The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-11-03

Whats the real story behind the calling orr Of bets on the Britton- been told, but one local ring authority has arrived at a conclusion that ap- pears plausible. Before the fight the odds were to 1 on Britton, while the odds suddenly shifted to to and g to on Walker.
 Britton, he said, refused to go on with the fight unless an nOuncement was made that all bets were off. Jack knew his OVjn condition better than anyone else. He knew his friends were betting on him. He also was aware he couldn't beat the rug ged and more youthful Jersey boy. These friends had stood staunchly by him for years and he did not want them to lose their money.
 Britton got a line on the prowess of Walker in their former bout and he knew the fighting mettle in Mickey so Jack saw the handwriting on the wall. He realized he was at the end of the championship rope. In other words, he walked into defeat.
 The word was passed along to his friends on his condition.
 Britton, who has enjoyed an unbIennished reputation as a boxer demonstrated he was honorable by protecting the money of his Ie- zion of friends, by refusing to fight until all bets were called off.
 After the backdoVn of BrittOn and the then champions friends found he was at the last ditch and couldn't win, they got busy and started to hedge, built Walkers odds up and made him the favorite-and then the grand - rush for the '<suckers."
 Now, enters Mickey Walker into the affair. He also insisted that his friends be protected and insisted that bets be called off.
 A sort of parlor platform, go three cheers for Mickey for be- ing in the "honorabIe'' and ''gentlemen's' class.
 By calling down the bets the New York State boxing solons did the right thing and saved the game from @ black eye. Their action prevented the big bettors from making a 'hog killing at the expense of the small 1 fry among the Britton crowd who | had their money up before the switch in odds and did not have the 'mak- ings'' to hedge.
 Another bit of gossip is that Brttton, if he had to lose the title was quite content to let a
 
 Walkers Ca1iber win 1t without any unnecessary shedding of tears.
 Quite @ gentlemanly affair all the way through, eh Mister Fan.
 A few years back some local fight fans got their fingers burnt and are still showing the blister marks. It was the famous upset in tho betting odds when Peter Maher and Mccoy fought, only the conditions were reversed Britton stood pat to lose, and not to, win.
 Another local fan in airing his views declared the New York Com missioners acted exactly right. He recalled 8 fight in Bridgeport not so many moons ago when one of Bridge ports boxers, who had carried thous- anda of dollars of local sports, de- clared before the fight "he was never in better condition" After losing the backed him on his assertions, had dropped piles of dough, he offered an a1ibi of having a lame hand and of not being in condition. At that time many local sports raised the howl. '"Why didn't he have the bets declar- ed off ?"
 The gambling interests not so long ago dealt a terrific waIlop on the backbone of baseball and today the boxing game in New York is being menaced, 1t appearA