Evening star., 1952-03-17

Boxing Conspiracy
Charged 10 IBC in
Antitrust Action
tcontinued From First Page.1

Continued From First Page.1
fendants obtained contracts from
champions and leading contenders
In oil major weight divisions re.
quiring, as q condition for pars
ticipating In title bouts. that they
box exclusively for the IBC.
Through this means. the charges
said, the IBC had excluded others
from the promotion Of such nights,
and controlled the sale Of radio,
television and motion picture
rights at the contests.
Exclusive Use Of Arenas.
The defendants also we're acA
lcused Of obtaining exclusive use
LOT all principal arenas In New
York. Chicago and other large
cities suitable for staging cham
lpionship bouts.
Through the conspiracy, the
charges said. the defendants had
succeeded in l949 In eliminating
1.-THE Tournament Of Champions.
Inc. the leading competing pro-
1moter Of championship matches.
/ In Washington, Attorney Gem
leral McGrath said the suit was
laimed at removing the monop-
|olistic control Of professional
championship boxing imposed by
these defendants" ii.
He said the public, as well as
contestants. promoters. radio and
television broadcasters and others
|are entitled to a free. competitive
market in q business which COM
mands such wide public interest. {"
| II. g. Morrison. Assistant At.
torney General in charge OF the
Antitrust Division, said the OBJ.
lject is to break up contracts that
"tie up" all major contenders and
arenas and ito sever all interlocks !
ing financial interests among the
/ defendants which contribute to {
continuation of their monopoly"
Harry Markson. managing di.
: -lrector Of the New York Interna-
: tional Boxing Club. refused COM
ment on the action.
In Chicago, Mr.. Wirtz's ONCE
reported he was out Of the city
: en- route by plane to Washington
Truman Gibson, IBC secretary
t In Chicago. refused comment OF
a the action although q club spokes.
man called attention to the fact
1t was civil and not criminal and
paralleled previous Government
suits against professional baseball
E land football.
o No indictments Returned.
4 A Federal grand jury wa,
formed last October when the Jus
~Itice Department launched its in
! Ivestigatioh into the boxing bust
! : ness. The jury was dismisse'
! March z without returning an,
y criminal indictments.
However, 1t handed up q recon
+ lmendation to Federal Judge viii
q liam Bondy that a civil anti-trus
: lsuit be instituted to end q "re
lstraint Of trade" In fight promo
: ton and hroadcasting.
Is About 80 witnesses were ques
it toned by the grand jury, includ
r. ling Sugar Ray Robinson, middle
le weight champion.
d The New York State Athleti
Il Commission. through Commis
! lsioner Robert M. Christenberry
e co-operated in the inquiry.
3 The IBC opened the wedge O
a its operations by taking in 10
: Louis, retiring heavyweight cham
r lpion, as a partner on March
1949, and setting up the title bou
between Ezzard Charles and Jer
sey Joe Walcott in June, 1949.
Bought Out Mike Jacobs.
Then the Norris -Wirtz combin
on May S bought out the inter
ests Of Mike Jacobs Twentiet
Century Sporting Club, which ha
succeeded the late Tex Rickar
7: as the kingpin of big-time boxin,
d Two weeks later the IBC rubbe
'r lout its only outstanding compe
n (See BOXING, Page A-14.)