The Washington times., 1907-02-10
PASSING OF NAHER
A PITIFUL SIGHT
Irish Champion Can't Get
Out of the Way of His
Sparring Partner.
REFEREES PECULIAR ACTION
Fired Star-Bout Men Out of New
Orleans Ring for Incompetency.
Want Wrestling Match.

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 9.-One OF the
tragedies of the prize ring was enacted
her this week. Peter Maher, Irish
Champion" showed all through the
week at the Lyric Theater-a popular
amusement house managed by "Parson"
Davies, of Peter Jackson-"Jim" COrbett
days.
After the afternoons racing and the
dinner at the hotel were over. sporting
men dropped around in numbers to see
Peter. The Irish Champion" drew
bumper houses. What a sorry sight he
presented. The night before accepting
the engagement at the Lyric. Maher
slipped up too much corn juice, or else
he would not have tucked left hook
beneath the jaw point of his mother-in-
law. n circumstance which drought him
and all his relatives into the police
court.
Couldn't Dodge His Partner.
But to get back to the tragedy end Of
the story. Maher appeared each even
ing in a sparrinE exhibition of three
rounds with kid" Phillips, of this city,
a husky middleweight. Poor Peter! He
has grown older than Moses. Fitzsim-
mons is a spring chicken compared TO
the Irishm1n. He appeared on the
stage fat and stiff, and with scarce a
strand of hair on his pate.
Ever fastidious, Maher wore a suit Of
pink tights and a green Irish belt one
night last week In the second round.
Phillips uppercut him and he dropped
TO his knees. The old fellow couldn't
get up for a few seconds, bringing TO
the minds Of the old-timers in the house
the finish Of his fight with Fitz at
Langtry. Tex. twelve years ago. when
Peter went out in a single punch q few
minutes after the gong of the opening
round. NIaher is one of the few fig
ures Of the pugilistic heyday left stand
ing. Soon ne viii be gone, too.
Suckers Still Plentiful.
StH the old fellow may get a fight
down here this winter. as the ever in
Senious set at Algiers. La. is thinking
D. bringing together Felix Vauquelin, a
local heavyweight, who once gave
Jake Kilrain a good mill. and Maher.
If the bout occurs II will be on Sun
day afternoon down the Mississippi,
where Paddy" Ryan and Tom Co
burn fought years ago. In fact. the
ring is To be pitched on the same his
toric spot
Talking OF fighting. the sports have
been short the right sort Of article this
winter. The Young Mems Gymnastic
Club set the ball a-roIling some time
ago. but their shows are conducted in
an amateurish manner. and the match
making is about as absurd as It is posi-
bic to imagine.
''No Contest Incompetent.
For instance, at the opening show Of
two weeks ago the main bout between
Lewis, of Chicago, and Vlackas, of
Houston, Tex, had to be declared of
on account of the incompetency Of the
principals. mo contest" yelled Referee
DR.. Woods after the second round had
begun. The spectators moved away
sullenly.
The local fights bring out good houses.
About the ring are to be seen many or
the cOnnOisseurs Of the sport, including
''Narmey' Ryan. Of New York; Jack"
Sheehan, OF Buffalo; Jake MarkIien.
of Cincinnati; a. r. Kline. of New York:
Fatty" Phillips, Of Chicago; Charley
Celia, OF ST. Louis; johnnie" Maddl-
gan, Of Houston, Texas; Nose Gold
blatt, OF Cincinnati; Jack McAuliffe.
retired worlds lightweight champion:
Bob" Lloyd. one Of the original back
ers OF Tommy" Murphy. and ''Dyna-
mite Jack" Thornby. of Gravesend, L. I.
After GOtch and Hack.
Just now there is talk of a local syn
dicate Offering a 5000 purse for which
Gotch and Hackenschmidt, the wrestIers.
may battle in April Gotch and Bell
drew a $500 house here last November.
and It is thought the worlds champion
ship would bring out $4,000 house. The
Missouri Athletic Club. of Kansas City.
No, offers a $4,000 purse, but somehow
the New Orleans promoters are of the
opinion that such an amount will not
be posted by the NJ. A. c. when the
showdown comes