The evening world., 1911-08-05
Never Could Resist 0ppor.
tunity to Do Something Odd or
Funny and Finally a Back Flip
in Fourteenth Round Lost Him
His Title to Australian Billy
Murphy.
NO. 1O.-IKE WEIR.

COPYRIGHT ie Ih: Y r w. r, w., 6usn'Aias %
IN July or August. 1850. several MONTH
after the famous battle with Trani
Murphy. Ike Weir was challenged b,
Billy Murphy. the cyclonio little fsathsr
weight nom Australia. Murphy hat
been In America only . month or %. II
J that time he had defeated Johnny 0r,f
nm. the B~raintree. Mas. feather weight
had fought . twenty-nine-round draw
with Frank Murphy. ana had prove<
himself . rushing. tearing little fighter
Weir socepted the challenge. but the
men did not set together until six
months Later. Jan. "a, 1880.
The intervening months were spent by
Weir around Boston and New York,
part OF tho time in an endeawor TO
uplift tho stage It has since become
the accepted thing for . successful
nghter to . TO tho stage, but Ike
proved to be . muoh better drawing
card than many pusilkts who have at
tempted to follOw In his Footsteps He
had . large fund Of anecdotes ana funny
stories and could dance nearly every
kind Of Irish ~ and reel that was svsr
invented. while his grotesQus antics In
his sparr1nS exhibt tons never failed to
keep his audience In . gale OF laughter.
When arrayed In his stage costume
Ike wAs . symphony In green and gold.
Ills trunks and athletic shtrt were OF the
genuine Irish color: his manly bosom
was almost covered with giitterins
spangles and stage medals. Usually
tho American colors were gracefully
drapsd around HE waist Or else he
Sportsd his championship belt.
He and D0Odv Rivals.
However. amusing ~ Weir was on
tho stage. his antics on II were much
more % Many are tho tales that are
told OF his erratic actions. Ike Weir
and Patsy Doody were great friends.
but also great rivals. This rivalry
manifested itself in dancing. shooting,
racing. piano playing. sparring-in
short everything which tho brains Of
two crazy. happy go-lucky Irlshmen
like Weir and Doody could invent.
Many al old-tlme resident Of the East
Side can tell of watching Weir and
Doody racing through the streets. Like
as not. they would be walking quietly
along the siewalk. A passing horse car
would arouse an argument as TO which
could catch II, Letting the car get a
half block or a block away. Weir and
Doody would dash on In hot pursuit.
When the car was reached, both would
climb on n appeal to the conductor
10 decide which n had reached II
first. On the word OF the conductor
one or the other would pay tho wager.
n u bill. They might stop OH
the street and. surrounded by a huge
crowd, endeavor to outrival each other
In clog dances. relying on the speeta-
tors to decide the question of super
iority.
steve Brodie's place up on the Bowery
knew them well, Many q time have
the frequentcrs Of that resort seen
Doody get up on the little stage and do
n turn. to be followed by Weir In an
earnest effort to Guido Patsy. Both
were expert m~arksmen. and they never
could pass a shooting gallery without
their skill.
The sandy beach Of Coney Island was
n favorlte spot for their races. Ike's
favorite musical instrument was the
plano, willis Patsy inclined toward the
concertlna, Patsy could make that old
concert!na talk. and when Ike struck
a lively irish tune on the piano not
q foot In the place could keep still.
Clever as Weir was. however, IN all
these things. Patsy generally had a
shade on HIM. This was always more
or less Of a sore spot with Weir, and
any comparison OF their skill was sure
% launch him In = frantic endeavor to
Vwnya hta gtna~loVity