The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-23
Continued From Page sixteen.
Dutch Fighter Had One Big
Mill in the. United States

VA0A0 11SAI HSnTl JOnn Joseph
Placke Cor Plaacke) came from and
where ne returned TO will always be
mystery. Herr Henri and his manager
Clark Ball, claim that he came direct
from Holland, Where the gin comes
from. Another gentleman whose repu-
tation for veracity is at least as good
as Clark Balls, told me years after
ward that he found Herr Henri John
Joseph sPlaeke keeping store near, Ash
vile, Tenn under somewhat different
name.
| However that may be, the history of
prize ring lemons cannot be complete
without an, account OF the famous fight
| between Herr Henri and Kid Mccoy.
1t was something over FIVE years ago
that Herr Henri John Joseph Placke
arrived in New York, escorted by Clark
Ball Our old friend Clark was ready
| to make afiWidavit to the fact that
when Placke left Amsterdam the queen
| Of Holland came down to see him off on
the steamer and with many tears and
solemnly uplifted hand wished him all
/ success and sent UP silent prayer
| that the Dutch champion might be en-
| abled to knock Jim Jeffries' block Off.
4 Clark told us that PlaclSe known
| throughout Europe as the "Man Noun
/ tain, had whipped all European fight
ers, had cleaned up in Australia,
/ and was now ready to whip Jeffries
and become champion of the world. 1t
was great press agent stuff-almost as
great as that which made the late la
naented Mike Morrissey famous for q
III "a
look good, He must have weighed
three hundred.
Jeffries in Trim.
OF course Jeffries wasn't going to
pay any attention to strange man
mountains wandering around and GET
ting advertisement through use of his
name. Neither were promoters going
to beg Jeffries to defend the threatened
honor of America for suitable In
ducement. Nobody took the man
mountain very seriously. Still, mis-
bulk was impressive. Local promoters
loffered to try him out and pay him well
for the bout
All might have gone along pleasantly
for Herr Henri John Joseph Placke
had he not met Kid McKoys One eve-
ming attended by the faithful Ball, the
man mountain wandered into Kid Nc
Coy's Broadway palace Of liquid con-
coctions. The genial Kid was stand
ing near the bar. Up came Ball, the
man mountain trotting at his heels
like captive and doci1ee hippopota-
mus. ta3 S Hiff
Mccoy looked the man mountain
over and smiled a pleasant and friend
ly smile why said the Kid, II heal
you're looking for someone to fight
I'd like to box YOU OF course, I'm
only little fellow but You can take
me on first and then grab some of the
, Ebig ones later. Might as well make al
the money that's coming to YOU"
n 1t listened well'' to Clark Ball
| also to tne man -mDuntain, who, looked
down upon the top OF McCoyts head
and! thought it'd be like taking money
from baby. The match was made
Strains Back Training.
Herr Henri began training. The frs
! day he strained his back hitting at tn
. punching bag Clarke Ball explained
, THAT it wasn't case of soft tissue or
weak back, but merely that the man
mountain had such a terrible wallol
that 1t nearly broke him, in two wnel
| he missed his mark.
The night OF the fight came at last
| IT was to take place in Philadelphia
New York being somewhat under, GOV
err just then. Down to Phillie went
big train load OF New York sport
eager to see Mccoy in action again
!, and to see the mighty man-mountair
Now, Herr Henri John Josepl
Placke Cor Plaacke) was no Milk
: Morrissey. He was a big fat slob fror
! parts unknown, but at least he had a.
! idea that he could fight and he wa
! there to do It At the very first rus
! out from his corner Placke caugh
! Mccoy with wild swing caught hir
right on the jaw and nearly lifted hi
! head off. How on earth 1t happened
: don't know, for Placke might hay
! tried again hundred times withol
SO much as brushing the Kids hal
i with mis- glove. But 1t did happei