The New York herald., 1921-11-27
Examples Set by Wilson and
Kilbane Show Evil Effects
Of Practice.
DEMPSEY STAGE HERO
Phil O'Dowd's Reversal Of
Form Surprises Those Who
Saw Him Defeat Lynch.
ny CHARLES f. MATH1soN.


Among the announced objects of the
proposed organization of boxing man.
ayers, which it was declared would
tend to tho betterment of the sport, is
the proposal that boxers in important
bouts should have voice in the NAM
ing Of the referee.
Experience does not sustain the con-
tention that the selection of referees
by contestants would have an elevat-
ing influence on ring sport. Quite the
contrary. When the average boxer an
nounces his choice for referee he picks
man who is favorable to him or is
under obligation to him. The selection
is made in the belief that the rulings
of the third man In the ring will bene-
fit the boxer who nominates the official
Two Illuminating examples of the
evil wrought by permitting boxers to
name referees were brought to the at
tention of the patrons of the ring sport
during the past few months. Johnny
Wilson took his personal choice, Jimmy
Gardner, to Cleveland with him and
refused to box Bryan Downey unless
Gardner was the third man in the ring
The Cleveland Boxing Commission,
noted for lack of firmness. yielded to
Wilson, and Gardner acted as referee.
Despite the fact that Downey knocked
Wilson down and out three times in the
seventh round, Gardner refused to count
out the defeated man and finally dis
qualified Downey for an alleged foul.
No one but Gardner saw this foul,
and the Cleveland Boxing Commission
overruled the verdict of the referee and
declared Downey the winner by a
knockout.
This belated action has not improved
the situation. In fact, 1t has complicated
matters so that Downey and Wilson now
are referred to as the so per cent. cham
pions Had the Cleveland commission
firmly refused to permit Gardner to
referee and compelled Wilson to fight
under an official selected by the COM
mission. or else go back to Boston with
out fighting at all, the Boston man
would doubtless have capitulated. AS
a result he would have been counted out
In the seventh round and the title gone
to Downey. who would have been a
much more worthy champion than Will
son has proved.
Nilbane's Performance.
Another fragrant example of the dam
age done to boxing through permitting a
contestant to select the referee was fur
nished by the bout between Johnny Kill
bane and Danny Frush, which also took
place in Cleveland. The incompetent
Boxing Commission OF Cleveland again
surrendered and Kilbane picked Walter
c. Kelly of Buffalo as the third man in
the ring. In the very first round Kill
bane deliberately struck Frush a heavy
blow in the groin with his knee and
the victim was practically knocked out
by the foul. Frush was floored and
completely disabled by the blow. In
stead of at once disqualifying Kilbane
Kelly ordered that the disabled boxer
take a rest and then resume the bout
F'rush was dragged to his corner and
after rest was compelled by the referee
to answer the bell
Frush evidently was unable to re-
cover from the effects of the knee blow.
for he failed to box with any vlgor and
succumbed in the eighth round
Many instances of the same sort have
been recorded and they so to show that
the picking Of referees by the boxers is
an unmixed evil.
There is not the slightest chance of the
New York State Athletic Association
surrendering the selection of referees
such q change the writer has ventured
to set forth tine probable effects Of such
a move.
In the early days of baseball the UNI
pires were selected by the club owners
I'm the various league cities. The presi-
dent of a club would send list of names
to the National League president, who
invariably appointed the men named.
These umpires officiated at all games
played by the home team, and the visit
ing teams had small chance OF getting
any close decisions.
The evils of the system impelled the
club owners to make a radical change.
Umpires were appointed by the presi-
dent of the league. to be paid out of the
league treasury and to be assigned to
games by the leagues executive. This
effectually killed the home umpire evil.
Racing judges are appointed by the
Jockey Club not by the horse owners
or Jockeys, and football officials are ap-
pointed by collegiate associations. not by
players.
The same system holds in nearly every
known branch OF sport, and for a boxer
TO demand the right to name the referee
would appear to indicate a sense of un-
due Importance on the part of the stuffed
glove expert.