The sun., 1909-02-27
CURRENT SPORTING GOSSIP
EI HOES or THE HUGO KELLY
JOE THOMAS BATTLE.
Taking on Twenty-Five Pounds In About
Two Months Causes Cailfornian's
Weakness In the Ring Madden
Discusses DriscOll and Young Grino.

Joe Thomas the California puRilist
gave vivid illustration at the Fairmon
A. c. Thursday night OF the fact that It Il
physical impossibility for a man to take
on Twenty-Five pounds OF flesh In trihs
more than two months and still he able tc
fight With ehect Thomas took this amount
of avoirdupois on all right. but at the same
time he deprived himself Of stamina. speed
and endurance. When he tried to hold
his own with Hugo Kelly he found that
he could not hit a dangerous blow and
at the -sme time found it impossible IA
move around on his toes. Instead Thomas
was flatfooted like duck and boxed a.
II his arms weighed many pounds. He
vas so weak on his pins that three OF the
i've knockdowns inflicted by Hugo Kelly
were directly due to rather ordinary blows
which landed in the region Of the heart.
Al that Kelly did not punch with unusual
power in fact. IL Is doubtful II he ever could
deliver a crushing knockout blow but
In the decrepit Thomas he had such a soft
mark that It seemed a shame for the Chi
cago man to take advantage Of 1t.
To those who saw Thomas in four SEN
safiohal fEhts With stanley Ketchel his
showing was an unpleasant revelation.
II was evident TO them that Thomas was
simply a shell. so to speak. and would prob
ably never amount to a row OF pins in the
fstic arena again. But there vas no reason
TO doubt that Thomas did his best. he
trained faithfully and thought that he was
ft to win when he got into the ring. But
when he was led away by his seconds bor-
dering on a state OF collapse he was In tears
Kelly did not impress the experts favor
ably. He was as slow as cold molasses
and appeared to he only an ordinary boxer.
II he ever runs up against Sam Langford
or Stanley ketchel the sports say that
Il will be a case OF good day" for him
rho moment he receives a heavy crack on
his weak looking jaw. The kelly-Thomas
alleged mill was so great a disappointment
to the members OF the Fairmont A. c. that
Manager Gibson said yesterday that no
moro middleweights would be allowed
10 box there and that the bouts would be
provided by men in the lighter classes.
Billy Madden. than whom there is no
follower OF ring matters with wider eX-
perience. saw Thomas suffer defeat. He
seldom fails to be on hand when there is
any thing good in the fistic line on tap and
his opinion OF pugiists and their doing
Is generally OF interest Speaking of Jim
Driscoli. Madden says that in point OF ac-
iivity In the ring he never saw the Welsh
mans equal -Driscolls s footwork is the
an opponent get set. while his ducking at
close quart ers Is simply amaZi ng. He Is
much more active than Young Critic. but
! do not think that he ,eScels the marvel
Ious Australian. Critic did not use so much
ring space. being content to block blows
or step just far enough back or TO the side
wanted to, but he was great faker. He
loved to stall and feint and in that way do
just enough work to hold his own. He was
he looked like a weterweight, vet his legs |
were powerfully built. Driscoll il a far |
better locker in the ring than Grfo. but he |
l.. han ~ ~. anfa.
and results. Years ago. long before the !
present generation OF fight fans were able |
10 air up and take notice; there was just
known in the ring, as the slippery Eel.
and he was a wonder. II was almost inn
possible to land blow on him. although |
Drscoll is in a class by himself as far as
boxing goes and is better man than Attell.
didn't take the trouble to see them box
would hold his man safe I'D like to see
them go to a finish. though.
II Attell and his friends are so sure he
had the better OF the bout with Drscoll.
said Jimmy johnson, the Welshman's man
al b; TaY bY and as i bal hS 5hey bsa
getting another match with Jim? Why.
they know that Driscoll won by city block,
nfy sS are 'mPY ne AGAIN. sSf ,has You a Can Se.
he will and he will let Attell name the terms
100, but before Driscoll will ever consider
y
will pay me $500 for signing articles, Lippe
made the crack the other day. thinking that
We Wouldn't sign. but | u call his blum and he
no match, Meanwhile Attell now says
hat he will make a match with Driscoll.
winner take all. but the tRht will have TO be
~ at least twenty rounds, which means
that II II Is made the crack featherweght
will settle, their, differences probably al
olms. Cal. as James Cof1roth is red hot
FOR the match, declaring that such a mill
would draw not less than a 50, 600 Gate.
DTiscolI will return here bout the first Of |
tpril and then there'll be something more
than talk.
IL was said Yesterday that Atten and ,
70 box ten rounds at the National A., {. the ,
latter part OF March. The weight will prob J
ably be l?2 pounds at o clock.
There'll probably be big turnout 10 {
Zee Young Corbett. rejuvenated. box ten /
rounds with Johnny Mario at the Fairmont
battle with DIiscoll has not been forgotten.
% that there is much eagerness to compare (
y foung Corbetts showing with him. Mario I
ment. He wants to mix il every minute.
30 that Young Corbett will find there is no
iTe T;. ior , resting The e, Denver boy who is
he ovations he Is receiving when intro 7
tuced az the local clubs, has trained himself !
% carefully that ne Is as light as feather I
IN his feet and as strong as a lion when
i comes to infghting and slugging. Per-
sons who saw Young Corbett waddling z
about the METROPOLITAN raCetTacks last \
nents. but they are nevert heless true, and s
he conqueror of Terry McGovern says he
5 III back them up when he strips for action T
IeNt week.
Baseball fans will have much food for
gossip from now until the snow flies next =
all, The members OF the Giants and
Iiighlanders are turning their faces 10 the
south. and IN another week the two teams
y i'll be AZ hard labor. Several members
Pennsylvania Railroad to-day for Macon, I
"a, where Manager Stalllngs will soon be y
whipping the team into shape TO begin the T
ong RruellinR race for the American League
IRE Charley Farrell, the veteran catcher. p
\ no VIII coach the young pitchers at the II
raining camp; Joe Lake, who is expected y
o be one of the highlanders' best pitchers; a
Willie Keller. the veteran right fielder,
rho says he will enjoy. new lease OF life ~
zeal Ball. who played shortstop last season q
ack Knight. the new shortstop from the q
Baltimore club Joe Ward, the heavy hitting a
Rfelder from Altoona; Jack klenow. the y
ThIanders der r,cssa regular ea,sSher and Jack
nond club IN 1898 and who. according to u
Y Orth. looks and pitches like another Amos
iusie. John Burke, formerly associated
With Mike Murphy, the well known athletic :,
! the conditioning end of the stunts at y.
jacon. These men will arrive In Macon ~
n time TO be Joined by the other candidates IL
or positions on the regular team. Hal
hase has LETT his home In California and is
m the way. He has been playing on and
IN all winter and is ready to jump into the
yame at a moments notice Chase saws Il
e will never daily with the outlaws again 81
'ut will stick to the New York Americans al
nd do his best lie will probably captain IL