The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-25
Papke's Apology
For Phoney Fight
Illinois Thunderbolt Says He
Didn't Think Sailor Burke
Would do so Well

Il owe the sporting public an apol-
og-' tcr my poor showing against Sail
or Burke" said Bill Papke yesterday
I am not trying to make excuses, for
/ l alone am to blame But honestly I
| dreamed Burke could improve so much
and when l trained for him / simply
/ regarded him as boob. 1 figured that
the first time 1 cracked him on the
jaw he'd quit or go out, for I remem-
bered how he wanted to stop when we
boxed six rounds here three years
ago. AS a result of this overconfi-
dence L didn't work any too hard and
was not really fit when I got into
the ring.
I made a mistake too in bulline
Burke, for he was too strong and
knew too much about that kind of
business. Then again 1 didn't fight
him the right way. Instead of try
ing to land long right hand swing
L should nave covered my face with
the left arm and bored in with a
straight right hand punch either to
should have depended more upon h
straight left. But it's too late now
and there's nothing to be gained by
making excuses. I'm going to train
in dead earnest after this, and if
some Of the promoters will arrange
meet Burke again.
There was nothing wrong Tuesday
night. / thought 1 could stop Burke
in six. rounds and 1 did the best I
could. 1 didn't stall and there was
no plan to let Burke win in order
my showing than anybody because 1
realize that I've lost a lot of pres
tige"
Papke received a general scoring by
those who saw Burke beat him easily. |
Billy Roche. who refereed Papke's |
twenty round bout with the late Stan
lev Ketchel in California, requested |
the Sun to quote him in this manner:
'Pa9ke showed the white feather in |
the last bout with Ketchel and he !
showed it again with Burke. He isn't |
a real champion by "a long shot for |
the reason that if he doesn't hatten
his man with one punch right of the |
reel he loses heart and will not run |
any risk of getting hurt. The mo- |
ment he found that he couldn't make
Burke quit and that the sailor was
his master in physical condition he
logged it. He had month to get |
ready for Burke and his talk about |
overconfidence is nonsense. 1 know |
him like book and his performance |
didn't surprise ME a bit"
1t is clear now why Cyclone Johnny |
Thompson got decision over Papke !
at the end of twenty rounds in AUS !
tralia. Papke says he wasn't fit for |
that affair. but if he performed the
way he did in the bout witt: Burke |
it's no wonder that the clumsy but |
aggressive Thompson beat him. TAX |
ing into consideration Frank Klaus |
showing with Thompson, therefore. |
many ring sharps yesterday were |
honors to the hard hitting Pittsburg |
man. If Klaus meets Papke here or
elsewhere the former will be heavily |
backed to win.
Il couldn't make Papke do any bet |
ter" said, Referee Charley White. Il
spoke to him repeatedly, but he said |
he was doing the best he could. If /
he was overconfident and not keyed |
UP to the top notch he deserves all |
the censure he is receiving. A cham |
pion is expected to uphold his title
at all times especially when he holds |
a club up for big guarantee. Papke
asked for $1,000 and the club accepted /
his terms. 1t was his duty to train
faithfully and to deliver all he had !
He got his money before the bout, ev-
cry cent of it. and there was no room
for dissatisfaction. It's fortunate that |
the boxing game will be under the
State commissions control next week.
for a repetition of such slovenly and
disinterested work wild result in ban
ishment. The public must be protect
ed even if it is necessary to order a
champion to stay away from here"
The solution of Papke's queer show
ing is easy" said Sam G. Austin. He
got a reputation by landing one lucky
punch that stopped KetcheI. He has
beaten nobody of account since. AS
a middleweight champion he is a poor
apology. Why. such former cham
pions as Tommy Ryan. Fitzsimmons.
Dempsey and Mccoy would have made
him quit in few rounds, while Joe 4
Walcott, the former welterweight /
champion would have knocked him out
in a punch. Burke deserves credit
for his fearlessness. He's been called L
a gutter, but he didn't quit this time.
He knew what he was up against and
put up his best fight
Papke has received such a setback
in the estimation of the sporting pub
lie that he may have to beg for a
return match with Burke or battles
with Klaus and Thompson. If any
local club decides to put him on he
will be compelled to box on a per-
centage, as he cannot successfully de-
mand another guarantee