The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-26
Huge Crowd Is Thrown Into
Panic at Fields Thompson
Chicago Bout.
BY BERT DENNY

United Press Staff Correspondent
CHICAGO, March 26.-Thirty-
five persons were treated for injuries
in hospitals today after 10000 per-
sons were thrown into panic in the
Coliseum Monday night as Jackie
Fields and Young Jack Thompson
fought in a National Boxing Asso-
citation worlds welterweight cham
pionship match.
Starting with fight between two
Negroes in the rear of the large hall,
the panic spread until the entire
crowd was surging about the ring.
AS many as could leaped through
the ropes into the ring, stopping the
fight in the middle of the eighth
round and trampling the boxers.
Twelve of the hurt remained in
hospitals, their injuries being seri-
Gus.
Roar of collapsing chairs, shouts
OF men and screams of women added
to the din which grew terrific.
Faint Cracking Starts Riot
The 10000 spectators were watch
ing the championship fight intent
ly when faint cracking was heard
from the northwest corner of the
hall, where the fight between the
Negroes started. Before any one
could ascertain the cause, the
cracking grew to a rumble, then
to a roar, as spectators rushed to-
ward the ring, pushing a wave of
collapSible chairs.
The crowd in the balcony set up
a roar, some one shouting that the
building was collapsing, others that
a riot had started.
A raucous voice shouted:
Lets get the hell out of here"
and the crowd surged toward the
exits.
Fighters Are TrampIed
At this point the fighters went
into clinch and both, obviously
excited, turned toward the commo-
ton.
BY this time spectators began to
leap into the ring.
Referee Ed Purdy stepped be-
tween the boxers and seconds went
to the ring.
The press row, overrun by the
mob endeavored to work their wires,
but spectators climbed wildly
through the section and stepping on
the backs and heads of the writer's
clambered into the ring.
Some one at the main entrance
a few feet from the ring had pres
ence of mind enough to start an
organized movement to calm the
crowd.
A general shout arose from the
ring and the main entrance plead
ing with TIE crowd to "stop the
riot, nothinsN wrong"
The mob vas checked momen-
tarily by fashight explosions set of
by photographers near the main en-
trance. Those IN the ring seized the
chance and obtained quiet for an
instant by beseSsehing the crowd to
behave.
CurlouSlV enough, LnlS WIG MOP,
which a ninutA before had been
bent on getting out. listened and
needed.
Ushers and officials went into ac-
tim to force the crowd into its seats
again.
The fight officials seized this mo-
ment to put the fighters back in
the ring, and the crowd, sensing
again the thrill of fight, stood still
during the remaindef of the inter-
rupted eighth round tnd settled into
its seats while the boderS rested be-
tween the eighth and ninth rounds.
The crowd was On edge during
the rest of the bout, but apparent
~ forgot the riot with wild cheer
ing when it saw a home town boys
hand lifted as welterweight cham
pion of the world.
The Negroes, who started the
panic, vanished. No one was ar
rested. AInhulanceS and patrol
wagons took the injured to hospitals.