McDonald Revives Pleasant Memories

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 438, 21 August 1928, Page 14

McDonald Revives Pleasant Memories

A GREAT FIGHT McINNES’S LOST OPPORTUNITIES Auckland will always have a warm place in its heart for Lachie McDonald. There was a homely air about the Town Hall last night when Lachie climbed through the ropes, and even his grim features relaxed into a smile of honest appreciation when the crowd showed that it had not forgotten his last fight in Auckland. He did not have Pat Connors and Charlie Purdy with him then. Mac was somewhat of a stranger in a strange land, and in a few words which the writer exchanged with him just before he left, he modestly mentioned that he was going to try his luck on “the other side,” and if there weren’t many fights offering, he was coming back again. A prophesy made in some notes on that occasion proved only too correct. A VETERAN’S RETURN It was quite like old times, too, last night to find Mr. Frank Burns back in the ring. We see all too little of him these days. The veteran may not be quite as nimble as he used to be in the ring, but his keen perception and

rich experience still make him our best referee. Most of the crowd wanted to see McDonald win last night. He did get the dicision after one of the finest contests ever seen at the Town Hall. Considering the handicap he fought under, he undoubtedly deserved the greater

share of the honours of the fight But did he win? After his magni:.cent display of sheer grit and dogre: Scottish courage, most people foam their sympathies leaning his way. FANS CALLED FOR DRAW Some of the more insistent ones .: the crowd, whose feelings excusar got the better of them at the fink called for a draw. One would glac have left it at that. But were f writer asked to eliminate the drav and declare one way or another, would have to be that Mclnnes wahead on points by the smallest possible margin. However, it was so close that t difference of opinion i 6 inevitably i almost any discussion of the fight Ty< experienced judges gave the deck' to McDonald, and one can leave it £ that. Leaving the correctness or wise of the decision to one side, can be said without any reserving that Mclnnes should have won. * l ' Donald fought under a big bandit and whether or not Mclnnes him»y was moved by the magnificent coon* of a fellow Scotsman, the fact that in the 10th and 13th rounds had McDonald reeling back on *-• ropes, and refrained from following--his advantage. It may have inere cocksureness, or again a woo \". ful gesture of sportsmanship, - whatever it was, it wasn’t b 0^r * Those two acts may have (and Pably did) cost Mclnnes the fight It would be worth something to these two men fight again. McDonwithout that eye injury of his, - be harder to beat, and on ® _ hand, it is not likely that Memwould want to give away an> again as he did last night. —J. McK