BOXING & BOXERS M'GOORTY'S WIN OVER JEFF SMITH

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1914, Page 15

BOXING & BOXERS M'GOORTY'S WIN OVER JEFF SMITH

BEDLAM BREAKS LOOSE, Cable messages last week told of the ' result of. the fight at Sydney Stadium between Eddie M'Goorty and Jeff Smith, of the dissatisfaction at the decision, and of the' management's action in Tegard to the referee (Mr. Scott). Here is the Daily Telegraph's account of what took place when the decision was given : "A snarl like that of an immense tiger, swelling to hootinjg, that swept, the Stadium as the gusts of a fierce etorm, went up from the thousands who had assembled to witness the battle between Jeff Smith and Eddie M'Goorty, when at the end of their twenty rounds' bout' on Saturday night (14th) Referee Arthur Scott indicated MJGoorty as the winner. "Smith had won the fight beyond- any shadow of doubt. As a matter of fact, many desired that he should win earlier, for hundreds yelled 'Disqualify him!' when in the twelfth round M'Goorty's left, struck his opponent foully. M'Goorty apologised, and Scott let him off with a caution. There was a demonstration then against the referee 1 , but. it was as the disturbance of a pebble flung into the ocean to the Storm that surged and eddied at the finish. "Men--- jumped on chairs and shouted incoherent things. 'Shame,' 'Oh, cruel,' and a hundred other cries blended in a maudlin babel. Al. Lippe (Jeff Smith's manager) darted across the ring, fiercely expostulating at the quickly-de-parting referee. Through the Topes ho clamoured after him, and for * moment it appeared that he would attack Scott. Mr. Harold Baker and a couple of others intercepted him, and that trouble was over. But the crowd roared on — now cheering, now groaning, flow hooting. Jef£ -Smith, with tears •of mortification dimming his eyes, stood dazedly holding the ropes, the while men surged to get near him to shout their sympathy and congratulations. No such scene has been witnessed in the Stadium before. M'Goorty, astounded, mad&his way out. The crowd hooted and howled at him. Her« and there a supporter pushed through to congratulate him, some only to be Bhouldered roughly aside and told vehemently to 'shut up.' But it wasn't M'Goorty's faul£, and it wasn't fair to hun'that he should he thus treated. A crowd that feels iteelf outraged, however, is an insensate thing. It could not see the referee. It could see M'GooTty, and it badly wanted someone- to vent its wrath upon. And the things that 'were said, if they be evidences of intended action, mean that the Stadium is to get a setback. Hundreds declared with warmth that it was the last time they would go there to see a contest. Others ■used more violent terms to express their dissatisfaction. . Mr. Harry Keesing, chief of the managerial staff, was plainly perturbed as he walked away from the din to his office. His face was a study in solemnity; his absorption was such that he did not appear to hear remarks addressed to him. "Jeff Smith, was imprisoned in the ring for many minutes after the termination of the contest. He would have _ had to fight his way out. All the plaudits were his ; all the sympathy that went out to him, conveyed by brief handclasps and briefer pats on the shoulder, .were consolatory, no doubt. But the dcv cision was toot his, and when a. man is up in the van of the world's best, and fighting his way to the championship, it is the decision that counts. It matters not -that 12,000 people here in Sydney know that he won ; the great American boxing public, whose attention has been as keenly riveted on this battle as though the contest were on American soil — and the boxing world at large for that matter—will read in the record, -'Eddie M'Goorty beat Smith, on points, 20 rounds.'' "The decision was glaringly wrong, and thousands upon thousands of people said so in a fashion that cannot be ignored, and few will be surprised if boxing gets a* severe setback 'as a result. No man declared to have lost a contest has been accorded the ovation that-Smith got, and that, notwithstanding, that M'Goorty was favourite. . "A brief summary of the bout, as the writer saw^ it, is : Smith, won thirteen rounds, M'Goorty won six rounds; one round was even, with the advantage, if any, Smith's." MANAGEMENT'S STRONG ACTION. Mr. Harry Keesing, chief of the Sta-

dium managerial staff, subsequently made the announcement that the management thought the decision did "not do justice to Smith, and had determined to do everything in its power to rectify matters. "Throughout the piece," he said, "we have said the winner of the contest would meet Jimmy Clabby for the world's championship on Easter Monday. We have decided that Jeff Smith shall be Clabby's opponent on that occasion. "In further support of our views, we have completed arrangements' as the result of which Mr. Harold Baker will fill the position of stadium referee. The matter was fully gone into on Saturday night. We have no doubt that the appointment will* commend "itself, for Mr. Baker has not only a wide knowledge of • the game, but also is popular among sporting men. "Mr. Reg. Baker has been communicated with. The cable now awaits him at London, where he will arrive to-mor-row. We have given hinman outline of what happened, and the action we are taking." , "We have undertaken that we will see that our official action is communicated to every jrtotninent paper and every boxing authority in France, England, and America." .