Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-14
MIDDL EWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
IN FAIR WAY TO BE SETTLED
Many Scappers in That Glass, but They Are Getting
Closer Together in Struggle for
the Title.
BY T. s. ANDREWS.

BYT. s. ANDREWS.
| Special Correspondence Of The Star.
| MILWAUKEE,, Wis, June 13.-The mid
dleweight championship question, Whlcn
has been bothering the followers OF box
| ing in the two hemispheres for the past
year or two, seems to be in fair way OF
being definitely settled. Jimmy Clabby,
who has been one of the real contenders
| for the title at the legitimate weight.
suffered a severe setback the past week
! in Australia, when he lost twenty-round
decision to JEFF Smith, the New York mid
dleweight. These two boys met In New
York three years ago in ten-round con-
test as welterweights and at that time
Clabby was credited with a victory. Since
then both have developed into real mid
dleweights and now Smith has turned
the tables on the clever Clabby. Before
leaving for Australia Clabby fought TWEEN
ty rounds with Billy Murray in San Fran
cisco. the decision being draw. although
| it was claimed by all the papers that
Clabby easily outpointed the California
boy. Murray, since that time. has been
making good in the east and the chances
series Of matches under the direction Of
Snowy Baker, If plans which are now
| being negotiated materialize. If Murray
| goes to Australia he will be matched up
with jeff Smith and also Clabby and the
winner Of these contests will in all prob
ability be matched with Eddie McGoorty.
| 1t is question whether McGoSrty can
make the middleweight limit, which is 1853
pounds ringside. Jack Dillon and George
| Chip also claim to be in the running for
the nliddleweight title. but there is some
| question about Dillon making the weight.
Mike Gibbons can also be considered as
a contender. for Mike seems to have de-
| veloped real punch of late. However,
| 1t seems that the middleweights are get
| ting little closer together and before
long we may have a champion to take
the place of the late Stanley Ketchel
Clabby's defeat in Australia was great
surprise to the followers Of the game
there, as he was a big favorite and was
picked to peat Smith. The papers all
| said Clabby should have had a draw.
C1abby was given the preference of a
match with McGoorty July 4 In Sydney.
1t seems to be a great year for surprises
all around in boxing.
The Milwaukee boxing clubs have
practically closed for the summer sea-
son. The Ritchie-White match proved
| conclusively that boxing fans will not
attend shows during the extreme hot
weather. It would be much better for
i the boxing clubs to close entirely dur
ing the summer season the same as
| winter season. The various sports have
| their different seasons. and the fol-
lowers act accordingly.
| All the talk being sent broadcast by
| the trainers and others who were with
| Willie Richie when he met Charlie
White before the Queensbury A. c..
of Milwaukee, May e., to the effect
that Willie was a sick boy: that he had
a raging fever and should never have
been permitted to enter the ring. sounds
childish and Is going to do the cham
pion more harm than good. Richie
was not i'll. nor was he lacking in
condition. He was examined by the
clubs physician. DIR. Morter. who pro-
a member of the boxing commission
! and naturally he would not tolerate
any such business, IL Richie happen
ed to be i'll. I was with Richie be-
in the best of health and full of con-
idence. If the trainers and managers
| would leave him alone and not try to
offer excuses he would be much better
off. The fact is Willie was a bit care
less in the first round and bumped into
a hard one to the jaw, which might
happen to any champion. and as q
result he came near taking the count.
To his credit 1t must be admitted that
he showed his real worth after that
by recuperating fast and putting up a
remarkable fight against a big handi-
cap. 1t proved that he was a real
champion. with the grit and stamina
to back it up and also plenty of
all the praise he is getting. for he put
up a wonderful fight. and is well en-
titled to chance at the champion
ship.
The northwest is all worked up over
the approaching battle at Hudson, Wis.
! June Is, between Pal Brown, the Hib-
bling boy, and Johnny Tillman of Min
neapolis They are to box ten rounds al
| LIB pounds at 3 O'Clock. There Is in
tense rivalry between them and there
will be a great deal Of coin wagered on
the result. The fans of the Iron range
| will back Pal to a man, while those OF
the Twin cities will put their mopey on
Tillman. Over the long route Brown
| would be a big favorite, but in ten rounds
Tillman will have plenty of hackers, for
he is fast on his feet and jabs with his
left while going away from his oppo-
nent which gives him an advantage in a
short bout. However. Pal is pretty fast
himself and he hits hard when he lands
as was proven when he defeated Hughie
Michigan, the Australian champion, over
the marathon route in Sydney last win
ter.
Bob Fitzsmmons, one of the greatest
fighters the world has produced, made
the statement some time ago that Amer
lean boys started altogether too young
Bob was twentyfour years of age wher
| he started as professional in the game
!. and he had wonderful success up to the
time he was nearly forty years old The
very fact that SO many of our boxers
} are considered has beens' before they
reach the age of thirty proves conclu.
; siveiy that they start altogether toe
young. This calls to mind the younges,
on the Pacific coast, named Patse,
Kelley, who is considered a very clever
) youngster. but who is evidently beins
sent into the ring at too tender an ago
One of the papers in San Francisco In