Omaha daily bee., 1909-08-29
SECONDS AID FIGHTERS
Their Cool Judgment and Sound Ad-
vice of Value.
CASES TO PROVE THE POINT

sam Fitzpatrick, Tom O'ROurke,
Spider Kelly, Tommy Ryan and
Others who Can Handle
Pugilists.
NEW YORK. Aug. 2S-The value OF a
olear-headed second was never more clearly
shown than by an incident In the recent
glove fight in this city between Willie
Lewis and Sailor Burke. Lewis had been
knocked down several times by heavy right
hand swings, yet he showed no inclination
to refrain from trading wallops'' with
Burke until one Of his seconds, who had
kept his mouth closed up to that point,
exclaimed. while Lewis was in his corner:
Cut out that swinging for the jaw!
Stall for a round or two, and then as
Burke keeps on coming to you step in
quickly with a left hook for the jawr'
Lewis obeyed these instruction to the
letter and finally landed a hook on the
point of the chin that knocked all the
fight out Of Burke and made him quit.
But for this coolheaded advice Lewis would
have run chances by being put away him
self, and after the bout his handler re-
ceived distinct praise.
Tom o'ROurEe's Noodle.
A shrewd quick witted handler h
knows how to instruct his man at a crit
icsl moment is always an important factor
in a pugilist's success. II he can see at
a glance the strong and weak points of
an opponent it is often the case that the
fighter in his case wins because of SUI
perior generalship. Tom O'Rourke, who
seconded the late George Dixon, and Joe
Wolcott in nearly all Of their battles en-
ahlnd Tom GharEay IN aafaaf KIa MrCnyr
at the old Lenox Athletic club because Of
his knowledge of pugilism and quick per-
ceptlon. Tommy Ryan had been instruct
ing Sharkey in the art OF scientific box
ing and was allowed to go into his corner
as chief second. with O'Rourke in the
background.
stand up and box with him, Tom" said
Ryan as Sharkey went out to begin the
fight. Show the crowd how clever you
are"
Sharksy tried to box with the nimble
Mccoy, but was so clumsy that the spec
tatoTs laughed until their sides ached.
Mccoy simply feinted him into knots and
then in the second round he knocked
Sharkey down twice in rapid succession.
That was enough for O'Rourke, who
brushed Ryan aside as sharkey came back
to his corner at the end of the round. and
said:
Tom, you can't box at all. Go in and
fight as hard as you know how. Rush the
Kid to the ropes and keep on punching al
close quarters until you drop him.
Sharkey rushed to the center Of the rinl
then like a bulldog and cut loose such &
fierce assault that Mccoy, repeatedly cor
nered, was finally slugged to the floor and
was counted out.
Work for the Second.
In addition to a knowledge of ring tao
tics a competent second must be able t.
revive a pugilist during the minutes rest
so that he can send his man out again
comparatively fresh when the gong sound
again. Words Of encouragement count 70
much and sometimes the use Of stimulant
at the proper moment and skill in patch
Ing up bruises turn the tide.
First class seconds can reduce a swollel
eye, ear, nose or mouth, can stop the FLOW
of blood from gashes and are also able t
strengthen the breathing apparatus b
artificial means. But serious injuries ar
comparatively few nowadays because O
the gloves worn by the fighters.
Sam Fitzpatrick has always been re
garded as an expert handler. He wa
! In Kid Lavignefs corner when the light
b weight champion beat Joe Walcott a
Maspeth in 1895. Both men were LITERAL
2 cut into ribbons. Lavigne's left ear wa
practically knocked off in the early round
) but Fitzpatrick, with the use Of causti
q and adhesive plasters patched II up s
we'll that he stopped the flow Of bloc
and thereby saved much Of the Kid
q vitality.
Spider KeIIy's Ways.
3 Spide Kelley of San Francisco is rt
garded by followers OF pugilism on tn
Z coast as the greatest of all seconds. II
8 is a quick thinker and very active durin
z a mill. He is also a clever judge of huma
s nature. jollying one pugilist or scoring ar
Q other numerically, as the case may wal
y rant. He has advised J~effries, Sharke
\ and many other noted pugilists in impor
ant battles. They tell a story in Californi
p how Kelly one night was behind a fightC
who was getting a severe beating
9 nearly every round. The man appeare
v to be on the verge of a collapse and Kell
@ worked like a beaver in the corner to say
d him In the next round just as Kelly
man was Keeling against the ropes, an 81
e cellent mark for a knockout blow, Spid'
e jumped into the ring and, grabbing h
$ fighter around the neck, cried:
THE clock has stopped, referee. tt
e clock has stopped"
8 Hostllities ceased then and there ar
n everybody looked at the automatic tim
keeper, which, sure enough, had cease
e to click. At first the referee was on Il
point of declaring against Kelly's pugilis
Il but on second thought he decided to wa
until the clock could be started agai
e When that had been accomplished Kel
had succeeded in reviving his man so We
that he was able to hold his own in II
IS remaining rounds and also got a dra'
e Kelly, is seemed, was the only man in Il
Il building who noticed that the mechanic
" timer was out Of order, and his quick o
II servation in this respect undoubtedly saw,
It his man from certain defeat.
IS Old Joe a Good One,
le Another famous handler is Joe Choy
Is ski. He saved Bob Fitzsimmons from
"a knockout at the hands OF Peter Nah
the first time they met at New OrleaI
ID 1t was in the first round that FitzsiI
~ mons received a terrific punch on the ia
which sent him to the floor practical
N knocked out. Choynski. however. took
lie this critical situation at a glance and
he he hoped into the ring he purpose
Kicked the gong. DrematurelV ending 4