The Washington herald., 1914-03-08
Want Marray's Record.

requests for Billy Murrays complete
record" The writer. for one. hasn't such
a thing about him. doubt. in fact
whether Murray himself could tel. on
hand. what he has been through in the
way OF ring strife.
No doubt IL he continues TO climb in
his chosen profession 1t will all come
back TO him Then he will be able TO sup
ply the tabulators with the names of all
the fellows he has vanQuished. and the
1915 statistieians will have so much to tell
about him that ne will wonder we did
not hear of him sooner.
The best information We have about
Billy Murray Is that for years he led just
such nomadic existence as Stanley
KetcheL He has boxed extensively in oil
field regions. Taft being a favorite
stamping ground with him. He figurea
in quite a number of twenty-round bouts
at the point naJned-so- o-th>s-s<---ss,
a mistake to suppose his match with
Houck was his initial trip over the long
route.
Murray was fairly rich in experience
when ne happened into San Francisco and
threw in his lot with the fellows who
make a speciality OF four-round bouts.
Four-Round Bout, Popular.
Now this branch Of fstic sport in San
Francisco is considered a hard school for
young fighters. The fellows who engage
in IL box week in and week out. and
nfhilS there are no championships in
volved. the. average Friday nighter rec
ognizes that the only way he can retain
a hold on the esteem of the patrons and
keep in good standing with the match
makers is TO acqnire a reputation for
whirlwind milling.
1t Is an old saying in San Francisco:
III -fsvk,4 t..,$
for real fighting give me the Friday night
shows"
II was in such company that Billy Mur-
ray fought his way into the good graces
of the local sports. He hammered the
toughest OF the Friday night middle
weights to a frazzle. and Jim Croffroth,
who always has his eyes open for the best
in the market, grabbed him and matched
him with Lou Houck.
Murrsy's style of boxing might be called
composite. He is Thoroughly at home
when standing away and sending In long
range punches. and when he closes with
an opponent he changes gear in an in
start and is as busy as either Battling
Nelson or Ad woIgast in their best days.
He is so effective at both out-tighting
and in-ightinR. in fact that IL would
puzzle one to say which he excels in. I
know that when saw him among the
four-rounders. thought he was at his
best when fighting from range. After
seeing him with Houck, however, felt
that close work was his forte
r. A noticeable thing about Murray is that
he feints very little Once within strik-
ing distance he lashes out and 1t is a
rare thing to see his straight left mis-
carry
Fighter Has Conscience.
One great thing in Murray's favor is
that he has all the assurance and coufi-
denee OF q man who has been years at
the game His courage Is undoubted and
IL the affair with Houck Is any criterion
he assimilates well.
A number OF his weIl-wishers seem to
think II would be mistake TO send him
against crsckaiack like Clabby until
he has had more experience, but these are
being talked down by q larger number.
who believe that he viii defeat Clsbby
as surely as he defeated Houck.
These latter appear to think that Cab
by lacks ruzSedness In his bouts with
Sailor Petroskey and Soldier LogaE AZ
this end Ciabby was paIpabiy tired at
various stages Of the contests. He OUT
classed his men to such an extent that
he was able to set the pace TO sarit him.
self. hut il Is argued that there viii he
no such chance TO stair, when he
tackles Murray. :
Wed. Mr.. CoffroJh. please hurry up
and sign lightning Striker Clabby with
.'Fsre-eater Murray" The oniy way TO
put an end to the arguments that are
vexing the Tight fans at present Is 10
Se1l the men into the ring t