Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-23
By Ed. W. Smith.
TINE poker table again has
proved the undoing of Abe
Attell

proved the undoing Of Abe
Attell
AT least so says the astute Billy
Nolan, who was the latest to round
up ABBEY after a disastrous physical
loss at the table and get him into
shape for a comeback.
This will be news that is not
particularly surprising to the many
friends of the little Hebrew fighter
who held the featherweight title so
long and lost 1t because of his shift
less training habits. These friends
know Abe and his temperament
pretty we'll.
Yet it will be something of a
shock to know that the little fellow
couldn't be good just at a time
when he seemed to have the bright
est kind of a chance of proving to
the world that he was still a great
athlete and a fighter of the first
class. Also, be it known, Abe had
a little redemption act to perform.
He had been accused Of taking in
New York and other PAGES. 1t
was up to him to show that he was
on the level, and the public best
forgets stories of taking when it is
proved that man can and will win.
Nolan Explains the Split.
Nolan just came through with a
long letter of explanation. covering
his sniff
champion. Nolan wants it known
that he did his very best for At
tell, but that it is a hopeless case.
Listen to the tale of woe:
1T was a desperate task that
undertook with Attell He begged
and begged that I take him and get
him Strengthened out. and I agreed
to try it only after hours of dis
cussion. during which Attell made
me the strongest kind of promises.
| knew he had been knocked thor
oughly all over the land and this
made my task all the harder. Yet
| undertook it at last and seemed
on the point of getting away with
II when the old fever got into Abe's
veins.
Ranch Life the Best.
When [ got through with the
training on the ranch | had Attell
up TO 1876 pounds and he looked ten
years younger than when | took
him He was in the finest of shape
and then the task was to keep him
there. That was easy as long as
We stuck to the simple food and
the good air of the ranch.
But when we got to San Fran
cisco, The bright lights and the
insinuating clatter of the poker
chips started the old fever and
within "a hours | discovered I had
as much control of him as a ten
year old boy would have of a buck
ing broncho He simply must sit
up all night and mix in with the
tenderloin crowd and | had to grin
and bear it
The Murphy bout was originally
set for July 4, but was put back a
month and Attell resumed all of his
old customs-all night at the poker
table and the rest of the time with
riotous companions. with little sleep
and no care for the future. Inside
of three weeks all of the good that
he had attained at the ranch was
blown When ] reproached him he
tn
The result was inevitable. We
split. He had the nerve to try and
renounCe me as manager, but he
found me equal to the occasion, for
| attached his money and got
$1,575 for my services, and what is
more. will assert my claim up to
the time of his next match with
Kilbane, which is in accordance
with the terms of my agreement
with him.
Airs a Few Opinions.
81 know from bitter experience
that lot of fighters are ingrates,
but the treatment ! received at the
hands of this fellow passes all be-
lief. Never in my life did | work
harder for a mans interests than |
did for his. and | believe he will
regret the day he turned this trick.
Getting back to more pleasant
things, let me air a couple of opin-
ions | have formed. Jim Flynn will
trim this Charley Miller, who is
TOO slow to make a champion.
thought Howard Morrow had the
makings Of a real champion and