The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-27
Ex-Champion Does Not Be lieve Atten Faked-He Thinks Abe Is Passing, As His Training Consists Chiefly of Card Playing Nights.


 All of Little Top Notch
 CTS Are In Bad Shape.
 (By James J. Corbett, Former Heavy
 weight Champion of the Worldly
 Special Co The Farmer.)
 Chicago, Jan. 27.-Cruel fate still continues in hot pursuit of the star hght-wefghts. First it was the American champion, Ad Wolgast, who was stricken on the eve of battle and rushed to the operating table. Then came the cabled news that Matt Wells, England's star, Was suffering from an aggravated attack of cry stpeIas; on top of this the vail from NcFarland's headquarters that the reason for Packeys disappointing showing with Tommy Murphy was due to a. wound from Cupid's dart.
 And now Freddy Welsh, just as he is about to appear in the same iden- teal ring where he was scheduled ro box Wolgast when the latter was sud- denly taken sick, is carried to the hospital instead
 
 old hard-luck thing for fair. Vol gast will be unable to do battle sor some months yet; Wells is in no shape to box, and Mcfarland has not been seen in public sAnce the Thanks giving day stunt with Murphy.
 Welsh is said to have severely strained the tendons of his neck and back. The little Englishman was booked to go twenty rounds with Bobby Waugh. the Texan. last Satur- day, but was forced to call the thing off at the last minute, just as hap pened Wolgast two months ago.
 With the important guys all lad up the Mandots, Hogans, Browns, sayIors and others will have a chance to jump into the front row of public attention There is some talent in the "'near-champ" ranks that may make good if given the opportunity.
 One Round Hogan is promising boy. He satisfied critics that he pos sessed considerable cIeverness in re- cent bouts with Knockout Brown and Battling Nelson. Hogan outclassed Brown and displayed remarkable dex- terfty and generalship in the Nelson contest
 Hogan boxes Tommy Murphy be- lore Jim Conroth's San Francisco club next Wednesday. The Harlem | boy is a dangerous foe. From all ac- counts he gave Mcfarland plenty of trouble in their Thanksgiving match. | Knockout Brown put over one of those lucky punches to Tommy's jaw | last Spring, but it was a scratch vic | story. if ever there was one. Upon his showing against the experienced and | clever Murphy experts will calculate 1 Hogan's championship chances.
 T11a1 much talked-of match be- tween Packey Mcfarland and Mike | Gibbons, the St. Paul marvel, may be | arranged after all. Gibbons man agers recently made overtures to | Packey and while the latter was rather coy about it he intimated that match if a suitable purse was hung up.
 On this score MT. Mcfarland need 1 have no worry. He is a big card in New York, where the match will take place, if at all, and Gibbons is one of the white haired boys in Gotb.m right. now. Mikes clever stuff has made an awful hit with the night bugs in the big town.
 If this team comes together it will take another Madison Square Garden to accommodate the sports who will want to see two real clever boys put up their maulies. Packey and Mike are much alike in battle array, box on the same style, and both have left hands that it is treat to look at. Gibbons is thought a harder N1alIoper than the Chicagoan, but at 142 pounds he might not carry any heavy artillery. And Packey is not 70 easy to hit anyhow; not so you can notice it.
 Mcfarland not forced to reduce may prove sturdier than most people think The stock-yards' boy was quite some heavy puncher a few years ago when not compelled 10 sweat off much of his stamina A glance over his record will show that he was one of the original TX. O. lads, himself. l If Packey understands the build f Ing up process as well as the re- l