Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-01-17
HARLEM TOMMY
Nj r. Y /: ! IA !


Murphy faces Champion Willie Ritch
lie in Coffroth's arena IN San Francis
co next week it will be the first op
portunity that the Harlem lad has
had to battle for the title during his
career of nearly fifteen years as 8
fighter. Murphy has been fighting COZ
tinuously since 1900 and has partic
ipated in something like lis battles
He has seen the rise and fall CT three
champions in the lightweight divi.
sion-Gans, Nelson and Wolgast-and
now hopes to see the crown fall from
the head of the present title-holder.
1t is scarcely surprising that the
little veteran of the ring is impatient
for the gong to call him INTO actjcn
for the one battle that lie has been
longing for during these many years,
For a long time Murphy has been la
beled an old man of the game, a has.
been ready for the sate. But every
time the critics have had Him TAGGED
for the discard he has come back
with a line of speed thai has caused
them to retreat their statements. Duc
ing the year just closed he took part
in no fewer than three gruelling bat
ties that would have put mary a
younger man in the junk heap for
keeps. All three of these bouts took
place in San Francisco, where he is
now billed to meet Richie.
frankie Burns and .Ad Wolgast
were MurpAy's chief victims during
1919. After II rounds of fas. and fur
ious fighting the Harlem boy put
Burns down for the count. He next
took Ad Wolgast and fought him 90
rounds to a draw. The pair met again
a short time later and Murphy was
declared the winner at the end Of e
rounds.
"Good living and regular habits" is
the explanation offered b. Tommy
for his long and successful career in
the ring. While working as a boy In
a glass factory for $3.50 a week he
was given q chance as "prelim'
fighter at the old Polo Poxing Club
in this city. The purses ranged all
the way from 81 to SO. 'ccording to
the importance of the bout. On one
occasion young Murphy kncked ont
three boys in one night and fully ex
pected to pull down 50 for his work
His disappointment when the prom
ter handed him SO, a dollar a knock
out, may be imagined.
Though his early fights profited aim
little in the way of money Murphy
kept hard at the game. He was deter
mined to succeed and he carried out
his determination in a manly cash
ion. Today the little fellow who was
once glad of an opportunity to knock
'em out at a dollar a throw is now
drawing down $500 a ninth in recent
money from a string of dwelling
houses he owns in Brooklyn.
Murphy was born in Harlem Oh
April %, 1885. At the age of 13 le
had the number Of every boy In hts
neighborheodSw when 1T came to SCRAP
ping. $AtA S III hlossomedss out. as a si
mon.pure. He first got his name IN
the record books in 1903, when he
knocked out Terry Young in fv,
rounds kid" Dooley in one round
rank Leonard in two rounds.
The next year the Harlem fighter
met frankie Neil, who then held the
bantamweight title. But Tommy was
not considered as a principal in 3
championship affair in those days
and the battle went as a six-round no
decision contest. In 1905 Murphy
knocked out George Dixon in two
rounds and was himself put down .fo'
the count by Terry McGovern. BY
knocking out Tommy Mowatt AMI
Benny Yanger the next year Tommy
showed that he was there in the role
of a comeback"
From 1906 to the present time Mni
ply has met nearly every boxer O.
note in the lightweight division. He
fought Battling Nelson and Ad Vol
CAST, but at a time when neither he:d
the championship. He has won and
last in bouth with Owen Moran and
has fought q draw and lost to Packe;
Mcfarland. 4,
Murphy will have the ADVANTAGE o.
ring experience in his comingybou
with Richie, but despite this facr III.
majority Of critics seem inclined tt
believe he will have little chance t.
defeat the champion. They are of the
opinion that youth will prevail ant
that Murphy with his 20 years vii
be easy picking for 22-year old Rit
chic. And yet, Tommy has fooled ths
wise ones before now, and he might
but perhaps it will be just as we'll tt
wait until January % to finish tl'