Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-23

Joe shugrue has an eye to business,
and he is not going to allow the grass
70 grow under his feet while he has
the health and strength and other
ambitious fighters are willing to give
hlm battle. Shugrue. who halls from
Jersey City, and which isn't so much
against him, has three important
bouts up his sleeve. He is to meet
Charley White, the Chicago favorite.
in Madison Square on Tuesday. De-
cember 20, ana later on he IS to box
Willie Richie. the former champion,
and Freddie Welsh. the present cham
pion. Now, II Is roughly estimated
that these three bouts will net him in
the neighborhood of $25, 900. and, in
order to protect himself against acct
dent and to guarantee his appearance
in the ring he has taken out an in
surance policy for $4,000. II 1t SO
3, happens that he fights White and be-
comes injured, he will get so much
money, but if he hurts himself before
the White boat and is unable to go
on he will get so much more money.
For eaen engagement he fails to keep
| because OF accident he is to be re-
! warded, but in case he is unable to
keep either of the three bouts he will
receive the entire sum.
c.
| Though a vicious fighter in the ring,
| Shugrue is a home boy. He lives in
, the Horseshoe section of Jersey
| City, along with his father and
mother and eight brothers. He hasn't
any sister. but he has a sweetheart.
who will probably be Mrs. Shugrue
some day Just now, though, stories
10 the contrary Notwithstanding,
| Shugrue Is neither married nor does
he contemplate marriage immediate
ly. He Is fighter first. last and all
the time just at present. and he ex-
poets TO become the champion and
get all there is to be had out of the
game before he settles down to de-
nghtful life with q charming wife.
Shugrue is very fond of his home
and may be found there much of the
time. He boxes with his brothers,
and Frankie, the little one, who is
three years old, likes to put on the
gloves with his big brother.
G
Gunboat Smith will be in trying
position tonight when he enters the
ring against Tom McCarty He will
have to win by certain margin in
order to hold the last straw of his
reputation. The Knockout by Sam
Langford, and the popular second by
Jim Coffey have taken a lot of wind
out of Smiths sails, and It would
never do for him to be beaten by
McCarty, who is only youngster
with mighty little experience in the
game. 1t is a fair assumption that
the Gunboat will make heroic effort !
to knock McCarty into a ten-second
collapse, for mere decision on points
over his opponent viii not add much
boom to Smiths stock. II is said that
Smith has reached his pinnacle, and
that he is going back. It is true that
he put up a miserable battle with
Coffey. yet 90 per cent. Of those
who witnessed the contest were
willing TO admit that the Gunboat
seemed to be the better man. He
showed flashes Of class. but he
couldn't execute as he has in the past.
His blows were well meant and the
power was there. but he didn't ap-
pear able to locate Coffey's weak
spots. At the end he was much the
stronger Of the two, but Coffey had
done the better work on the whole.
In his fight this evening, Smith will
have to give us one OF his old-time
exhibitions II he hopes TO be placed
among the prospective white hopes"
At one time he was looked upon as
the best, especially after his victory
over Jess Willard. OF late. though.
he hasn't been there, and his fight
with McCarty may be the making or
the breaking OF him.
@
/ McCarty came East unheralded
and unknown, and he had more than
little trouble getting on fights II
must be said for him, however, that
| he has been a winner In all his
matches, though with the exception
Of Battling Levinsky he hasn't met
anyone of reputation. Still he has
been a winner, and q winner is al
ways acceptable. McCarty has his
heart and soul in the game, and he
| hopes TO become the heavyweight
champion some day. He comes from
fighting stock, and he Is g. much bet
ter looking prospect than was Luther
McCarty when that unfortunate fel-
low first made his appearance In New
York. Tom can box q bit and he can
I