on the ring floor
till helped to his corner.
instead of disqualifying Kilbane the
reieree, announcing that he would NOT
permit the bout to end In a "fluke -
gevc Frush n rest and then compelled
him to resume the contest. witho,,t
doubt Frush was weakened by tho fo,,i
blow. and, without regard TO whether
ne could have made a better fight. the
handicap of n deliberate foul bIow In
the opening round was greater tban
any boxer should be subjected 70
Tho entire match between Kilhane
and Frush was a travcsty on fair NAV
and would not have been possible bus
for the hopeless incompetency Of the
men composing the Cleveland Boxing
Commission.
referee Of the Wilson-O'Dowd bout In
Me 'ison Square Garden stood calmly bv
and permitted Wilson to hi. O'Dowd no
many vicious blows below the belt that
the victim had to go to hospital for n
serious operation. In Justice Wilson
should have been disqualified for his foul
work as cary as the eighth round. but
the -efereo doubtless shuddered at the
thought of taking tho t,tio away from
champion.
Grappling Ru1es.
II appears that several important
points were overlooked in the formula
ten Of wrestling rules. When Pierre lie
Colosse. the Partisan infant f35c pounds
fross) wrestled In this city nc was time
ond again the victir OF ciaboljcaI
cruelty Pierre was ticl,lish. n fact well
known to his rivals. Any time that Pierre
got an opponent in troublesome loci,
the victim would reach up and tickle
the Frenchman's ribc. with hysterical
shrieks. Pierre woull release his hold
and roll ovei on his back. a defeated
man. Pierre always protested to the
refc.ce. but without avail. By ell means
let there be a rule imposing Instant dis
qualification on any man who tries TO
avoid defeat by tickling the RIBS of
Pierre To CoIosse.
Sulu Hevonpaa, Goo Peaceful Finn. !
also needs c''rbing. sulu.s habit Of back I.
Ing away from an opponent slaring at