New-York tribune., 1921-03-22
Sharkey Beats
Midget Smith,
But Gets Draw
Record Crowd Boos Unjust
Verdict for Ten Minutes;
Sieger and Norfolk Win
By w. !. Macbeth

BY w. ]. Macbeth
3, Rocky" Kansas, of Buffalo, the new
{, sensttion of the lightweight division,
was awarded the judges Lewiston over
Willie Jackson after twelve furious
rounds at Madison Square Garden last
night. These lightweights furnished
the wind-up number of an exception
ally strong card given in behalf of the
Fund for the Relief of Ireland's Poor.
Fund for the Relief of Ireland's Poor.
Kansas. heavy-set little giant,
clearly earned the honors, not only on
account of his aggressiveness. but be-
cause he landed the more telling blows
throughout. Kansas made Jackson's
body his main target and slowed up
Willie by drubbing the mid-section
through the early rounds.
Rocky proved himself tough Gus
toner, who can assimilate an unusual
amount of punishment. He was never
n distress. jackson, on more than
one OCCASION was in troubled waters
and lad to clinch and cover to pro-
tect himself against furious assaults.
1t was one of the best lightweight
fights of the year, as there was
scarcely an idle second
What was probably the greatest
crowd that ever watched boxing in the
historic amphitheater was jammed in
weight contenders squared off. For
once the Fire Department was indul-
gent and permitted the sale of every
available inch Of standing room.
Raw Deal for Sharkey
Jack Sharkey effected a sensational
"come back" in the ten-round semi
hnal bout with Midget Smith, but the
best he got for giving the midget an
artistic trimming was draw. This de-
eison was awarded by Referee Artie
McGovern after Judge Jim Shortell had
voted very properly for Sharkey.
Charles Thorley, the other judge, dis
agreed with his fellow jurist.
1t was about the most unjust verdict
rendered in season of rank surprises
and the big crowd booed for fully ten
minutes.
Sharkey showed from the very start
that he meant business. In the first
round he stood toe to toe with the
dreaded Midget and exchanged wallops
They fought at close quarters like a
pair of bull terriers, failing away with
both hands with right good will The
same tactics continued through the
second, and in this round the Midget
more than held his own.
Sharkey then played waiting game.
He kept we'll covered for couple of
rounds and let Smith expend his en-
ergy hammering his elbows and gloves.
So soon as the Midget showed the least
sign of weakening Sharkey was after
him with vengeance. He played prin-
cipally to Smiths body and beat his
short ribs and stomach into a glowing
red. Sharkey never overlooked an OPP
portunity to shoot the right to the Jaw.
He had Smiths nose bleeding and left
eye almost closed at the end. From the
fifth round on the bout was very one
sided, with Sharkey on the winning end.
Argue Over Back-Hand Blow
There was a delay of several min
utes before the start of the main bout
while the rival camps argued over the
back-hand blow, and Kansas finally
wen on the rule, after Jackson's man
2gcr, Doc Bagley, had threatened to
leave the ring.
The first round was one reel of
thrills. Rocky shot three lefts to the
body, but Willie came back with left
and right. Kansas wrcstled Jackson to
the floor ia a furious miX-up. Then
Willie backed Rocky against the ropes
and pumped a dozen rights to the body
without return.
Kansas gave Jackson sound drub-
bing through the second and third
rounds. Toward the end Of the second
he caught jackson flush on the jaw
with a wicked left swing and drove him
clear across the ring. Then he whipped
several hard rights to the head. Jack
son was verg wobbly at the bell.
Jackson came out of his she'll in the
fourth and repaid Kansas with interest
de got Rocky with half dozen rights
to- the jaw and hammered his body with
short hooks at close range. Kansas
got in several wicked lefts to the face
and body, however. They slowed Bit
IN the fifth. which was Jackson's round
Complains Against Jackson
The East Slider got nice left jat
working in the sixth. which discon-
certed Kansas no little bit In two
furious rallies, in which they battled
head to heao, Jackson more than held
his own. Kansas shook Jackson with q
right to the chin, but in furious rally
the last half minute Jackson again
clearly outfought the Buffalo boy
Kansas complained that Jackson was
making illegal use of his thumbs.
Through the seventh round Kansas
gave jackson the merriest few min
utes of his life. He rushed Willie tc
the ropes with fusillade of lefts te
the face, then shifted the attack to
the body and bent Jackson double
Kansas had Jackson reeling like 2
drunken sailor in the eighth. Rocky
put Willie against the ropes with 8
tlghJ swing TO Cne Jaw, ana Delo1e
he could recover shot the right to the
chin.
Jackson jabbed Kansas several times
with the lefe starting the ninth, but
coming out of clinch Kansas whipped
a wicked right to Jackson's jaw ano
followed it up with half dozen hare
efts to the face and body. Jackson
was holding in the tenth. Kansas hac
evidently weakened him with his stiff
left hooks.
Jackson had the eleventh by q good
mt-gin. He jabbed Kansas with the
left and smeared him repeatedly with
the right. Toward the end, however
Kansas almost upset Willie with
wicked right swing to the jaw
Through the early part of the twelfth
too, Jackson showed to good advantage
But Kansas bore in and doubled Jack
son with left to the wind Through
the last half of the round Kansas
kicked the daylights out Of the East
Slider,
Sieger Defeats Root
Sammy Sieger was awarded the de.
eision over Artie Root, of Cleveland
IN the curtain raiser Of ten rounds
sleger weighed 1904 pounds and Root
va pounds. Sieger announced before
me nght that he would give $1,000 ot