El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-15

TEW YORK, n. Y, Feb. 15.-After
Nj a long period Of patient wait
i ing-more than three years
Harlem Tommy Murphy is at last to
have another crack at Ad WOIgast- In
September, 1909, about six months be-
fore WOlgast won the lightweight title
from Bat Nelson, these boys met in a
short bout in Pittsburg. and Tommy
gave Ad a fine little trimming
When WOlgast won the championship
Murphy was one Of the first to chal-
lenge him, but APPARENTLY AID had not
forgotten the Pittsburg meeting and its
result At any rate. he positively re-
fused to box Tommy and turned down
all offers for return match.
Murphy had given up all hope Of ever
getting another match with WOlgast
and, after Willie Richie had taken the
Michigan boys title away, abandoned
his efforts in that direction. But now
a turn Of the wheel is to bring the an
cient enemies together again. The old
saying that its an i'll wind that blows
no good" fits in nicely here.
Tommy was to have boxed 20 rounds
with Joe MandOt on WashingtOn's
birthday anniversary, but the latter's
illness cancelled the match. Jim Cot
frOth, the promoter. in the hunt for a
suitable opponent for Murphy cast his
eagle eye in WOlgast's direction and.
after much persuasion and the offer of
a nice, fat guarantee, secured the ex-
champions consent to take MandOt's
place
If Ad is in good shape. the battle
should be a cOrker. There are a few
critics who think Ad is "Oden." but a
careful review Of the Richie fight
round by round, fails to suggest. that he
has gone back ii any extent Up to
the 18th round of that battle, Wolgast
had shade on Richie and. while he
showed signs Of WEAKNESS after taking
that punch on the jaw in the last round,
several experts who saw the battle tell
me that he was nowhere near licked
man, and also that the referee in de-
claring Ad a loser on a foul, made a
grievOus mistake.
Murphy viii be good" there is lit
tie doubt Of that He thrives on Cali
fOrnia Climate" and has put up the
best fights of his long career in the
western country. He feels that he has
the indian sign" on WOlgaSt and viii
90 into the ring chOCk full OF conf
dence. Coffroth and San Francisco
sports are to be congratulated on land
ing this bout for the worlds fair city.
If WOlgast defeats Murphy, it is pos
sible that he may come east for a 10
round bout with Packey Mcfarland
The boys were matched to box here
last summer. but opposition developed
from an unexpected quarter and 1t was
thought advisable for the good of the
sport to abandon the plans for the time
teing. Mcfarland would welcome the
chance to box WOlgast and is willing
TO make a lower weight for the eX-
champion than, for BrittOn or any
success, in next Saturdays mill, the
chances are that the match will be ar
ranged.
Meanwhile, the sports are guessing
about the proposed INSTRUMENTATION |
bout. One day the match is on and |
the next it's off The fact remains |
that neither boxer has yet signed the |
articles of agreement, although the |
Gardens press agent has given out I
March = as the date assigned for the +
contest
The hitch is said to be over money |
matters. Mcfarland is holding out for I
q certain guarantee and BrittOn wants 4
a greater. percentage than that offered l
him I 1t is thought that rival pro-
mOter has been flirting with the men 1
and that they are using this as club I
TO force the Garden management to
raise the bid. Both boys realize that
they can draw a great deal more money (
at the Garden and the probability IS
the match will eventually be pulled or
there. but not until they have eX-
hausted every effort to get all the
dough" that finds its way to the box
It is hoped that Mcfarland and Brit
ton come to terms before long The
match is the only really important
lightweight event in sight for the i'm
mediate future, and New Workers are
hungry for something worth while IN
the boxing line. The programs have
been sadly lacking in first class ma
terial the past winter, and local pro-
moters are having a hard time ar
ranging suitable attractions, owing 70
the dearth of classy talent in this 10
cality
Willie Ritchie is due to arrive in
Gotham before long. When the cham
pion alights in the big town, he viii |
find the Iatchstrings out and welcome !
signs on the Goormats Of the prOmot-
ers. The fistic inpressariOs have found
out. and at no small cost, that the I
sports have had an elegant sufficien-
CIV" as Joe HUMPHREYS puts it, of medi-
ocre talent. Attendance at bouts has |
been so poor recently that several club
owners have quite and one or two 9TH !
ars are said to be ION the ropes" The |
expenses attached to the operation. OF
a boxing club in New York are very |
heavy and since the fight fans have
made il clear that they want first class
in return for their mon !
ay. the promoters are at last beginning
to show symptoms Of a willingness to
loosen up and import some real
talent
-Ritchie could not have chosen a more
Dropitious time to visit New York, and
il ne is not averSe to taking on some
good boy during his stay, he will find
the promoters more than ready to meet
him half way. There will be sharp
for his services and no
doubt manager Billy Nolan viii be