Imperial Valley press., 1932-06-07
SPORTS PARADE
OFFERS VARIETY
IN TODAY'S NEWS
By HENRY McLEMORE
United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
NEW YORK, June Harry Err
tie, secretary of the New Jersey
Athletic commission, died yesterday
peacefully.
There was a time, however, when
Ertle would have sold his chances
of passing out calmly to the first
bidder, no questions asked.
Back IN the early twenties Ertle,
then one of the countrys better
referees, accepted Joe Jacobs invi-
tation to accompany him and his
man Mike McTigue, on little foray
into Georgia.
81 have been asked" Jacobs told
Ertle, ito bring the light-heavy-
weight champion to a place called
Columbus for a fight with yokel
named Stribling-Young Stribling.
1t seems this Stribling has been
knocking all the farmers in his
region bow-legged, until the citizens
have come to think he is a COM
bination Of Dempsey, Fitz and
Corbett rolled into one. Now I
don't think this bird can hit Mike
with a handful of confetti, but
just to make sure my man gets a
square deal, I'd like you to go along
and referee"
Jacobs first official act after ar
irving in Columbus was to take a
look at Stribling. What he saw
must have alarmed him, for after
a conference with Mike and Harry,
Jacobs announced that the fight
must be called on account OF NC
Tigue's badly injured thumb.
Jacobs was told that there would
be a Fighter else. This "or else
business, legend has it, was ac-
companied by sinister tapping on
the butts Of revolvers and suggest
i've gestures toward pine trees.
Jacobs called for medical exam
ination. Several of the states bet
ter thumb specialists were called in
and were unable to find anything
more serious than a freckle on the
champions injured hand"
Came the night of the fight.
Plenty OF Guns
The generally accepted story of
the battle of Columbus has it that
the arena was nothing more than
human arsenal when the fight
began.
The fifth round had not passed
when it was evident that Stribling,
unless he broke leg, was going to
be the next light-heavyweight
champion of the world. Old Mike,
not in the best of condition, was
no match for the clever and tire
less southerner. AS the final bell
changed, the customers let loose a
mighty shout of triumph, so GER
tain were they that Ertle was 60
ing to raise Stribling's hand in
triumph.
But Ertle did no such thing. True
to his trust, he called it a draw.
Bedlam, as the boys say, broke
loose. Certain their man had been
robbed, the customers stormed the
ring and threatened to hang, shoot
and quarter not only Ertle, but Nc
Tigue and Jacobs as well.
One look at that angry mob, and
Ertle reversed his decision, award
ing the bout to Stribling. While
the Georgians celebrated, Ertle and
Joe and Mike made haste in an
amazing fashion. Jacobs insists to
this day that had he been timed,
his speed in catching the first
north-bound train would have brok-
en- all existing records.
Once safe in the Pullman, Ertle
decided to check his score card.
Just as the train swept out of the
state ErtIe discovered, to his dis
may that McTigue had won six
rounds to Striblings four. Of
course, there was only one thing
to do. He must right the great
wrong he had done to McTigue.
So he changed his decision for
the third time, and called McTigue
the winner.
This, SO far is known, is the
only triple play known to boxing.