The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-15
KID MCCOY DOWN
AND MUST RETIRE
Dissipation Has Ruined the
Most Brilliant Fighter.
WARNED BY FITZSIMMONS
First Taken in Tow by Davies and
Won Many Creditable Fights.
Came East on Freight

Kid Mccoy has called off his match
with Twin" Sullivan, which was to
have taken place in Los Angeles, and
the clever Hoosier pugilist says he is
through with the fighting world.
Mccoy, when he left Cleveland, in
1894, did so with good prospects He
was then just budding into manhood
Possessed OF great height and reach
for a lad of his weight, and with it
lot of speed. and the faculty of picking
up knowledge of his chosen profession
and retaining it. Mccoy went from that
City to Detroit to assist Tommy Ryan
in his preparation for his match with
Jack Dempsey.
Daily Workouts.
.-Parson' Davies engaged the kid, "
and being eager to get experience he
was not loath TO put the gloves on with
world-beatine Ryan, and take his
bumps in daily workouts. And Ryan,
who, when in training, is not the most
amiable person in the world, did not
spare the young Hoosier. on the con-
trary, he heaped all kinds of abuse onto
Mccoy.
IN the first place he sent the Kid
to a cheap boarding house. while
Thomas lived at a big hotel. Then he
forced the Kid to do all the dirty
work, and in the presence of visitors
every afternoon he gave him some
awful beatings. To all this Mccoy sub
mitted without whimper, for he was
anxious to learn. He proved an apt pu-
pill. although Ryan took him for sim
ple-minded dub.
He picked up all of Tomrny's clever
ness, but refrained from showing it,
Went TO New Orleans.
Later on Mccoy worked his way to
New Orleans. where Bob F'itzsim-
mons was training to fight Dan Cree
don for the middleweight championship.
and TO Bob the Kid proffered his ser
vices. F'itz being shy of trainers, and
Mccoy being willing to work for his
board, the youngster was promptly en-
gagged
He utilized all that he had learned
from Ryan in his bouts with Fitz and
the lanky fellow was greatly i'm
pressed with the Hoosier boys work,
and complir1ented him highly, telling
him that if he would take care of him
self he would some day become a great
<pugilist.
Watched Fitz
Meanwhile Mccoy watched old Bob
very closely, and soon caught on TO the
Australians knack of hitting Some
weeks after the Fitzsimrnons-Creedon
battle Mccoy bearded a freight train
and got TO New York
He said at the time that he would
lick Tommy Ryan inside of year, just
as sure as his name was Mccoy, and he
made good his word.
tac oil L
to Baltimore. and won a couple Of little
scraps there. after which ne went 10
Boston, and boxed a twenty-five round
draw with Dick Brier, who was then
in his prime.
Attracted Attention.
This was the first contest that ever at
tfasted attention te Mccoy, and the
fat1ering notices accorded him by the
Boston critics doomed his stock 50 high
~ that ne WAS given chance at Tom
my Ryan at NIaspeth a few months lat
cr-
Ryan regarded II as duck soup for
him, and il is said that he was . biz
careless in mis- preparation for the bout
Re this as IL may, Tommy was given a
most artistic drubbiBg. and knocked out
IL the fifteenth rcund.
He tried all of his clever moves and
tents On the fNIt, Dut ire latter DlOChGC
them all ara cut Tommy to ribbons with
MS 1ightairg-liIle counters. Shortly at
ter this Mccoy went TO South Africa,
where he won a few fights ard learned
u gamble
fast Living.
IN returning 10 the United States the
i.,ld started in on = neteoric career III
/. e ring He Won battle after battle, dis
plsssing wonderful skin aad furnishing
power in all of them. Had ne taken
f-irzsimnors' advice and cared for him
self properly he might be u champion
In his class today, and wealthy man
ut the same time.
IaCoy was probably the most bril-
liant fighter OF his time, but like some
more OF them, he could not stand pros
periry, and allowed himself to be drag
ged around by those sycophants who
perpetuaIly hang after ali successful
athletes
Bad to Worse
This eventually proved the undcing OF
the Kid, for he went from bad to worse.
He became addicted 10 the travelling few
er. and made frequent trips between
New York and England, gambling near
" all the way over and back
Within the past year or so the Kid
has made repeated efforts 10 get himself
back into his old-time form, but failed
absolutely. The foolish fellow has
g--ecked his constitution. and now con-
:esses his liability 30 get into trim for
match with q man whom ne has al
ready defeated since his permanent re-
tirement from the lighting world