Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-02
"PUGS" FIGHT SHY
OF BOXING MEET
Purposed slope" Elimination
Tournament May Fail,
Says Corbett.
ALL SCARED OF PACKEY
AND HIS HARD PUNCH
Stockyards Lightweight 0p'
ponents Hide Behind 133-
Pound Limit.
By James J. Corbett.

ny JdWeS y. COTOeCI.
Special Dispatch to The Star
NEW YORK, May Tom O'Rourke,
the veteran fight impresario Of Gotham,
informs me he has extended a general
invitation to all pugilstic white hopes
throughout the country to gather for
tournament at the National Sporting Club
in this city, and has set the date for
May 26. The invitation takes in all
those who aspire to the worlds cham
pionship now held by Jack Johnson.
Corking good plan-an elimination tour
nament-hut | am afraid O'Rourkes ef
forts will he wasted. Every hope" car
ries a manager who must first be
suited. and in most cases these managers
have other plans for their proteges. There
would not be enough dough in the
tournament for the wise boys. What they
figure on are easy campaigns for their
charges, with soft marks or has
beens for opponents. The elimination
congress would clean up the heavy
weight situation-so far as the hopes
are Concelned-too quickly TO suit the
principals, and at the same time it would
end the money earning abilities of the
ma jority. So think Tom will have his
work cut out in trying TO pull ii off.
Palzer Is O'Rourke's Hope
O'Rourke, by the way. ,aas A hope
Of his own-a younsster named Al Pal
ger, who recently was given try-out
against n Pittsburg heavyweight. and
made good right from the jump. Tom has
had a world of experience in handling
boxers and has directed the affairs of some
CLASSY ones. among them George Dixon
and Joe Wolcott. He is good Judge OF
fyb in bo and believes he has
the real article in Palzer.
Tom is ready and willing TO enter Pal
Ter in the proposed tournament. and later
on will set sail for Carl Morris. the pride
of Oklahoma In fact. he now Is figuring
with Morris hacker for a match. and II
the deal is contaminated the pair will
meet in Tulsa July 4. ORourke tells me
his man has all the earmarks OF good
fighter, and the veteran manager ought
to know something about one, for he has
seen all the great ones in action at close
range for the last quarter OF a century.
Mcmahon Has Good Punch.
Bear Cat Mcmahon, as he has been
dubbed by the Philadelphia and Pittsburg
scribes, did not exactly cover himself
with glory in the contest with Sailor
Burke at New York's latest boxing club
the Twentieth Century-but he demon
strated beyond question that he has
hard kick when he put the sailor to the
floor in the first round.
Mcmahon came to town touted as the
coming middleweight champion, and,
while losing the decision on points to his
more experienced antagonist. made a
creditable showing. He lacks experience
and the judgment that comes with 1t.
Had he a better ''headpiece" the proba-
bility is he would have won in the first
round. but his overanxiety to put the
finishing touches on Burke permitted the
sailor to stall through the round and
later on more than even up affairs. With
proper training and tuition Mcmahon
may yet prove a stumbling block in the
paths of the championship aspirants. al
though at this time it would be suicide
to send him against such clever and eX
perienced men as Papke. Kelly and
Klaus.
Thompson Open to All.
Cyclone Johnny Thompson says he
would like to box Packey Mcfarland. and
if the proposition listens like ready
money to the stockyards boy the 'Cy-
clone is ready to put his signature to
paper agreeing to make 40 pounds ring
side. This offer goes for any man who
can make that figure. he will just as
quickly sign at 1873 pounds. bar nobody.
Johnny Is In earnest about It, too, and
to prove to the public that he is not kid
ding will put up a forfeit of 81 600 for
weight Welters or middies. they all look
alike TO the Illinois Cyclone. He always
was a willing worker, even when in the
lightweight division. He always was
ready to waive the matter of few
pounds.
In these days of pickering over an
ounce here and a pound there 1t Is re-
freshing to come up with young man
Of the Thompson type, who will not al
low a rivals reputation TO scare him into
drawing the weight limit about his shout
ders for protection, as is the fashion with
number of our youthful glove pushers.
Mcfarland is having hard time finding
opponents worthy of his skill. owing to
the fact that he will not make the 133
mark, and Freddy Welsh, who came over
here with the avowed intention ct meet
ing the Chicago lad. now is hollering
loudly about the two pounds difference
All the sports in this locality arc pulling
hard for this match, but at this writing
1t seems as far away as ever
Says Fighters Fear Mcfarland.
Mcfarland is willing to make 1873 pounds
for one man only. and that man is VOL
CAST, the champion. Otherwise nothing
doing. Mac is unquestionably the one
best bet among the lightweights, ana
while not champion OF the class Is re-
garded by students OF the game as a bet
ter man than the title holder. Possibly
it is the class the little Chicagoan has
been showing in his contests that keeps
the boys away from him and not so much
the matter of poundage. which. OF course,
makes mighty good excuse when trying
to avoid a meeting with the marvellous
Packey.
There was little heard hereabouts with
reference to ringside weighing before Nc
Farland made his first local appearance
and made a big rep for himself at the
same time Knockout" Brown, who has
been touted as a bearcat Of the fiercest
species. and who was said to worry not
at all if his opponent weighed the pro-
verbal ton Is the latest to Join the ranks
OF the Sticklers for 133
Packey wants to go to work real
badly he might do worse than accept the