The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-06-10
KETCHEL PUTS AWAY
O'BRE|N IN A HURRY
Referee Stops Bout in Third
Round When Philadel-
phian Is Helpless.
SHEER STRENGTH FACTOR
Michigan Man Beats Down the Quak-
er's Guard and is Indifferent to
Return Blows.

Philadelphia, June TO- = Stanley
Ketchel, middle weight champion, ac-
complished what Jack Johnson, claim
ant to heavyweight honors, failed TO
do, when the Grand Rapids man simply
smothered Jack OBrien of this city
with storm of blows at the National
Athletic club last night and beat him
into helplessness in less than three
rounds.
O'Brien was not knocked out but the
end would have only been a question
of few more seconds. When Referee
McGuigan stepped between the men.
stopping the bout and ordering O'Brien
to his corner, the Philadelphia was
Keeling stupidity about the ring with
scarcely enough strength to keep his
feet
Except in the first round, where
Ketchel failed to conenct with some OF
his early rushes, there was nothing to
the bout but the Grand Rapids man.
Totally ignoring the singing punches
O'Brien sent to his face he fairly leap
ed into his opponent, landing solid body
drives as he came in and then smash
ing down his opponents guard by sheer
strength
It was strength that told the tale.
| O'Brien landed often, but his blows had
no effect. Once when he caught Ketch-
| ell off balance he sent in a smash to
/ the neck that seemed to shake the
Grand Rapids man. But hardly had a
shout of acclaim risen from his support
ers when Ketchel stilled 1t by volley
| Of savage Jolts that thumped into
] O'Brien's face and stomach and beat
down his guard as though Jack had
been child.
O'Brien Seems POwerIess.
OBrien was powerless to stem the
| tide. and the end was in sight by the
middle of the second round. When
Ketchel floored him with savage right
that sent the Philadelphia to the floor
so hard that he actually seemed to re-
dound from the canvas it was seen that
the affair was over O'Brien arose I'M
certainly at the count of six and smiled
nervously toward his corner as Ketchel
rushed at him again. Jacks face was
bleeding from a cut near the eye, and
a big lump had been raised on his cheek
in the short interval the bout had pro-
crossed.
O'Brien struck eut gamely enough
but Ketchel treated his blows as though
they were mere taps In an instant
|
blows in with a savage ferocity that
actually seemed to lift Jack to his toes
at times. One brief period of this pun
ishnent, in which O'Brien was swept
back along the ropes with Referee Nc
Guigan skipping frantlcally alongside
warning Ketchel against hitting low
and Jack again hit the floor. He went
down with a terrific bump and as Nc
Guigan got to the count of eight the
gong rang once more.
So far as the outcome was concerned
the bout was over But OBrien came
UP weakly for the last round. Ketche
rushed at him once more and as fast as
O'Brien tried to clinch, he beat hin
back and started new attack Stan
leys arms We're working like piston
rods and the thudding of the blows he
sent in could be heard far from the
ring AS O'Brien stepped in, making
an effort to clinch, he ran squarely into
) a terrific blow, which stretched him or
the floor. He arose, reeltng drunkenly
but Referee McGuigan stepped between
the men and ended the battle.