Evening star., 1908-02-04
PACKIE MCFARLAND
LACKS HITTING POWER

Packie Mcfarland, "the Western marvel"
He met Yonug Loughrey, of Manayunk,
and, although beaten, 1t was practically
a triumph for the mill district champion.
Mcfarland came east with a great repu-
tation as a knocker out. In his long list
Of contests. forty-three, he has the letter
X appended to thirty-three. Now, such
a record would naturally make an east
ern boxer think twice before he would
accept an engagement With such q de-
stroyer of human anatomy. But Lough-
rey jumped at the chance to- meet the
man who is hungry to wear the mantle
of Lightweight Champion Joe Cans, They
met for a six-round seance at the Ma
tional Club Philadelphia last Tuesday
nigth, and Loughrey absorbed all the
punishment that Mcfarland could hand
out-and he did not let many blows get
past him-but actually leaped through the
ropes after the bout was over and ran
to his dressing room like a two-year-old.
This is a bare statement OF facts. 1t
lands ability or to pay any special trib-
ute to Loughrey. For there is no reason
to go into Mysteries over either man. Nc
Farland had been simply overrated and
Loughrey is only human and can be
one punch the first time they met.
Pair Of Good Ones.
OF the little fellows, Young Corbett and
Abe Attell are the only graduates of the
west who were able to hold their own
for any length Of time in eastern COM
pany. Mcfarland has the qualifications,
but they are being misused. The six
round pace IN Philadelphia is fast one.
but q man who has perfected himself In
well with both hands as McFarland need
not 60 any faster than he likes. An Oc-
casional sidestep or shift would have tied
up Loughrey. and Mcfarland could have
landed on the right spot. He hit the
a score Of times with each hand, swing
ing at different angles, and when I.ough-
rey came back for more. one must nat
urally conclude that the blows did not
sting. Saturday night Loughrey travelled
of Baltimore in the same ring. This was
proof that the go with Mcfarland was
little more than an exercise canter. The
only other bout which the western light
weight has had in the east was twelve
rounds with Bert Keyes In Boston. Keyes
taking Tommy Murphy's place on three
days notice keyes was also at the
mark when the bell rang ending the bout.
and there are six lightweights in Phila-
delphia who can trim Keyes.
Puzzled Over Reputation.
Sports are puzzled to know where Nc
Farland got his reputation. Thirty-three
knockouts In forty-three contests is an
unusual record. 1t is. but there is only
one man In the entire bunch with a ma
tional reputation. Benny Yanger, known
as the Tipton Slasher. once a feather
weight champion possibility. Is among the
list Of unfortunates. But August 20, 1907,
when the feat was accomplished, Yanger
had long since had has been affixed to
his name. He had been knocked out by
Tommy Murphy in Philadelphia the year
before. and from that date his pugilistic
star had set. The only really clever men
that Mcfarland has ever met we're Kid
Goodman. Maurice Savers and Kid Her
man. and each stood him off for ten and
fifteen rounds. His other opponents were
men of scarcely any reputation outside Of
the immediate locality. and could be just
ly termed as soft marks.
Joe Cans is still the champion light
weight. Mcfarland will be removed as a
possibility the first time he meets a clever
man who can punch. He has little or no
defense, Just wades in. depending on his
hitting ability to carry him through.
After the bout with LouRhrey he went
back to his corner surprised that the
Manayunk lightweight was still smiling.
There must be something the matter
with my arms he gasped to his seconds.
Satisfied Frankie Neil.
Abe Attell has again demonstrated that
he is one of the most strategic and re-
sourceful boxers In the ring today. He
beat frankie Neil in the most artistic
fashion Friday night in San Francisco.
and the latters seconds. prompted by
humane motives. called haat to the con-
test nthe thirteenth round. July 4. 1905,
Attell and Neil boxed twenty rounds at
Los Angeles. the champion getting the de-
cision. Neil's father yelled fraud and
sought a return match. For a year and a
half both the Neils have been bounding
Attell. The latter is a good matchmaker
and he bided his time. Once when the
elder Nell was hot under the collar from
the taunts Of the astute Hebrew a match
was quickly made. and Atteli tied the Neil
party up so tight there was no chance to
| wriggle out He caught frankie off his
feet Friday. and the beating he handed
out to the little Californian will long be
| remembered. Attell made no effort to
knock his opponent out. but trailed along
decorating Neirs anatomy In the most
artistic fashion. 1t Is safe to wager that
neither the ex-chappion bantamweight