New Britain herald., 1929-04-16
Speakins g of Sports

I or . p o rtS { 1oeoooooeeoeoooooooeeoees
 Jean Ciezynski of this city. who rerecently won the junior diving championship of New England. will follow in the footsteps of her brotk- CT. Dr. Henry J. Ciezynski. and will become 8 dentist.
 8he is q third year student at TtUts Dental college and is the only young lady out of a class of 70. All the others are young men.
 Although emeshed in the web of studies which attends the course, Miss Ciexynski manages to find time to still enter swimming meets and she very often carries off prizes.
 She first attracted attention as a swimmer about six years ago while . student at the New Britain high school. At that time, the New Ha- ven Swimming club staged three- mile race and Jean entered. She spent several weeks in training and she engaged . pilot.
 The pilot deserted her but, noth- ing daunted. she started without a pilot and went the entire distance with no one to guide her She soon got out in front and was never head ed. It was her first and her greatest triumph.
 She soon got into class all by herself and competition was scarce. Then she took to diving. She entered all sorts of meets and in short time. she was diving champion along with being the title holder among the swimmers.
 After graduating from the local high school, she decided to follow in her brothers footsteps. She entered Tufts but she was urged to keep at swimming. She joined the Boston Swimming association and in the past three years has won many cups ard medals. A week ago she won the junior diving championship at Lynn, Mass. and it is predicted that. be- fore long. she will win the coveted senior honors.
 She is 20 years of age and when she finishes her dentistry course. she hopes to return to this city to take up her life work with her brother and sister, a student of dental hy- giene.
 A number Of the fight fans who attend the amateur tournaments at the Stanley Arena. are prone to be loud and raucous in their criticism of the work of John Willis. club referee. On several occasions. the grey-haired official. has been the subject of line of razzing from certain sections of the arena and more especially on one point, the nickname he received in days gone by of Honest John"
 A reversion bck about 25 years or 50 might shed little light on the why's and wherefores of that title. This might not tend to hamp- CT the ardor of those who try so in- effectively to get under Johnny's skin. but it will probably show fhere he got his title, a well-earned one.
 We are not commenting on the right of wrong of the decisions as rendered by Willis while in the ring. but we are defending his innate hon. esty, known to so many more besides ourselves. No referee ever lived who could satisfy everyone and most gen. orally, the referee is wrong in these days of sentimental judgment in a prize fight ring.
 Old timers who followed the fight game in the same hall on Church street that is now being used, tell us that Willis was the one and only referee upon whom the gamblers in those days would depend for an hon. est decision in 2 fight.
 The story goes that when any other referee but Willis was in the ring, the bets were of. With Willis in, the bets were on and the loser took his beating with the invariable remark. Well. got an honest shake. anyway"
 As the years passed and the fight game fourished. Willis had the con- fidence of the public 50 tightly held that one night, when he was intro- ouced as Honest John" Willis. the name fitted good and it has stuck every since.
 We do not always agree with Will lis when he renders his verdicts but we have seen many referee, with 8 big reputation, who couldn't hold . candle to him. Then again, there are just as many who think he is right as there are those who think he is wrong.
 The performances of some of those who feel that they would like to arbitrate in the ring, has furnished many of the fans with a comparison between them and Willis and we know of several who have changed their attitude toward the old timer. They now thinl. Johnny is pretty good official.
 A party composed of Thomas Quinlivan. Bob Carlson, Gus Nelson. Roy Spencer and Emil Nelson. one of the "deck-hands" at city hall. went on a trout fishing expedition to Canton, yesterday. The Nelson brothers claimed to have the largest mess of trout. but physical evidences were lacking in the Marble Hall" today.