The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-07-30
YEP. BILLY LEE ASKED FOR IT.!

YEF, b1LLx LEE ASAED rON IA .
 Among the more amusing incl
 dents of the week was the spec
 tacle of Billy Lee of The Hart
 ford Courant leading with his
 right by taking Dan Parker of
 The N. Y. Mirror for ride. The
 result was a. counter attack by
 the nations No. sportscribe.
 which left Lee looking as though
 he had been run through ham,
 burger machine.
 As the one responsible for giv-
 ing Billy his first break in the
 writing game, I think I am quali-
 fled to say that the boxing brains
 in the Lee family practically van-
 ished with the passing of his
 father, the great Terry Lee.
 If I was sporting editor in
 Hartford, would spend my time
 seeking some of the local rackets
 and racketeers, rather than att
 tacking a man like Dan Parker,
 who has become one of the dom-
 mating figures in US. sportdom.
 Terry Lee never would have ap-
 proved of that blast at Parker"
 And now, have 8 look at Bill Lees reply to Parker's reply to Lees original salvo:
 COME. COME, MIR. PARKER"
 Strike me pink if I don't think my friend Dan Parker is little irked at what he calls my "acri- monious essay" I wrote a column taking Daniel to task for criticizing the action of Referee Lou Bogash in stopping the Maufiello-Eagle fight in Waterbury, contest Dan did not attend. Parker, in retail ation, wrote half column blast of yours truly. That represents a spread in newspaper space highly complimentary to me, since Parker is better paid, more famous and has readers that must run into the millions. Besides, he is 6-4, weighs more than 200 pounds and hits hard with either hand. 70 Dan thinks what I wrote added up to accusing him of invading territory that belongs exclusively to me, that I think it wrong for a writer to venture an opinion on a sports event he has not seen and that prize fights like bull fights, should be administered with en- tertainment of the spectators, the first consideration and the phys ieal safety of the contestants sec- ondary.
 Neither the writer, nor any other Connecticut scrivener I know. thinks this state an exclusive prov- ince. When New York writers as big as Parker devote some space to Connecticut sports, I'm sure we feel little flattered.
 My objection, which still stands. Is that Parker wrote an arbitrary report on something he didn't see. He started his comment. in this fashion: Lou Bogash got himself damned up"-and m de no qualifying statement such as "ac., cording to my Connecticut man, Abercrombie" or from what I hear via the Nutmeg under ground" This was bad reporting, something of which all of us in this business are guilty on occa- sion. In this case 1t made those of us who had reported otherwise look like $ bunch of dopes who were out having a drink when Bo- gash stopped the fight.
 The sportswriter probably never lived who refrained from touching upon events he had not seen with his own eyes. Dan is right in that sense. l couldn't write daily column lim- tied to events I had witnessed, and doubt that anyone else could.
 But hope l never begin Q para graph about Q fight I didn't see by writing: That was a bagged fight at the Garden Friday night" hope at the very least I will add-"ac- cording to my man, Fitch"
 l did Dan an injustice when I asked If he had taken his report on the fight from Jack Moore. Eagles New York manager. I should have remembered that Parker always keeps a supply Of salt on his desk Co sprinkle upon any and all stories brought there by fight iinnafers.
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