Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-21
BURNS APPEALS
To EASTERNERS
TOMMY CARRIES HIMSELF
VERY M0DESTLY
Tells Admirers That He Is Anxious to
Meet Bob Fitzsimmons-Deni
Having Been Sharkey's
Sparring Partner

| Tommy Burns, at present exhibiting
| his California developed physique tc
down east folk, has contracted a severe
case of press agent disease and is still
in precarious condition. Tommy hap
pened to pick up a New York paper
recently and made haste to send on O
clipping which is all for Burns.
Robert Edgren of the Evening World
thinks this about Tommy:
Tommy Burns, who has yet to see
the tall buildings of New York, is in
Philadelphia. He takes flying trip
westward, but in a week or two Will
come back again, and will be seen on
Broadway.
II had quite talk with Burns dur
ing the wait before the Murphy-Corbett
fight. Tommy Burns looks about as
tall as Tom Sharkey-and as broad. But
he has a finely balanced head, a clean
cut, intelligent face, without mark on
it. except little white scar half an inch
long across the bridge of his nose. His
ears are unmarked. He speaks In a
modest low, pleasant voice. He dresses
quietly but very well. He flashes no
cut glass jewelry, in which detail he
differs from the usual run of actor
fighters and cheap actors.
Tommy Burns is a man, taken all
around who might appear anywhere
He has enormously broad shoulders,
but I've seen padden overcoats walking
up Broadway that could give him an
inch or two across the back at that.
I'm his quiet voice Burns told me
this: I haven't seen New York yet.
think I'll find it interesting. L would
like to fight in this part of the coun-
try. My contract with Jack OBrien
allows me to take on other fights up to
March is.
May Take on Fitz
"I am offered a siX-round bout with
Bob Fitzsimmons here in Philadelphia
on the 18th, providing Fitzsimmons can
be induced to meet me. OF course I'm
in this business for all the money l can
get. I'm willing to fight at any time or
in any place where they can show me-
This house looks good tonight
=" 'Fitz is always popular and from
the success of my showing here at the
theater think could draw pretty well
myself. Fitz and l could get purse
for six rounds. I'm willing to take it.
Don't think all of this poured out OF
Mr.. Burns in one steady flow. He isn't
Jack O'Brien, with perpetual burn
| ing desire to crate. The remarks were
made in reply to questions that l asked
But Burns gave his replies with the
ease of a man whose anatomy Is wei
developed above the neck.
"'Do you really want to fight Jeffries
after OBrien? L asked looking dowr
at Tommy Burns wide shoulders an(
trying to see a mental picture OF him "
the ring with the bearlike Southern Cal
| ifornia giant.
"I certainly do answered Burns in
stantly and with decision. L will bea
OBrien beyond question next time, anC
I will be glad to have chance a
Jeffries. No man can last forever
Jeffries' time will come, and 1 may b'
the man to beat him.
Better Than Sharkey
"I am a better man than Ton
Sharkey ever was, and Sharkey gav'
him a good fight when he was younge
and in better shape than he is today
BY the way, believe Sharkey told yol
[ was his sparring partner once on th
coast"
Yes
az never saw Tom Sharkey in m.
| life. Good night. l must DO back to tn
show and do my turn
That's another thing / like abou
Burns. He talked with me for fifteel
minutes and he didn't tell me once tina
he was getting off a monologue tina
was scream or that he had Georg
Fuller Golden beaten mile as a Vaude
vile attraction.
"This was a new experience for me
Every other fighter engaged in a the
atrical turn 1 have ever met either con
fded that fact to me or told me that h
was going to make Hen Irving look lik
a dog-eared deuce in a shy deck. II
swear by Tommy Burns after this. He
| a fighter"