Evening star., 1940-05-13
Seems 10 Feel Guilty
Over Ban on Jeffra
And Archibald
Promises Another Title
Scrop for Washington
If Next One Clicks

scrap for washington
If Next One Clicks
BY LEWIS F. ATCHIsON.
If the cash register doesn't de-
velop q hot box ringing up ticket
sales Wednesday night when Petey
Scalzo and Frankie Covelli get to-
gether at Grifnth Stadium In . Is
round joust for the National Boxing
Association featherweight cham.
pionship. the District ring commits
sion as well as Promoter Joe Turner
will be sorely vexed.
Already the commission is fidset.
ing about the financial returns. It's
chairman, Claude Owen, has writ
ten every sports department asking
whole-hearted cooperation in put
ting over the bout. He points out
that If 1t draws well washington
will receive another featherweight
title match later in the summer. A
good point-and It's . good bout,
so no need to worry on that score.
But why this sudden interest in
Turner's welfare? Why this output
Of propaganda from the commits
sion when never before has it in
terceded for any promoter in any.
thing but q charity show? The
answer appears to be that the gov
erning group is admitting 1t erred
IN refusing Turner permission to
put. on the return match between
Joey Archibald, dethroned N. B. A..
title holder, and Harry Jeffa Of Bal
timore.
A Big Blow to Turner.
1t lifted q healthy wad OF dough
from Turner's pocket when 1t vetoed
that one. It was q natural for
Washington, but the commission
frowned on it because the N. B. A.
said Archibald was champion no
longer and couldn't advertise him
self as such. Thus, II this impend-
Ing Scalzo- Covelli bout fails to pull
'em in the commission will be put
IN the unfavorable light of throwing
out . popular match for another
not so popular.
The, ragged query Of whats
wrong with boxing In Washington"
went home to roost on the harassed
commissions doorstep when it per.
mitted an imported referee to ON
ciate in the Archibald-Je -Jeffra match,
an outright violation of its own rule,
and refused to reverse the decision
after admitting 1t idiotic. 1t point
ed an accusing finger at sports
writer's and the only indoor arena
available and said they were to
blame. all the while cloakine itself
In a mantle of righteous indigna-
ton.
Well, a return match, even months
after 1t was proposed-and the
commission did want q return en-
gagement pronto - would have
packed In the customers, pulled
Turner out of a bad financial hole
and satisfied q sports populace howl
ing for justice. Disregarding AL
Wells verbal promises, which
weren't worth the breath he used
to utter them, and all the rest Of
Archibald's agents Inconsistencies
the fact remains that the Archibald
Je1ra bout belonged in Wash.
ington. ..., 49,.
d. c. Commission at Fault.
Maryland grabbed the match
when offered it and Louisiana
promptly declared a native son,
Jimmy Perrin, its champion when
the featherweight situation became
snarled. But Washington's COM
mission didn't think enough of its
hometown interests even to con-
slder the match because the N. B.
A. said 1t wasn't a good policy.
Heine Miller, president of the
N. B. A., sat In on the conference
which handed down the decision
as technical adviser to the COM
mission. He didn't vote, but it
wasn't just right to have him act
Ing in the dual capacity of secre-
tary and adviser to the local COM
mission and prexy of the N. B. A,
during the discussion. We had N.
B. A. interests too much at heart
for our own good The commission,s
f1rst concern is with District affairs
and the associations should come
after, but the gentlemen reversed
the procedure.
Whoever wins Wednesdays bout
Will be brought back for another
match If the gate is large enough
to warrant another title bout. Maybe
1t will be against the winner OF
the Archibald-Jeffra scrap. If that
could be arranged it would iron
out the ruined conditions existing
among the l26-pounders and nut
a sweet finish to a sour story. But
the commission can be assured the
press will do nothing to sabotage the
works and wishes it could be as
sured OF a similar official attitude.
Scalzo boxed four rounds with
Carlo Guggino and shadow boxed
four more yesterday at Turner's
Arena after Covelh worked with
Billy Banks and Ray Lands. Both
nghters will indulge in their last
workout this afternoon at 1850 and
Will take it easy tomorrow. They're
as keen as couple Of new razor
blades.
Horse Show Saturday
ELL1COTr CITY, Md. May ls
R.-Plans have been completed for
the annual Doughoregan Manor
Horse Show, to be held Saturday