Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-23

Moore Tragedy
Was SenseIess
By MORRIS SlEGEC

LOS ANGELES MAR. 23.-This is the City of the
Angels Soon also may to be known the city
where boxing died a helish death.
The Governor Of California, well as others both
here and elsewhere who have demanded the elimination
Of the sport have case to support their un-
warranted drive for abolition.
They need not look farther than Los Angeles for tragic
evidence Several months ago it Heavyweight Ale
landro Lavorante who touched off renewed plea to
stop this barbaric sport 1t SPORT Gov Pat Brown
phrased it yesterday Lavorante knocked
Los Angeles ring and stl is in a coma.
Now It's Davey Moore providing another grim exhibit.
This overseer and others who have defended boxngand
do it again now-are conscious their plea might not
needed this time
No post norton explanation will alter the Moore
tragedy But might prevent next time If there to
be next time for boxing. However events and mood ap
pear to be stacked against the game
The beating Moore took was senseless 1t could and
should have been prevented but the pressues Of the
fight sadly interfered with human judgment.
Had 1t not been for championship 1t would have
been stopped before the final damage DONE But this
was for the featheWeght crown and championship fights
rarely are stopped
SEVERAL OF US in the press row noted that Moore
once the stalking aggressor, seemed to be dragging
the two-ed spectacle There was no zip to his
punches and he oundered aimessy the 10th
round got under way
His opponent Sugar Ramos, nine years younger than
the 2o-yearod champ, had weathered mercess rata
tat mostly about the head. Youth and stamina on
the side Of the hardhtng Cuban The results pre-
vious fights beginning to tell on the fading title
holder.
Early in the round Ramos slugged Moore almost de-
fenseess by now with two ripping left and followed
with roundhouse right which almost caved in the side
Of Moores cheek The champ but rebounded SO
quickly that Referee Andy Laka didn't bother count
In non-title bout this would have demanded an
automatic eight count, which inhumanely Is waived in
title fights Moments later Ramos punches first spun
Moore around and then dropped him twice
He was draped the ropes his back to the ring
He bleeding from the mouth and nose and his eyes
were CLASSY Still there intervention only the toll
Of the referee
THE BELL HALTED the count at seven and Moore
wobbed to his corner His manager wise Willie Ketchum
knew the chase and gnaled to Latka his
little gamecock had had It, He should have been
allowed to take that kind OF beating" Ketchum said as
he worked on his fallen fighter shortly after the end
Referee Latka obviously didn't think Moore was IN
serious trouble He had intention of stopping fight
He admitted 1t Immediately after the bout when no one
sensed the tragedy that TO follow II would have let
him go one more round" Latka said.
In the dressing room. Moore who gave no indication
he DEATH talked for 20 minutes with reporters
He tired battered and bleeding he spoke coher-
entity However, there wasn't much he could say after
losing his title.
ut Just wasn't my night" he muttered How morbidly
prophetic his simple statement turned to be- scarcely
an hour later.