Evening star., 1928-12-11
BOXING BOARD RULE
STRICTLY ENFORCED
Referee Cites Regulations
Governing KnockdoWns
in Title Battle.
THE TRUTH ABOUT
THAT Ia COUNT
BY DAVE BARRY.

4 4 where was employed as boxing
instructor. / was told to repor
at the Office of the boxing commission
as "soon as possible"
I got to the Offices about noon.
stenograpl1er ushered me into Chairman
Righeimer's private room. Seated thert
around Mr.. Righeimer's desk were Phi
Collins Davie Miller, Joe MacNamara
Tommy Thomas and a fellow named
Byers from Decatur. The other five
were Chicagoans licensed to refere'
bouts. Besides the referees, those II
the room were Righeimer, Prehn
Huncke and Walter George, secretar!
of the commission. Several other fel'
lows who had served as judges at pre-
yiouS Chicago fights and Paul Beeler
who previously had served as a time
keeper, also were there. The press was
barred.
What Righeimer Said.
Righeimer opened the meeting b.
saying: ,
This fight tonight is the bigges
thing of its sort ever to come to Chi
cago. Inasmuch as it is a civic affair
one that will either reflect credit o.
discredit upon the whole city, and II
view of the fact that there have been
charges Of fouling in one Of the con-
testant's previous fights, we must be
sure that there can be no repetition ol
these charges tonight" (Mr. Rig
heimer, I thought then and believe
now, was referring to the public clamol
about whether or not Dempsey hac
fouled Sharkey)
The rules of the Illinois Boxing Com
mission then were taken up one by
one. Mr.. Righeimer read them ano
asked If every one present Thoroughly
understood them. There was .gooc
deal of discussion. Particular emphasis
was laid upon 1.-The knockdown rule
Here Are the Rules.
The rules which have been the SUBJ
iect nf so much argument now are
Nos. 81 and SO IN the Manual OF Rules
nf the Illinois Athletic Commission ano
anpear under the general heaolng,
"Knockdowns," on page 26.
No. 81 reads:
-onent shall retire to the fartnest
corner Of the ring and remain mere
until the count is completed. Snoulo
he fail to do so, the referee VIII cease
counting until he has SO retreo'
No. 88 reads:
:sWhen a 'knockdown' occurs the
tinnekeeper shall Immediately arise and
announce the seconds audibly as they
elause. The referee shall first see thaC
the opponent retireS to the farthest
corner of the ring and then, turning
to the tinekeeper, shall take up the
count in unison with the timekeeper
Announcing the seconds to the boxer
on the floor. Should the boxer on hls
feet fail to stay in the said corner, the
referee and timekeeper may cease
counting until he has so retired. AT
the tenth second, providing the termi-
nation OF the round has not happened
in the meantime, he will strike the
gong twice" ~.
What Was Meant?
Mr.. Righeimer asked, do all Of you
referees understand Just what is meant
by the knockdown rule?"
This query brought on hot discus
sion. Some pointed out that there was
conflict in the wording on the point OF
whether the referee should take up the
count in unison with the tinekeeper
or start the count from where he, the
referee, left of when he started to get
the boxer on his feet into the farthest
corner of the ring. I asked the COM
misSioners how they reconciled the
statement, /. e., Should he fail to do
so ego to the farthest corner the
referee will cease counting until he has
so retired" with the statement. i. e.,
"The referee shall first see that the op-
ponent retireS to the farthest corner
of the ring and then, turning to the
timekeeper, shall take up the count In
unison with the timekeeper."
The commissioners ruled that a sue
ceeding sentence now in rule 88 an
swered this question. That sentence
reads. Should the boxer on his feet
fail to stay in the said corner, the ref
cree and timekeeper shall cease count
ing until he has so retired"
The commissioners realized that there
was conflict on the matter whether the
referee, having quit counting, should
resume the count in unison with the
timekeeper or take it up where he, the
referee. had left off.
But the commissioners deciSively and
unanimously pointed out that the time
keeper was merely an auxiliary to the
referee. 1t Is only recent innovation
which calls for the timekeeper to make
an audible count. Ring usage never
has permitted tirnekeeper to count a
boxer out. Counting man out is solely
the function Of the referee.
They Were Unanimous.
Hence the commissions agreemen
that the timekeeper should cease count
ing when the referee ceased counting.
1t was plain that when the referet
resumed counting he should pick III
where he had stopped.
In other words, the commission choS
absolutely to ignore the phraseolog,
e.f Da5la fa IL
unison with the timekeeper''-a 81
eGviSed all referees present.
It was explained that the only reasol
for the phrase "in unison with tn
tinekeeper," was an attempt to make
referees count, often times either to-
long or too short for 10 seconds,
true tolling of the seconds as licked of
On stop watch.
After a full discussion and a clear
cut definition Of the rules in regard t
the count, several of the referees asket
the commissioners what they regarde,
t'thc farthest corner of the ring"
Define ''Farthest Corner"
The commissioners unanimousl
agreed that the farthest corner Of tn
ring must be taken to mean the farthes
neutral corners, the neutral corners, G
course, being those not occupied by tn
contestants and their seconds betwee
rounds.
All the rules in the commission lis
having been discussed, Righeimer agai
spoke Of the magnitude of the affai
s'The eyes Of the world will be on Chi
cago tonight" he said. 1T will be u
to cne of you fellows to uphold the city
honor" The meeting lasted about fou
hours, ending about pm.
There was some discussion about tn
advisability Of keeping those present tC
gether. But since no arrangements ha
been made, all of those present weI
placed on their honor to say nothir
as to the fact they might be chosen
referee or judge or be timekeeper
the fight.
Thursday Dave Barry tells hos
after being convinced he was eliminate
nc M, oI;oibIo for rpferpp of the Tunne