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Show Spectators Influence Referees Decisions By OTTO PLOTO. DO AUDIENCES influence the judgment of the rofercc by thoir actions at tho ringside? That's a qunstioa that at times becomes serious so far as the men fighting in the ring arc concernod. Tho shouting to the mou, tho crowd that sits about always gratis with thoir advice, tho loud-mouthed fellow on the seats making mak-ing remarks reflecting on tho work of ono or tho other and laboring under tho impression that he's a comedian o some BOrt or other, always, of courso, fishing for a laugh; no matter how gnmo tho referee may bo. if "he hears this noiso constantly ringing iu his oars he becomes be-comes influenced regardless of how siu-core siu-core his intentions urn' be. Tkero is onjy ono. w3' in wliich to remedy this abuse, and that is to eject from the hall the first man offending in this manner. That slops it quicker than any other mothod. T .remember when tho Olympic club of Xow Orleans was at the height of its careor they allowed al-lowed 3'ou to applaud and hiss, but the firgt man that mado a romark to either of the men fighting in tho ring was- immediately im-mediately taken from the hall. As au illustration, tho night that Pitzsimmons 1 aud Mahor fought, it will be remcm-, remcm-, bcrod that in the first round Mahor ' practically knocked Fitr.siminons out, . tho bell alone saving him. "When Fitz came up for tho second round a man in j s tho gallery shouted. "You havca'f, got Jack Dempsoy in front of you now.1' 1 No sooner were tho words out of bis k mouth then Captaiu Barrett jumped to i his feet and, pointing to tho offender, ordered hiB policemen, to take him out. i ofi tho iiall, which, xjf course, theyi Im mediately did. Nob a man in tho h.ouse dared to speak after that, and you could hear a pin drop, so quiet was tho great crowd, seatod about tho arena. Another mcidont I recall occurred at Battory D, in Chicago. It was the night that Peter Jackson and Denver Ed Smith fought. Jackson woo sick that night and refused to sit down be-tweon be-tweon tlio rounds to rest, preferring to aland for reasons oil his own. After two or three rounds had passod aud he eaino bade to his corner, a rowdy shouted, "Sit down, or Smith will knock you down." Parson Da-vieo happened hap-pened to bo near, and, motioning to an officer, said: "Take that stiff out; ho wants to do a monologue, and his placo is on. tho stage and not watchiug a light among a lot of gcntlctnon." Iseedless to, say no further remarks wore paused. A notablo iucidont of whero a crowd iniiuencorl u roforcn was the timo that Xouug Corbett aud Jimmy Britt fought in Sau Francisco. Mind, before I start, 1 1 claim it would havo boon just as big I a robbery to havo awardod the decision decis-ion to Corbott as it waa when it was given to Britt. If ever there was n draw decision propor, it was on the occasion oc-casion T refer to. Bo that as it 'nay, when tho twentieth round wan boiug fought, tho crowd like one man roso and shouted, "Britt. Britt, Britt, etc." Jimmy was a San Prancisco boy, had fought, a great battle and, always being be-ing popular, his friends were oeaidc t hemsolves with enthusiasm. The fight at best waB closo, and when- tho great Britt cry pouetrated every inch of tho big pavilion, no ono could blamo Eddio Graney for rendering the decision decis-ion hn did. Yet it was iho grossest kind of injustico to Young Corbott, who waa even- bit as much entitled to the decision as was Britt. To my mind it behooves clubs staging stag-ing lights to correct this evil whenever it is ppBBible. Killing Avith au iron hand eliminates the evils quicker than anyone hnu an idea it will. Xf in donW. iunt try ii. |