The Detroit times., 1913-02-19
TIGERS PROSPECTS ARE LOOKING UP
"KIARLEM TOMMY MURPHY, CLEAAEST FIGHTER,
GETS HIS CHANGE ON WASHING7ONS BIR7HDA

Harlem Tommy Murphy races ex-
Champion Ad wolgast In the DAILY
City arena on the afternoon OF Feb.
%, he will have realized the ambi-
ton OF q lifetime-a real chance TO
have a ding az the lightweight title,
for unquestionably the public will de-
mand that he be While Ritchies next
oppoDent-contingen OF course, upoi
/ Murphy decisively beating Wolgast.
! That Murphy has chance OF doing
this Is the opinion OF great many
and the concrete belief
lemite, who has put UP a number or
wonderful fights In California. Strong
and game, Murphy has surprised even
his own manager by the far differ-
ent fights he makes In California as
compared with those he has engaged
! In in the east. A number OF boys
have bested him In the 10-round New
York bouts, but in every 20round
contest that he has participated In In
California he has shown remark
| able reversal OF form. Even the
mighty Packey Mcfarland was forced
10 extend himself to the limit to avoid
defeat at the hands of Murphy when
they met in San Francisco on Thanks
giving day, 1911. Although easily
outpointed in the fore part OF the
fight. Murphy came with a rush In
the latter half and while Athe decision
went against him, he was far the
| fresher at the finish. and had the
battle gone a few rounds farther he
looked TO have a mighty good chance
to score knockout.
| Murphy attributes his good showing
| in California to the climate. He finds
that he can train properly here and
that fighting out OF doors makes ~
| far easier for him to go at top speed
for 20 rounds and pullfup fresh.
Murphy has the distinction OF be-
! ing the first boy to give Abe Attell a
! thorough beating Attell was knocked
out once early In his career, but IL
was one-punoh defeat. Murphy,
however, hammered Attell. one OF the
greatest glove men of all time, into
] a pulp, an achievement, considering
Attell's wonderful cleverness, to be
proud Of The pair met again and
fought 20-round. draw.
Murphy and Wolgast have me ,
once, fighting six-round no. decision
contest in Pittsburgh about three
years ago. MWEhyl hRs always
claimed that he had the better or
that contest and over the long route
Is confident that he 10 the champions
muster. 49, 8 - "a 49,. -
+ The Saarlem 7Boy-sts one OF the real
I gentlemen OF the ring. He Is mild
hammered and soft spoken, is de-
vout Catholic, always attending mass,
abhors profanity and is devoted
husband and father His whole soul
is wrapped mp In his wife and baby
and when he brings them with him
to San Francisco every minute not
spent oil the road or In the gymna-
stun, is spent with his family as Is
shown In his almost immediate de-
parture for home after he beat
Frankie Burns in San Francisco on
New Yksr,s day.
"Stayton the ground, Tommy" SAID
Promoter Jim Coffroth, land I'll give
you another match next month"
'I ar much obliged to you, Mr.:
Coffroth," was Murphy's quiet reply,
but could not think of It,. I must
hurry home to my wife and little girl.
| could not think OF remaining away
from them a whole month and | can
not bring them out here, so | must
go home"
And home he went. remaining there
until training time neared.
Murphy has been fighting 10 years
and while he has few knockouts to
his credit he has been and Is con-
sistent performer. Right now he Is
fighting better than ever and despite
the fact that he Is 90 years old, he
believes that he is good for at least
FIVE racre years or ring work. He
1 has accumulated a comfortable for
n tune. investing his money In real es-
tate and conducting real estate bus
iness. 8 r
While Murphy is not a knockout
fighter. he Is fast and extremely rug
ged. No pace can tire him and he ap-
pears to become stronger as a fight
progresses He Is taller and has a
longer reach than Wolgast, is the SUI
perior Of the ex-champion as boxer
and is willing to mix. Whether he
can mix with Wolgast, who rs the
toughest lightweight In the world at
that style OF milling, or was before
the appendicitis operation, remains to
be seen, but II Wolgast Is no better
than lie was when he fought Willie
Richie, Murphy will be able to hold
hig own at the cloee work
Tommy is a real credit \ TO the
game and becanseIof bis gentlemanly
deportment and satisfying style OF
! flghting he has many admirers.
cep,r., aud Detroit UnI,ersitJ school