The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-12-12
mike GIBBONS
THE REAL THING
st. Paul Boy Near Head of
Welterweight Class-Is
a Marvel
. . .
= FACTS ABOUT NEW =
FISTIC LUNuNARY. =


Born in st. Paul twenty-three years
ago.
Been boxing three years. learning
the art at the Y. NJ. c. A.
Comes from athletic family. his
brothers being wrestlers and boxers.
Deceived his parents to take up the
glove game, originally being a sheet
iron and metal worker.
Uses left jab as most effective punch
hut embodies everything in the cata-
logue. Has Driscolls footwork. Nc
Farland's speed and cleverness and
Fttzsimmons' punch.
Watches opponents legs to tell what
he is about to DO. Never looks into
the other fellows eyes during a bout.
Avoids punishments as being UNI
necessary. but takes 1t when 1t comes
without blinking.
New York. Dec. 12.-Across the fis-
tic armament. flashing like the streak
of the meteor. a western star has
blazed his luminous way. Two months
that such a parsonage as Michael Glib
hons was ahout to adorn the annals
of things fistic. He had q local repu-
tation. wac known as a good boy and
earned all the laurels that bedecked
his record.
Gibbons. tired of fighting pugs
the Scottish hard. Gibbons, too. came
out Of the west to prove to the effete
east that he was mighty and manly.
Now the name of Gibbons seems
destined to go ringing down the cor
ridors Of time in fistir echoes that
cannot be stilled. He has impressed
some of the keenest followers of the
AOh< on a In 1Ato Loot xu.o hnttl.,e,
against Willie Lewis and Walter Cof-
fey Gibbons has demonstrated such
class that away ahead Of him the
championship of the welterweight
class seems to loom.
Rare enconiums have been heaped
upon him. Men like Honest John
Kelly. Considine and others. whose
him as one of the finest opponents
of the boxing game seen since the
old masters began to pass away.
Name ON Every Lip.
Such has been the striking work
of Gibbons in the east hat his is the
name on all lips today. And in view
of his reputation. in view of the
startling name in. which he has
flashed across h fstic sky. a little
peek into his history will not he an1iss.
Gibbons career is that of the aver
So> " hSSA4 |" l 4
fame. in the roped arena run coun-
ter to maternal protest Mike was
born twenty-three years ago. a strudy,
well setup. fine looking broth of a
y He had an elder brother who
wanted to star as a wrestler. and did,
and another fraternal champion who
seeks an opportunity to demonstrate
that he is a white hope.
When Mike was old enough to add
something to the family %exchequer he
was sent to learn his trade as a sheet
iron and metal worker. He applied
himself conscientiously to the task of
learning the trade and soon escilewed
his apprenticeship for the journey
mans berth and his three bills each
day.
Gibbons. like the masculine end of
letics. He didn't spend his nights
around the u chewing tobacco,
smoking cigarettes and talking dope.
Not Michael. He joined the Y. NJ. C..
A. and was there every night. He took
up boxing through inherent love of
the game, for the Gibbons come of a
fighting race.
1t wasn't long before Michaers pro-
f~iciency with his dukes earned the
position OF boxing instructor for the
BOY. Gibbons. partially from his love
for the game and for the amiable am
bition Of turning his talents into a
commercial channel, started a profes.
sional career.
Fools His Mother.
But he did not fight under the name
that he received at the family chris
squalling event. Not he. Mike had
a hard-headed old dad and IL strong
"illed old mother. who wanted none
OF the fight game for their boy. Bet
ter lay the metal on the roof than
the bunch of fives' on an opponents
facial architecture.
However. Mikes fame grew to such
the papers. his ring alias and his real
name often appearing together. Then
1t was necessary to carefully cut the
sporting pages out Of the family news
paper before the maternal eye might
strike an item. and then 1t would GER
tainly be all off with Mike.
However. it is difficult to fool the
mother all the time. When Mike went
away In response to a growing de-
mand abroad for his services. the first
of a friendly boxing bout went
all right. but when Mike began to
sport jewelry and good clothes, and
talked about the %foolishness of work.
ing on a roof when he could do some
thing that would bring stronger re-
muneration. Mrs. Gibbons tumbled.
Then came an awful kick.
Mrs. G. was a Spartan mother. Sine
put down her foot at first. No fight
ing for her Mike. None whatever.
when she learned that IL Mike
didn't fight he would be called a
gutter. the old eyes fired with a vital
spark Of arger. n the memories of
the fighting Gibbonses came back to
her. She told her boy to go ahead
and .wallop the d~aylights out Of any
omadhaun who thought for a minute
that a Gibbons would quit.
Since that time Gibbons has moved
onward and upward. Today he stands
at the top OF the welterweight class,
and fight fans in New York foresee
1or this marvel the crown " the
championship perched on his brow.
Boy Has Everything.
One conservative critic tells the
story Of the hoy. and 1t Is worth re-
peating. Says this man. one Of the
best Judge OF fighters in tho news
MINER N0mo.