Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-09
MURPHY MAS
KEENEST JUDGE
Of At HLETES
By Ed W. Smith.

HICAGO, June Sit is small
wonder that Ike Murphy, vet
eran of athletes, who passed
away in the East a few days ago,
led the athletic world and created
more shan one sensation by spring
ing great performers on the differ
ent countries at different times. F)r
Mike was one of the keenest judges
Of human form aid human capabili-
ties that I ever saw. AS matter of
fact he was little short of uncanny
in his perception and could tell al
most at a glance what an athlete
was capable of. Not only was he a
deep student Of the physical side,
but he studied and judged tempera
ments az well-and this was one Jf
the biggest factors in Mikes marvel
Gus success in handling men for ath-
letic contests.
1T is not mantioned in any of thu
biograp is that I have seen of
Murphy LgIl he was once one Of
the greatest of professional sprint
ers back in the old days when
GDElHLlHg WAS one u the ANdi GpDA -
in New England and towns in that
section subscribed money to send
their stars to Old England to com
pete in Sheffield handicaps and 9TH
er big races New England pro-
duced more than one man in those
days that could beat even time
for 100 yards and, as a matter Of
fact, every town in that section had
a champion and plenty of money was
wagered whenever match race Or
an open event came up that brought
together some Of the cracks.
IT was in a school of that kind that
L the lynx-eye Mike learned the
game Of footracing and acquired his
knowledge of men in much the same
way Naturally a wonderfully bright
and thoughtful fellow, ambitious to
lead at all times and with a COM
petitive spirit that was wonderfully
deveIoped, it is small wonder that
Mike. able as he was to impart that
same spirit to the men he handled
was hugely successful against the
world even at times when he seemed
to have vastly the worst of It In the
way of athletic material on his
squads.
NEITHER has II been mention e1
~ that Murphy at one time trained
the athletes Of the old Detroit Athletic
Club when such men as Fred owen,
Luther Cary. Fred DuCEarme, George
Naslev Joe Murphy and other great
athletes we're competing around the
Middle West. Yet Mike was a faml.-
lar figure then and was almost as
successful as he proved in lateI
wears. He not only uncovered but de-
veloped some of tie greatest anna
tours the world ever knew
THE last time I saw Mike was al
Reno. New, in 1910, while he was
taking vacation watching the
training of Jeffries and Johnson and
airing his views on the men for an
Eastern syndicate, ! rode from chit
csgo 10 the divorce city with MIN ahO
had many an interesting chat with
him about the great athletes or pas
and present Even then Mike vas
NOT i'm the best Of health and ms IN
creasing deafness bothered MN more
than a little and il was hard LOT hliA
to converse in public
his keenness was shown at Reno
II after he had looked over the
big fellows w were working toi
that memorable contest. There new
or vas much question about the con
dition in which the colored man
youId enter the ring, but there was
mighty big question about JeHrles
Afrer Murphy had looked over the
los Angeles man carefully a couple
N Zines l asked Mike his opinion
He shut one eye slowly, squlntea
long and hard at me and then re-
marked: - Sc. e,Io,s
contest or are they training MIN to
run a Marathon? nj, -.
Further than this Mike WoulG. + mo-
venture. but it was enough. Ihey
revsr trained Jeffries right at all Loi
tbat combat and the wise ones Wno
watched knew it--and perhaps prof.
Jtsd well thereby. Jim Corbett kne"
~ as we'll as anybody, and, SAID Sc
four DAYS before the battle. Mur,
nv knew II two weeks before ano
said So. Mike was wonderful man
sdiN 80
MANY man who thought ne
M was Splinter was turned INC
q star distance man by Murphy, VINO
Trew at glance that the athlets
hadn't picked out the right game ~
i1iT,self And in 90 cases out OF lV'
Mikes Judgment was absolutely cor
rect