Evening star., 1911-06-04
English Like Wells.

| The English press continues to enthuse
| over Great Britain's white hope. Bonn
badier Billy Wells. the critics claiming
the championship has passed into the
keeping of the very best big man Eng
land has turned out since the days OF the
clever Charlie Mitchell. However. I am
| In receipt OF letter only a day or two
since from an Englishman, a great ad-
mirer of pugilists and pugilism. and q
student of the game, who entertains en-
tirely different views. He tells me that
Wells is a very ordinary boxer in his
opinion, and that the win" over Ian
Hague proves nothing more than that
the latter is "all in" as a boxer; also
that Wells great popularity is based
on clever press work OF the men who
have his interests in charge. My friend
takes rather a pessimistic view of the
heavyweight situation from a white
mans standpoint. and predicts that john
son will mold down the throne for years
TO come if we are to depend upon an
Englshman TO relieve the dusky cnam-
pion of the title.
The third time 1t was out for Harlem
Tommy Murphy in his series OF bouts
with hnockout Brown. The latter took
Just forty seconds to dispose OF Tommy
chances The sudden termination of the
contest took the crowd by surprise. Mur-
ply did not land a blow. Brown rushed
at his man when the bell sounded for
the getaway and landed stun ieit 20
Tommy's jaw. Murphy dropped. but
arose Immediately. and was sent TO the
floor again. this time for the finish.
Murphy's showing. or. rather, lack or
1t, was in startling contrast with the
splendid argument of two weeks pre-
vious, and was the cause OF many un-
pleasant comments. Some went so far
as 10 intimate that everything was not
on the square. and that Tommy. having
decided to retire from the ring. had
agreed to LAY down to Knockout
Brown in consideration Of a certain sum.
do not believe any such cock-and-bul
story.
1t appeared to me that Brown was a
lucky boy to put the crusher over. and
it was a terrific punch. too. Murphy
was so dazed that instead Of taking the
same benefit of the count as any old
timer would, he arose quickly, which
showed he was not in full possession of
his mental facilities after the first wal
lop. 1t is easy enough for few dis
gruntled gamblers and soreheads to
circulate stories rejecting on the char
acters and regulations OF professional
pugiIists, but quite another matter to
come through with the evidence to
support them.
May Try Wolgast.
Brown will no doubt now be headed
for Champion Wo!gast If the latter is
successful in the coming Moran fight.
Danny Morgan. Knockouts manager,
opines the little East Slider can lick the
title holder in finish contest. I for
one disagree with him, and think VOL
CAST will surely beat the New Yorker
if ever they meet again. Brown has
nothing to brag of but strength. and
he hasn't anything on the champion In
that respect. In every point OF the
game Ad excels. The victory over
Murphy does not make Brown a cham
pionship possibility by any means, as
Tommy has been an inconsistent per-
former the past year or two. Eight
or nine years Of training and boxing
have undermined a constitution never
very rugged, and Tommy today falls far
short or his top-notch form.
Great Britain's lightweight champion is
in our midst and is the present bone of
contention among local promoters.
O'Rourke, Pollock, Gibson and the rest
are after the Englishman, and each has
prospective opponent selected and
signed TO box Wells before his club.
the premises. Matt announces that 135
pounds at o'clock is the best he Will
| do for anybody That is the English
light weight. and a champion will in
/ sist on his rights. This ought to suit
one Packey Mcfarland right down to
the ground, but will tend to bar the
! members of the ''13; club. Wells made
/; a favorable impression by not looking
/ for easy marks, and claims he would
/ prefer TO box Mcfarland. Wolgast or
! Welsh for the opening stunt on this side
/ OF the water.