The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-21
BY Billy Papke.

- p
Nearly every fighter you meet these
days will tell you about how he went
to see some great ring star perform
and then and there got the ambition
to shine in the squared circle. They
will tell you how they took this man
as model worshipped at his shrine
and thereafter followed every example
he set until they became celebrities,
for it is only those who have accom-
plished something that ever get an OPP
portunity to write about themselves.
Now in my case it was not like this
at all. / never got the fever from see
ing some other fellow perform nor
have ever looked up to any one man
as my guiding star. This does not
mean that I have not learned whole
lot from some of the great fistic stars
of the past, for nave watched them
all and tried to profit by their expert
ence. BUT through it all have always
followed my own style and my own
way of fighting and doing things.
For you must know that am now In
the ring merely by the greatest acct
dent. had no more thought of ever
becoming fighter than had that /
might some day become a Michael
Angelo. My start Is interesting and
as I have never set it down before I
will do so now and set the matter
straight, for they nave had me break
ing into the game in every imaginable
form.
1t was when I was only IT years OF
age that I got my first experience. AT
that time my brother Ed, who is now
my manager, friend Of mine, Bilt5
Schmidt and myself were lacking
signs. We took a southern trip. On
the way some one introduced b pair of
boxing gloves. Ed never used thera
very much, but "Smitty'' and myself
put them on every night.
BY the time that we got back to our
home in Spring Valley we were both
pretty good with our dukes. A fighter
and fight manager, well known In our
section of the country, skinny" EY
ans, by name was putting on q show
about the time we landed. We did not
have any too much money and
Schmidt and myself agreed to go on
in one OF the preliTninaries. We were
to get SIS apiece and the money looked
awfully big to us.
Well, when we got to the hall that
night, Evans came around and told
us that the house was so poor that he
could not put us on unless we would
agree to go on for nothing. He was TO
fight in the main bout himself. Ibid
not care much but Schmidt got hot
under the collar and declared that ne
would take It out OF Evans hide. So
he got real strong and challenged the
winner OF the main bout, It was a.
cinch that this would be skinny" SO
he saw revenge right there.
Well, Evans was the winner, and
they fixed up match for little place
named Grenople. Forfeits were posted.
and 1t looked like the real thing. /
thought / was out of 1t, but got in
terested on account Of Schmidt Just
a few days before the fight was to
take place I got hnrryrup message
to go and see Schmidt at his home I
found him down with typhoid, AMI
the doctor said he would not be able
to leave his bed for weeks. I viii
never forget that day as long as /
live Schmidt said to me something
like this:
bill, that forfeit il the last money
/ have got in the world. / don't know
what mother and myself viii do ii we
lose 1T. We will lose 1t If someone
don't appear and make arrangements
to take my place. Then have been
counting on winning that fight and
getting a piece OF change there. Now.
Bill, If you Will appear and save my
forfeit You can have all the money
you can get out Of the fight"
1T was cinch that was going to
save that forfeit IL I could. especially
after Schmidt's mother gave me little
additional talk But it was only by an
accident that did. was on the
point OF going and telling Evans Of
the whole thing when heard that he
was sick too. so hustled back to
Schmidts house and told them to keep
the fact of his illness quiet. and IL any
one came there to send them to me.
/ did not have to wait long, for be-
fore the day was over Jack Dinny,
who had posted the forfeit for Evans,
appeared at schmidt's home and was
sent TO me. Isaw THAI he had sogne )
thing on his chest and knew what lit
was. He hunmed and hawed around
for while without coming TO the point