The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-04-10
Large Understandings Makes II
Hard for Fighter to Upset
Opponent.
JACK J0HNS0N'S BROGANS
LOOK LIKE FLATBOATS
kilbane, Rivers and Knock
out" Brown Also Are
Well Blessed.

The three most promising Youngsters
in the fighting game today, Johnny XII +
bane OF Cleveland. Joe Rivers of Los An
gcles and Knockout Brown OF New York,
are blessed with big feet. writes J. Alex
Sloan in the Los Angeles Times
No better sign OF future ring greatness
can be found in the physical makeup OF
a fighter than to be blessed with a pais ,
of "brogans' above the ordinary size.
AS a physical charm large feet arc
about as attractive as elephant ears,
They are scorned by the dcbutanle and
tramped on by companions as a means
OF attracting attention. But under the
lofty ceilings OF the night clubs where the
thousands Of fans congregate to see two
sons of the padded glove strive for hon
ors, the conditions arc different There
the big feet come in handy.
Johnny kiibane is probably the fastest
young fighter in the world today and
he has the biggest feet OF any feather
weight before the public When Abe At
tell met Kilbanc the first time he looked
him over and remarked that it would
take pretty good punch 10 upset those
feet. Wen, Abe was right and in his
two efforts to upset johnny he failed
and in the second he broke his arm.
Next to Hands
Feet arc almost as important factor
In lighters success as hands. II they
are big and strong and work in unison
with the hands then they are q mighty
valuable asset In a lighters makeup. To-
upset pair OF "broganS" that cover a
good bit OF ground Is no easy matter
Let us take some OF the great fighters
! OF the past and see what kinde OF under
plnnins they possessed, There was Bob
FltZsimmons, who had a pair OF feet that
looked like couple of paddles. Tommy
Ryan wore a number nine shoe and con-.
sidering his size that was going some.
Old Jack Dempsey had large pair OF
= M nod haI Ia.
pied over until along came Bob Fitzsin-.
mons with his big fiat pedestals.
Then take our present day leaders
among the heavier class of fighters Jack
Johnson has pair OF under -pinnings
that resemble Il couple OF f1at-boats.
They are the shftiest pair of "brogans"
since Jim CorbettS day and Jim wore
shoe long enough To rest a couple Of
ordinary feet in IT. Sam Langford Is
another fighter who is Blessed with un-
derstandings that attracts a lot OF at
tentfon wherever he goes.
No Trilbys for Papke.
Billy" Papke never took any Trilby
prizes and one OF the things that always
bothered poor Stanley ketchel was the
looks of his feet or rather his shoes.
In fact, go over all the list Of great
lighters that have lighted UP the pages
Of pusilistic history and see how many
boasted OF small feet.
Jim Corbett once explained to ma
when | was kidding him about his Tril-
rs. Long feet are just the thing for
"A fighter, He does not have TO res. ais
weight on the ball OF the foot except'
when he is fighting on his toes and adj
vancng. and that is only part OF the
time; When he sets his weight back
on his heels the front portion Of his
feet are relieved of the strain"
Jack Johnson will tell you that half
the time the weight of his body Is spread
out over most OF his feet with the heels
bearing the greater part OF their SHARE
With little men 1t is different. The most
OF the time they are mp on their toes
throwing the weight on the balls OF
their feet.
Notice little Joe Rivers when he is box
Ing and YOU will get a good idea OF the
natural position of d fighter. for little,
Joe has never been scientifically trained
as It Is sometimes called. He just fights
and acts natural with his good sub
stantal feet.