Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-19
ONLY PA STR|BL|NC
PROTESTS CHOICE
Brassil's Selection by Bay
State Body Held Proper
Under Agreement.
BY EDWARD ]. NEIL,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

n A IAMI BEACH, Fla, February
MI 19.-The ballyhoo or not the
V ballyhoo seemed to be the
4 i question today as the rumblings
of a war over referees broke
the calm and beauty Of Sockland-by-
the-Sea, newest province Of f1sticuffs,
where fighters and their cohorts rub
elbows with the cream Of society.
In the pelting sun on the sands OF
the beach, along the boulevards. on
vefandas of hotels and homes, the
opinion was general that Johnny Bras
sill, 40-year- old veteran of New England
rings, would referee the fracas on Feb
ruary 81, between Jack Sharkey, the
silent sailor, and Young Stribling, clean
cut Georgian. And every one seems GER
tain of this, despite PA" Stribling'S
outraged declaration that he didn't raise
his boy to fight Boston heavyweight
with Boston referee in the same ring.
All the shooting, whether real or
feigned, hinges on the interpretations
of the contracts the two fighters hold
Corporation and indirectly with Jack
Dempsey, the former champion, who Is
learning about fight promotion from
two contenders for his old crown.
Johnny Buckley, plump little manager
of the BoStonian, says the issue is set
tied by the naming of BRASIL and Jack
Sheehan, both Boston referees. to the
disputed post by the Massachusetts
State Athletic Commission. Pa Strib-
ling says the fight has just begun.
What Managers Say.
In simple and sometimes coherent
phraseology, Buckley puts forward his
side of the situation this way:
IF you ask fellow one question
like is 1t gonna rain land he answers,
then you're done with that question,
raised a question about who should be
the referee and now it's answered. So
we're done with it. .
Pa Stribling thinks differently and
although he claims the clause in his
contract says the referee named by
the Massachusetts commission must be
mutually agreeable" Dempsey declares
that the clauses in both contracts are
the same.
That being the case, the disputed
clauses read thusly:
TT is agreed that the referee for the
contest shall be mutually agreed upon
by the parties Of this agreement, the
final selection to be made one week
before the contest. In the event that
the parties are unable to agree on the
official, 1t Is agreed that the Massa-
chusetts Boxing Commission shall name
the referee.
"If the said commission refuses or
neglects to name said official within
seven days Of the contest, then Jack
Dempsey shall designate the referee"
Matter Seems Settled.
with the issue so clearly defined. the
general opinion Is that BRASIL already
has been named to handle the major
fistcuffs q week from Wednesday night.
Since Florida has no boxing commits
sion and no State code governing q
match Of this kind. the rules Of the
Massachusetts, commission probably
viii govern the fray. This also stirs
the Strihling ire because no draw deci-
sions are permitted under the Massa-
chusettS code.
Regardless Of the referee controversy
that has not rufied hair Of Dempsey's
sleek head, nor given him visible signs
Of worry, the battle has been given its
final ballyhoo blast toward success.
There In close to $25o000 In cash re-
ceipts already in the box Office, huge
pile of reservations, and interest grow
Ing daily. The city already is packed
to the saturation point with visitors.
The best guess as to the ultimate gate"
ranges between $3.50, 900 and $400. 900.