The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-01

YVInVC0 vVeANVI uVWSJe A~VNA
Island. IN six rounds.
Young Gale. Des Moines. out.
pointed Don Dixon, Davenport,
in four rounds.
Rsferee-Mickey Pierce.
BIZ BRUCE COPELAND.
Regrettable misfortune overlook
the premiere Of the Rock Island
legion boxing club at the Illinois
theatre last night in the main
60 between Navy Rostan of Joliet
and Gunner" Joe Quinn Of Mime
apolis, when Police Chief Tom Cox
ordered Referee Mickey Pierce in
the ninth round to stop the bout on
the allegation that the principals
were not boxing according to con-
tract, after number OF ringsiders
had left the arena voicing their dis
gust.
This action followed three of
the most sensational preliminary
matches ever witnessed in the tri-
cities. The show had opened aus
piciously when little Gale Of Des
Moines all but stopped Don Dixon
Of Davenport. after displaying rare
boxing skill for such a youngster.
Roscoe Hall, the Des Moines high
school champ. then proceeded to
administer a classic beating to Wal
ter Mowdy Of Rock Island. which
was quite a surprise to the latter's
many admirers. George Melichar
Of Cedar Rapids won five out of
six rounds from Tommy McKeon of
Joliet in the semi-windup.
Quinn on Receiving End.
The class of the three prelimin-
aries served to put the windup in
poor stead at the outset. The fans
showed their disapproval of the
bout before Rostan and Quinn were
we'll under way After thrilling
$500 fans at Des Moines month
ago, it is a mystery why these boys
could not show to better advan.
tage.
Quinn was on the receiving enc
most of the time. but he was sc
tough that Rostan's best blows tt
the Jaw and body were unable tt
make him yield an inch. Rostar
stayed away in the second ant
third rounds and Quinn took ad
vantage Of the situation by infiict
ing heavy punishment at clos,
quarters.
Rostan came out for the fourth
with a rush and cut loose with al
he had to the complete bewilder
ment of Quinn. The battle becam,
monotonous from then on, with al
most every round a repetition o
the preceding one. This degree o
sameness appeared to be what an
noyed the fans otter the decisiv,
J action of the three preliminaries
and yelps Of protest began.
View Of Critics.
As far as stopping the fight wa
J concerned, it might just as vel
have been terminated in the fiftl
round. when it was apparent tina
, the blows of neither boxers wer
. effective. A man equally as skille,
as Rostan would have showe
Nays style to greater advantage
As it was, Quinn was Just a tougl
receiver, showing little skill be
yond that Of the average prelimin
airy fighter.
Many men who have follOwe
boxing for years. from champion
ship bouts to barn loft affairs. wer
disinclined to believe that Rosta
, and Quinn had entered any conspir
. acy to defraud the fans by not liv
ing up to the terms of their con
tract. They were convinced firml
that both battlers were fighting t
the best of their ability.
, The consensus of these real box
!. ing critics was that that monotc
nous style Of each succeeding roun
: induced the belief Of the crowd a
a whole that the bout was a Gu,
!. and-dried affair.
Tough on All Hands.
Both boxers and their handler
!. were greatly embit.ere by the az
! ton Of stopping the bout. Rosta
left the ring protesting that it wa
u the first time in his career of Z
+. battles that he had ever been lii
!. orally thrown out Of the ring fo
) any cause. Quinn was visibly sui
5 prised by the regrettable china
and for several moments he wa
4 too sstonnded to speak.
t There followed prolonged wrai
e gle in the box Office. the result ,
s which was that Howard Klove. att
letic off'cer OF the Rock Islam
legion, announced that Rostan ar
: Quinn would be paid only 800 eac
S for their services. thus forfeitin
!. the balance of their respective pc
< cottages because Of the oficial a,
ton of stopping their bout.
:. Sig Hart of Chicago. manager fl
!. Rostan, was greatly aggrieved /
: the cut and left the theatre wit
!. the threat Of bringing civil actio
against the various parties CO,
, cerned in the affair. Quinn ",
more philosophical. Not being a
, tended by Mike E. Collins of Mi,
: neapolis, his manager. he wisel
remained aloof and declared tn;
|, Collins would have to fight ii
{ matter out with the local Official
II Nellkhar Hit Of Rill.
1 Splendid entertainment was a
forded BY all six Of the prelimi]
!. airy scrappers. George Melicha
!. the Cedar Rapids grocer. proved h
J. utter mastery OF Tommy McKee
of Joliet. in the six-round sem
: windup. greatly to the edification
r his many new tri-city admirers.
=. Melichar was easily the hit Of Il
J. bill. winning every round but til,