Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-28
PUGs COME OF HARDY STOCK
Some Hail from Farms and Others
from Mines.

NEW YORK, Nov. 2I-The meteoric
stars of pugiism, In great measure, are
the raw, unheard-of youngsters who come
from nowhere, show class and quality
when they get their first chance in fast
company, and then go along the line whip
ping everyone while youthful strength re-
mains unimpaired by foolish dissipation.
Such was the history of stars without mum
Der, and such will be the history Of many
stars who are yet to come.
Dow in southern Illinois, in a little town
called Herrin, lives a piece Of fighting tim
Der that, in the opinion Of the few critics
who have been so fortunate as to behold
him, is the destined marvel of the decade
in his own class, and perhaps beyond 1t.
This young fellow is an Irish blacksmith
and his name is Richard Terrell.
Billy Papke was a mining blacksmith and
a harness member for the mules of the nli-
nois mines. Oddly enough Terrell held this
position in another mine. and it can be
taken for granted that both Papke and
Terrell, brought up to this kline of grueling
work, are of herculean strength and vigor.
Papke got his chance first, and the fistic
world knows how we'll he improved 1t.
Ferrelrs turn is yet to come, and all who
have seen the second of the Illinois black
smiths in action think he will cut as wide
a swath as the German slugger.
Old Bob F~itzsimmons is credited with
finding Terrell in the obscurity Of the lit
tie Illinois village. The good old boy was
showing through that part of Illinois q
couple Of years ago and when his company
played a %one-night stand at Herrin young
Terrell sought out the veteran. Just what
passed between the blacksmith champion
of the past and the aspiring blacksmith
of the present was never known, and
neither Bob nor Terrell ever told the story
OF their interview. Perhaps the great
Cornishman tried Terrell out in his room
at the village hotel-perhaps he only looked
him over, took keen judgment of his Won
derful strength and bulldog style and
judged him accordingly. However this
may be, Bob for many weeks afterward
told all the fighting critics whom he mel
that there was "a blooming devil, a fight
ing wonder, my word.'' in the little Illinois
town.
A promoter, who was holding shows al
Peoria, heard old Bob mention the boy
and sent for him to tight one Billy May
field, one Of the toughest Of all the wan.
dering fighters, who go from coast tc
coast, battling where they can. The record
books show that Jack O'Keefe, Battling
Nelson and Cyclone Thompson had the
fight Of their lives with this fellow and
were unable to even dent him, Terrell
denied him. 1t took a little less than two
rounds.
Since the fighting game shut down in
Illinois Terrell has been fighting in the
west and south. He had cleaned up a lot
Of third and second rate pugs and now
yearns to meet real ones for real money
hence he Is coming east. Some sensation,
too, when the fighters even get a glimpse
at this young man.
Terrell is the exact twin Of Tom Sharkey,
face and body, only on a minor scale, as
he can do 142 pounds. This mass Of muscle
and bulldog ferocity attacks after the style
Of Honey Melody, but comes In much
faster, while his blows are far heavier
with either hand. Imagine Joe Walcott
and Honey Melody blended into one and
you have Richard Terrell, southwestern
welter champion. He ought to prove a good
one.