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Necessity Inspires Chivlric Deeds To Be Written In Pugilistic HistoryIF necessity le the mother of Invention it is also the father of heroic sacrifice and undaunted courage. Especially is this true of pugilism, a hard old game at best and often made more so by the irregularity of meals and the prodigality of many who make boxing their livelihood.There are recorded in ring history countless noble deeds brought about by compulsion, chivalrous deeds inspired by grim want rather than chivalry. Stanley Ketchel fought Jack Johnson In 1909, a year before his untimely death, because he was broke. That was an act of self sacrifice. Stanley knew all about the slaughter that awaited him, although there have been hints of a moving picture posing party. He was aware he had but one chance in a hundred to beat down the negro, but he grasped It and hoped for the best Ketchel'ft heart was too big for his own good, and the meeting with Johnson was the only thing that stood before him and an empty wallet He went into the ring and took his beating manfully because he had to have money, being too proud to live on his friends, of whom he had many in those days.A similar act of bravery, but one caused more by deprivation of the world's goods, was. witnessed in Indianapolis a couple of months ago. Jack Dillon, the Hoosier middleweight can fight with the best of them. One day he was matched up'with a man named Howard Wiggam, who was practically an unknown In the fighting business. Dillon fought him because he was well guaranteed and knew he would get his pay.The contest came off, and Dillon play* ed with the poor fellow pitted against him. As a fight the affair was ridiculous, Wiggam being too weak to give any kind of an argument In two rounds he sank to the mat exhausted. It afterward turned out that Wiggam had Just buried a baby daughter and was In debt, with a wife and mother to support He rendered himself liable to serious Injury and even death because he needed the money.Braved Severe Beating After Long Illness.Jack O’Leary was a Milwaukee fighter with good prospects four years ago. Critics predicted he had the makings of a first class lightweight. A long period of sickness had underminded his strength, but he pleaded with the matchmakers to give him a chance to obtain a few dollars to live on. and he was given a fight with Andy Bezenah of Cincinnati. The latter administered a severe lacing to O’Leary, and the unfortunate boy was never afterward able to go in the ring.Jerry Gaines, a boy who had some reputation around New England, went to Milwaukee In search of a fight. He was down to his last nickel, and the clothes he wore would have been spurned by a tramp. Arthur Cote was to have fought Bob Moha, the noted Milwaukee middleweight, but something happened, and he had to Call off the match. The fight had been advertised. however, and could not be postponed. With no training and several pounds lighter, Gaines went in and met Moha. He was a sorry sight with a week’s growth of beard upon his features. Needless to say. he did not last long with Moha. The “'cave man” put him away In two rounds.Cleveland had a fighter a year ago who was forced to battle for anything from a washer up to a sandwich. He was Ford Mungcr, who boxed Paul Kohler, Tommy Gavigan and others. Ford had a wife and baby to support He worked In a plumbing'shop as helper in the daytime and at night scoured around afler fights. He was willing to take on anybody, but matches were hard to get because the promoters didn’t consider him enough of a card. As he worked every day he didn’t have time to train. Every Sunday, however, he could be seen doing road work along the boulevards. Never In good condition, he was beaten with great frequency. Afterward he went to Baltimore and found a backer. He hadproper training there and won severalfights in succession.Lightweight Tackled 167 Pounder.Jack Blackburne, the well known Philadelphia fighter, who is in jail at Easton, Pa., had great difficulty In inducing men to meet him when he was in his prime. He was a great fighter, and fighters of his class feared him. Funds began* to run low as prospective opponents scurried from his neighborhood. Jack became desperate. He was only a lightweight, but he took a match with Jack O'Brien, who then weighed 167 pounds. Blackburne shaded him at that. The following week he met John Wille. the Chicago heavyweight, and defeated him. The week after that, at 133 pounds, he boxed George Memsic and beat him.Four years ago Tommy Feltz started to go bade. He was In New Orleans at the time and boxed Johnny Lynch. Lynch got the decision over him, and Feltz, who had been able to whip men like Lynch three times in an evening, became disgusted and hit the pace for a week. He was broke when he turned up again and had no finances to pay his fare back to Chicago. After considerable dickering he was signed for a bout with Battling Kelly. It was a private affair, and there was only $60 in the house altogether. Feltz and Kelly went fifteen of the toughest rounds ever witnessed In New Orleans to a draw, and Felts got $17 for his end.
Newspaper Details
Waterloo Evening Courier
Waterloo, Iowa, US
Mon, Jun 24, 1912
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
John H.
IL, USA 13 Apr 2018
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