1912-05-29 Packey McFarland ND10 Ray Bronson [Independence Ball Park, Indianapolis, IN, USA]

1912-05-30 The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN) (page 10)

Big Crowd Witnesses Boxing Bouts at Washington Park.
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BRONSON HANDS PACKEY SURPRISE
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Makes Low Weight and Holds His Own in Bout With Clever Chicagoan.
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CHICK HAYES TAKES COUNT
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Popular Bantamweight Runs Into Punch and Loses to Young Herman.
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BY H. G. COPELAND.

Packey McFarland had his hands full last night when he met Ray Bronson in a ten-round, no-decision bout before 8,000 enthusiastic ring fans at Washington Park. Packey, it was announced, was coming to Indianapolis for a big guarantee and thirty minutes of good exercise. He got them both, but it's a big question whether a referee would have given him anything more had a decision been given.

Bronson is entitled to credit for the battle he put up, for he entered the ring only a few minutes after little Chick Hayes, his protege and close friend, had unexpectedly been knocked out in the second round by Young Herman, the hard-hitting bantamweight from Pekin, Ill. The defeat of Hayes didn't unnerve Ray, but he was sorely disappointed over the youngster's defeat, and he waded into his own battle as if he had Hayes's conqueror in front of him instead of McFarland.

The big contest was not three rounds under way before the clever McFarland learned he had a task on his hands, and he knew he would be fortune to get a shade in the battle.

Packey used his punishing left hand to good advantage, but that is about as far as he got.

BRONSON'S FOOTWORK FAST.

He bruised Bronson's mouth when he got through with his left jab time after time, but Ray's footwork was so fast and clever that McFarland couldn't do a thing with his bread-winning right uppercut. In the work at close range Ray really had the better of the argument and at no time was he in danger, for McFarland wasn't there with the punch. There was only one knockdown--if it could be called a knockdown--in the contest. It came in the third round, when Packey sent a right hook to Bronson's jaw and Ray sat down, only to bounce up and tear into the stock yards champion.

Bronson entered the ring at 9:40 and McFarland followed a moment later while Battling Nelson was making a speech.

Emil Thiry, McFarland's manager, and Packey's brother Johnny and his cousin Johnny were in his corner. Jack Dillon and Walter Owens were Bronson's chief seconds.

Two decisive defeats by the knockout route marked the two preliminary bouts and put the big crowd on edge for the main go.

Honors went to the boys with a punch, for the punch decided the first two battles. Freddie Cole showed he still carries a wallop, when he put Bobby Long down and out in the fifth round of the first bout, and a popular idol was badly disfigured when young Herman knocked out Chick Hayes in the second round of the second contest. The end came before the second round was one minute old. Herman lived up to all his press agent promises when he caught Hayes on the chin with a right smash and Hayes was the same as finished. It would have been better had he stayed down the first time, for he was so dazed he was unable to save himself by ring generalship and was forced to take a severe beating.

MANY "LIGHTS" IN CROWD.

There were numerous pugilistic luminaries at the ringside, and Battling Nelson was among those present. Before the Hayes-Herman bout began the grand stand was about half filled, the ringside seats were taken and there were several hundred spectators in the left field bleachers.

There was only a short delay before the principals faced each other for the big bout of the evening. Tom Dillon, the club's referee, was the third man in the ring and in the main bout Ed W. Smith, a Chicago boxing critic, was the referee.

Bronson and McFarland weighed in at 138 pounds at Dan Smith's at noon and Bronson surprised the spectators by his fine physical condition. He stepped on the scales clad in his underwear and did not tip the beam. McFarland, who was supposed to be under weight, was forced to strip to the last thread and then spit to keep within the required figure. As soon as he weighed in, Bronson partook of a nice, juicy steak and then jumped into his automobile and went out to his home near Riverside, where he spent the afternoon. McFarland took an automobile trip in the afternoon to get his mind off the coming battle. Both boys expressed confidence in their ability before they entered the ring.

LONG AND HAYES KNOCKED OUT.

Bobby Long entered the ring at 8:40. Referee Tommy Dillon and Freddie Cole followed a moment later.

Boxing fever was high and the steady stream of spectators which poured into the stands made it one of the biggest crowds that ever witnessed a ring contest here. There was little betting on the outcome of the main bout, although McFarland was the ruling favorite.

It was 8:40 when the announcer bellowed through his megaphone, and the first bout was on.

Cole and Long looked to be in good shape. They were cautious in the first round. Toward the close they mixed it and honors were even.

There was more action in the second, but neither boy gained a lead. Cole's cleverness in blocking saved him punishment.

Long had a slight shade in the third, getting in the cleaner blows and forcing most of the milling. It was nip and tuck in the fourth, with Long taking the lead by his aggressive tactics. Cole finished strong and opened a cut over Long's eye, gaining an even break.

Long rushed into a right swing that all but put him down in the fifth, and was cautious, but Cole sent a right and left to the head and Long began to weaken. A right swing to the jaw put Long down and out.

CHICK'S CLEVERNESS FAILS.

Hayes and Herman entered the ring at 9:15 o'clock. Harry Donahue was in Herman's corner. Larry Donovan and "Bob" Barnes looked after Hayes. Herman is a stocky little chap and stripped like a wrestler.

The little fellows lost no time in going to work. Hayes was too clever for Herman in the first round. In the infighting Herman got in a right uppercut, but Hayes made him miss a right swing and step into a left punch that slowed him up. The round was even.

Then Hayes met his Waterloo. He relied on his cleverness to save him, but he stepped into one of Herman's right swings to the chin which sent him to the floor with a thud. He managed to get up at the count of nine, but a right and left to the jaw sent him down in a heap. The little fellow arose and staggered about the ring. Herman urged the referee to stop the bout and then drove Hayes to the ropes, and, since Hayes was helpless, the bout was stopped.

The fact that Ray Bronson, Chick's tutor, was not in Hayes' corner lessened his chances and Chick made the mistake of swapping punches with the hard hitting Illinois boy after outboxing Herman in the first round. It was the first time Hayes had lost decisively and the first time he ever had been knocked out.

Herman was unmarked at the close of the bout, and before he left the ring he went over to Hayes's corner, where Chick's seconds were working over him, and shook hands with the boy he defeated.

Round by Round History of Big Battle Between Ray Bronson and McFarland.
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ROUND 1--It was 9:41 when the principals came to the center of the ring to receive instructions from Referee Smith in a drizzling rain. They shook hands and sparred. Bronson put in two light left jabs in the clinch. Packey tried a right uppercut and missed twice. Bronson swung right for the head and left for the body and stepped away from an uppercut. Ray forced the fighting and landed half a dozen rights to the kidneys. He sent a hard right to McFarland's head and stepped away from an uppercut. McFarland sent a left to the wind and they clinched. Bronson sent his right to the head, and in the clinch McFarland sent an uppercut to the face. McFarland rushed and sent right to the face and crowded Ray into his corner, sending a right to the face. Again he rushed and jarred Bronson with a right to the face. They were sparring in McFarland's corner at the bell.

The round was fairly even, but McFarland was forcing matters at the bell.

ROUND 2--Bronson rushed in with a left to the face and worked his right to the body. He slipped to the floor in missing a swing, and McFarland hit him before he arose, and they shook hands. McFarland sent right and left to the jaw and apparently dazed Bronson, but a moment later Ray worked his horseshoe punch and nearly took McFarland off his feet. He rushed Ray to the ropes and Ray came back strong using a left to the jaw. They clinched and Packey sent his right to Ray's wind. The blow looked low, and the referee cautioned him. Ray jabbed and tried for a right cross and missed. McFarland wrapped a right around Bronson's neck and they slugged, and Ray more than held his own in the rough work.

The round was even.

ROUND 3--Bronson rushed in with left to the stomach and they sparred. A right hook to Bronson's head pushed him, and he ducked a left swing and ducked a right swing, and they exchanged rights. In the fierce milling that followed McFarland sent Ray to the floor, but he bounced up like a rubber ball. Packey sent a left to the face and they both missed right swings to jaw. Bronson used his right to the kidneys in the clinch. McFarland sent two lefts to the face, and missed right swings. McFarland sent a back-hand right to Bronson's face as the gong sounded.

The round was a little in Packey's favor.

ROUND 4--McFarland sent a light left to the jaw and missed right and left swings. Both missed swings and McFarland sent a light back-hand right to Bronson's face. They slugged and exchanged rights to the jaw. Bronson had the better of the infighting. McFarland got a right and left to the head, but Bronson ducked and avoided danger. McFarland rushed Bronson to the ropes, but Ray clinched and worked out of danger. Bronson sent two lefts to Packey's face and in the clinch McFarland again hit low. Bronson ducked two left swings and caught a right to the head.

Honors were fairly even, with the shade in Bronson's favor.

ROUND 5--They sparred in the fifth and McFarland missed two swings. Packey whipped his left to the wind in a clinch and jarred Bronson with an uppercut. They exchanged right and left swings. After an exchange of lefts to the face, they exchanged rights to the body and worked more cautiously. Packey sent his right to the head and shook Ray with a stiff left to the face. In a clinch Bronson played for the kidneys and in the breakaway caught a hard left to the face and they clinched.

McFarland had the shade.

ROUND 6--They went into a clinch and Ray sent two rights to the head which forced Packey to clinch. Packey rushed Ray to the ropes, and Bronson backed away from a vicious uppercut. Packey sent three lefts to Bronson's mouth and a moment later whipped a left to the wind. Bronson sent a stiff left to McFarland's face and caught a hard right to the chin, which sent him to the ropes, but he bounded back and mixed at close quarters. Bronson caught a stiff right to the face and missed a right swing. McFarland sent two lefts to the face and they clinched at the bell.

Honors were fairly even in this round.

Both boys were going strong and up to this time neither had a decided advantage. Bronson was bleeding from the nose, and McFarland had two big bruises over his left eye.

ROUND 7--Bronson rushed in and they clinched. McFarland got through Ray's guard with a left jab to the sore face, repeating the trick half a dozen times. He came out of a clinch and McFarland sent another left to the face and a moment later sent a right to the head. Bronson rushed Packey to the ropes, but no damage was done. Bronson missed a right swing and caught a right to the head. McFarland rushed Bronson with two lefts to the face, and a moment later sent right and left to the head.

McFarland's round. McFarland used his left to good advantage and had Ray's mouth sore.

ROUND 8--They exchanged rights and Packey got through with right and left. Bronson used his right to the kidneys in the clinch. McFarland sent his right to the face. McFarland sent a hard right to the jaw and McFarland fell into a clinch. Both missed right swings. Ray sent right to the wind and went into clinch. McFarland sent right to the head and rushed Bronson to the ropes. McFarland's left again found Bronson's mouth, and they were sparring at the bell.

McFarland had the shade in this round, although Bronson did not seem to be the least distressed.

ROUND 9--They worked into a clinch and both missed swings when they broke. McFarland planted two stiff lefts to Bronson's jaw. Bronson missed a swing and slipped to the floor. They worked at long range with little damage. McFarland sent three lefts and a right to the head and they clinched, both playing for the body. They clinched again and, on the breakaway, Ray rushed Packey to the ropes and swung three lefts for the head, bringing cheers from the crowd. McFarland rushed, but Bronson kept out of danger and they were fighting close at the bell.

The round was even.

ROUND 10--They shook hands and rushed into a clinch. Packey rushed Ray to the ropes, but no damage was done. McFarland missed an uppercut. Ray put three lefts to the head and a right to the body. Ray missed a right swing and they clinched. They exchanged lefts to the face and then clinched, sending rights to the body. They exchanged blows and clinched. They worked to the center of the ring in a clinch as the bell sounded.

Honors were even and the bout was a draw.