Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-02-21
ey RoeERT EpoREN.

tyOuf opponent walt Tor you IN the ring,
the longer he is compelled to wait the
more nervous he'll become
As least. so II would read II there
was such a thing as a book OF ring
Istrategy. That time-worn trick has
been played by all Of our champions,
I've seen a third-rate preliminary box
| er play II on-but that's another story.
The one I'm going to tell here is Of a
fight in which the rule back-fired.
threw in its reverse clutch at full
speed and brought about the downfall
| Of one of the greatest champions the
ring ever knew.
To the younger members Of our
set the name of Terry McGovern.
while well known. carries no great
significance. Il Is impossible to mag.
Inc Terry McGoyern. The scientists
tell Us there is no such thing as imag-
ination, In the usual acceptance Of
the term, for all imagination Is based
on some effort Of memory. And IL
you never saw McGovern fight you
can't imagine what he was In the ring.
for nothing else quite like him ever
tossed a boxing glove into the unwill-
ing map. Of another artist
There was only one McGovern. Out
side the ring Terry was pleasant and
smiling and friendly, as he Is today.
But in action-there was the real Nc
Govern,
From the FIRST vibration of the bell
to the moment he stood over his fall
en- antagonist. looking down with the
dazed air Of a sleepwalker awaken
ing. he was a picture of relentless
fighting fury. He never slackened the
terrific pace for a second. He never
knew when he was hurt. His blows
flew SO fast the eye could hardly
follow him. And they were the we'll
directed blows of a natural sharp
shooter. every one straight to the
mark.
Pedlar Palmer. cIeverest little man
In the world (they used to say you
couldn't hit the Pedlar with q handful
Of birdshotl, lasted q couple Of min
|utes with Terry. Pedlar ducked into
Terry's punches instead Of away from
them. Great Joe Cans was swept off
his feet and knocked out by Terry In
two rounds. Frank Erne, fast as light
ming and clever as the devil himself
at sidestepping unpleasant complica-
tons. lasted scant three.
Without possible opponent In the
East (this was In 1901, and with the
|atrical tours flattening out because
Terry hadn't been in the public eye
since he finished Oscar Gardner In
four rounds and Aurello Herrera In
five, six months before. Terry Meow
Iern and Manager Sam Harris saw that
&c was necessary to do something to
keep the pot boiling.
In Denver. Just then. was feather
weight known as Young Corbett, prob
'ai5fy beradE6 ms fenting skyIe Was Is
different from that Of Jim Corbett Is
one could well imagine. Young Cor
bett had earned some fame by beating
Eddie Santry, Oscar Gardner, Kid
Broad and George Dixon In quick sue
cession. The East had heard Of him.
Sam Harris got into communication
with Corbett, and as result the Dem
yerite started East next day with ex-
pense money in his pocket and q guar
antee of $500 for his end Of the fight
with McGovern.
Young Corbett arrived In New York,
and he and Terry posed for pictures
together, In fighting costume, just to
accommodate the newspapers. Sam
noted with secret satisfaction that
Young Corbett was several inches
thicker at the waist line than he might
Rave been If in perfect condition Ter
ry slowed away mental note that
Corbett's stomach would be good tar
get for the justly celebrated Mccoy
ern left hook, or right hook, according
to the within of the moment. and every
body repaired to training quarters.
Terry trained on Jerome avenue. Cor
bett went straight to Hartford. the
battle-ground
Now, Terry McGovern was the CEN
ter Of interest in this fight. His quar-
tiers were packed every day. Few
took the trouble to look over the vic
tim, up in Hartford But / went up
there. watched Corbett through one
strenuous day. at the conclusion of
which he knocked Charlie Sieger, the
Hoboken Iron Man, as cold as an icicle
just for my special benefit, with a
swinging overland right. After Young
Corbett had taken his rub, and had
seen how closely the thin, clear skin
lay over his muscles where fat had
been couple Of weeks before, we
strolled down to Heublein's for din
ner. There across big, thick steak.
Corbett put me wise"
Confident He Could Beat.
You're from the West and I'm from
the West, and I'm going to tell youB
something. he said. Go and bet
every dollar that you own that rll
knock this fellow out. There's one
man in the world l can lick. and his
name Is McGovern. | know how he'll
fight. and he'll come right into my
hands. / know what punch I'll put
him out with. i showed it to you ION
Sieger. Nobody ever knocked SiegerI
down beforeyou know that
But Sieger isn't McGovern,s said
-McGoyern win be easier, retorted
Corbett.
We were there. that Thanksgiyins
afternoon, at Hartford Special trains
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