Evening star., 1952-04-24
Split Decision
Fails 10 Boost
Smith Prestige
Many Take Exception
And Coll 1t Fuvoritism
For Hometown Boxer
picture on Page C-3J
By George Huber

lVICCOfleS IOf FeaCnerWelgnC Gene
Smith are doing nothing to enhance
his popularity and prestige in his
home town. AS his manager, Irv-
ing Cohen, remarked after last
nights narrow verdict over Fabela
Chavez, "The boys got to win by a
knockout or nobody likes it."
The 2-1 decision before 2,062
customers at Uline Arena-and
thousands of others on television-
came just three weeks after a
similar win over Glen Flanagan.
The victory was Smiths 31st in a
row, but it wasn't popular With all
the crowd at Uline's. There was
quite scattering of boos, along
with cries of robbery" and home
town decision"
Referee Harry Volkman called
it for Chavez. 97-90, under the
point system, while the two judges
voted for Smith. Harry Childs
had it 97-96, while Charlie Buck
called it 96-92. The points totaled
up to 285-283 for the visitor from
Hollywood. Calf, but fights here
aren't decided that way.
Loser is Philosophical.
Oddly enough, there wasn't too
much complaining in Chavez's S
dressing room afterward. The
fighter himself was in a philo-
lsophical mood. That's the kind
of business this is" he said.
Some you win, some you lose"
His manager, George Parnassus,
was mildly irritated at the verdict,
but complained even more about
Smiths fight tactics. He pointed
to bruises on both Of Chavez's
eyelids.
"You don't get those from
blows. 1t takes a thumb to do it,"
Parnassus said. "A punch lands
on the bone and you get cut
over your eye or your cheek swells.
But any time you see a bruised
eyelid it means somebody's thumb
has been there. The referee
should have watched it,"
OF the two fighters, Smith ap-
peared the more beaten up. He
had beautiful swelling that vir-
tually closed his left eye, but he
said he was able to see out of it
all during the fight. The swelling
started in the first round, and
Trainer Whitley Bimstein was busy
with the ice bag between rounds
thereafter.
Weighs More Than Usual.
Smith was trying to explain
how he weighed 129 pounds in
stead of the 124 or 125 that is his
best weight. He was slow and
admitted it, and his timing was
off. But he claimed he hit Chavez
with some good shots, the kind
that have dropped other fighters.
but that Chavez just wouldn't go|
down.
Smiths lefthand, injured three
weeks ago against Flanagan,
didn't bother him, the fighter said
but he admitted favoring it and
said he didn't use it as much as
possible.
Gene had a weight advantage
OF pound and one-half as Cha
lvez entered the ring at 127H.
There's nothing definite in
Smith's immediate future plans.
Manager Cohen said. He plans
to give the District boy about four
weeks of rest to let his eye and
hand heal.
The fight itself had dull and
Slow spots, Spiced by occasional
f1urries. There were no knock
downs and nothing really close ;,
although Smith did rock Chavez
with some rights toward the end
of the sixth round. Chavez him
self was pretty good with a body
attack at times. but, all in all, It'll
wasn't one Of the more excitingl
| fights.
Cooper Scores KO.
Best Of the prelims was Feather
weight Jimmy Cooper's first-round
knockout win over Ike Wilson of
Philadelphia. The end came atI
|2:591a as Referee Marty Gal
lagher stopped it with Wilson onI
the floor for the second time
just as the bell rang.
In other prelims, Heavyweight
Bert Whitehurt defeated Kid
Saucer in four rounds, Middle
weights Young Satan and Baby Joe
went four rounds to q draw, and
IWelterweight Gene Gunter stopped
Reggie johnson in the second.
In a middleweight bout after the
main event, Clarence Hinnant
won a four-round decision, over
Curtis Wade.
The gross gate was announced
at $4,060.40, with a net of
$2.990.12. Yet, because television
contributed handsomely to the
kitty. Promoter Goldie Ahearn
said he was well pleased and that