The Washington times., 1938-01-11
Hughes Queer Antics
Puzzle Fight Fans
Referee Tolls
Over Kanner
Standing Up
By FRANK "BUCK" O'NEnL

quest ended in a nightmare in two
minutes and five seconds of the
second round of his fight with
Buck Everett at Turner's Arena
last night as wild confusion
reigned. Denny Hughes, referee,
stopped the flight after perform,
ance that so far as this observer
recalls is without precedent in
boxing.
The line that separates farce
from tragedy oftentimes Is no
broader than a hair, and Hughes
stood squarely on that line, as
swayed, perhaps by emotion, per.
haps by indecision, he hesitated
in swift performance of his deSig-
mated duties.
Everett knocked Kanner down
with a smashing right hand drive
in the second round. Kanner
went down like log close to a
neutral corner. His neck hit the
lower rope which partially broke
the force of his fall, but did not
prevent Kanner'S head from Strlk-
ing the floor with a sickening
thump.
When Kanner fell a shout
arose: Hes out"
CROWD READY TO LEAVE
The crowd stood up, hats in
hands, ready to leave the Arena.
Pat O'Connor, knockdown time
keeper, started tolling curfew over
Kanner'S shattered hopes. For
four or five seconds Kanner lay
there as limp as a rag. Hughes,
in strict accordance with the code,
waved Everett to his corner. and
then returning, picked up the
count over the fallen fighter.
Approximately five seconds
elapsed before Kanner's jumbled
brain began to flash signals to
his numbed legs. He pushed him
self up, slowly, painfully Strug-
Cling with the paralysis that
gripped his muscles. Before
Hughes and O'Connor reached the
tenth second in their count, Kan
ner was on his feet. His arms
hung limp at his sides.
Standing there, swaying on his
feet, back half turned to Everett,
Kanner looked stupidity into space.
A silly smile split his ample fea-
lures.
Under the rules, Kanner was
up, and a legal target. Everett
leaping forward was ready to
launch another blow, as was his
right under the brutal code OF
the sour science.
HUGHES STEPS IN
At this juncture Hughes stepped
in between Everett and his help
less victim. Hughes up to this
point was within his rights. Under
Rule go of the District Code, the
referee may step in between men
to assure himself that a con-
teStant is in fit condition to con-
tinue.
It was obvious to one and all
that Kenner was not in condition
to continue. But Hughes had not
played his last card. He stood
there looking at Kanner, and for
some reason, not known, resumed
counting. He must have been
counting. He spoke some words,
and gesticulated after the fashion
of a referee counting.
His mummery must have struck
Kanneer as highly ridiculous, for
the swaying warrior suddenly
started to laugh, or maybe he was
crying. In any event, Kanner'S
face split into a half moon as he
stood there with Hughes sticking
fingers in his face.
A BELATED AWAKENING
At last it dawned upon the
referee that maybe another belt
on the whiskers would hurt this
fighter. Hughes then took action
that should have been taken the
very instant Kanner got up off
the boards.
BY no stretch of imagination
can Hughes act in counting over
Kanner as he stood in the ring be
justified. He is no novice. and
he cannot plead ignorance of the
rules. Rule So of the District
rules covers the case. The rule
says:
"A contestant is down when any
part of his body except the soles
of his feet is on the floor or when
he is hanging helplessly over the
ropes and the referee has started
to count over him." CA referee
may count a contestant out either
on the ropes, on the floor, in his
chair, or when rising from a
down" position).
WAS NOT ON ROPES
When Hughes started counting
the second time, Kanner stood
up, clear Of the ropes, and just
so far as the code was concerned,