[1937 article] Writer calls Billy Conn's win over Ted Yarosz a terrible robbery

Yarosz's manager claimed this was one of several home-town gift decisions Conn received in Pittsburgh.

Harry Keck, “Conn ‘Winner’ as Crowd is Manhandled," Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, Oct. 1, 1937

Matched only by the most atrocious manhandling of an overflow crowd in the history of sporting events in Pittsburgh, the odorous decision in favor of Billy Conn over Ted Yarosz at the end of their 15-roudn bout last night was the talk of the town today.

Yarosz won the first 13 rounds without a miss, and lost the last two by wide margins as he went dead tired, but both judges scored the bout against him and only Referee Freddie Mastrean, making his first appearance as the third man in the ring in an important bout, voted for him.

CROWD IS STUNNED

The decision stunned the crowd to the extent that it offered only feeble objection, in contrast to the riotous disapproval the night Conn defeated Teddy in a 12-round bout at Forbes Field last June. The first fight was close, last night’s was a walkaway except for the last two rounds…

After the bout, Ray Foutts, manager of Yarosz, issued a bristling statement in which he declared he was ‘convinced that it is impossible to beat conn in Pittsburgh unless he is knocked out.’ He charged one of the judges had changed his scoring blank in the last round last night and offered two alleged witnesses to testify to his effect, but said Dr. W. D. McClelland, Chairman of the State Athletic Commission, had refused to entertain his protest or to accept the testimony. The charge is so serious, however, that a hearing will have to come of the matter.

Fouts said: ‘You can’t make it too strong. I have seen Conn lose several fights here in which he received the decision but this is the worst. Yarosz tonight gave a masterful exhibition of boxing to completely befuddle Billy and win by a mile, only to be the victim of such an absurd ruling.’

 

Came across an article where Welsh writes: "And by every method of ring scoring, by every system which gives to a fighter credit for superior boxing, greater aggressiveness and more frequent landing of punches, regardless of their punching power, Yarosz won..."

He also wrote that by finishing strongly in the final two rounds, "Conn in six brief minutes had turned the tide of the most one-sided fight here in years to a spectacular climax."

Source: Regis M. Welsh, "Conn's Win Over Yarosz Renews Argument," Pittsburgh Press (Oct. 1, 1937) p.53

 

Anyone have any idea about which fights Fouts was referencing here?

 

Just saw an old United Press article, "Zivic Gives Conn Bad Beating But Loses Split Nod" that starts "Young Billy Conn today held a split decision over Welterweight Fritzie Zivic but it will take him many a day to forget the severe whipping he absorbed in the roped arena at Duquesne Garden last night."