Evening journal., 1914-12-15
Jimmy Murphy Fights His
Way Up TO the LiqhtWeiqhts
BY BILL MCGOWAN.

claims Wilmington as his home. As a
matter of fact this developing light
weight boxer never dons the mitts, with
out the understanding that his namel
appears on the weekly boxing card as
a Wilmington products. Murphy came
to Wilmington three years ago, making
his professional debut at the armory in
thrilling six round bout with JohnnieI
Mclaughlin, of Reading. Local fight
fans will recall what sensational
bout took place on that night. II was
a nip and tuck affair from start to-
finish with neither lad backing up for
minute. Hard hitting. clever foot
work and gameness marked the battle.
II was the semi-windup to an all-star
show.
No sooner had the boys met at
the final tap OF the gong than tho
spectators asked for a return bout
They appeared to side with Murphy,
he being a trifle lighter in weight
than his opponent 1t would have
been their desire to have Murphy
matched with a local boy. Furmau
! Cole. who was conducting the bout
at that time, deemed it a wise move
to rematch Murphy and Mclaughlin,
and furthermore, the contestants
were rewarded for their brilliant
work by being booked at the follow
ing show in the main bout. The out
come of the second engagement was
| another draw Il was one of the
best bouts ever staged at the Armory
The work of Murphy and Mclaughlin
was talked about for months after
wards. Sometime had elapsed before
Murphy made another visit to Will
mington. He was a welcome visitor
at the Olympia Athletic Club.
His return to Wilmington caused
considerable comment about town
News had spread that Murphy had
come here TO place himself under the
management Of the popular Furney
! Cole. II vas only a matter of a few
days before Manager Cole had his
champion booked at a fight club In
Chester, Pa His opponent was
Charley Cross. Of Philadelphia. Cross
had two weeks previously fouRSt
/ George CLANCY. of Baltimore. Muir
ply stopped his man in one minute
and eighteen seconds, record for a
/ preliminary bout. The following
week he met Eddie King. Of New
York King was rugged. but that
/ was all, being no match for the clever
Murphy. Then Murphy was booked
TO meet the hard hitting Danny Fer
/ guson. Murphy was foored in the
fifth round of this fight for the count
of nine. He demonstrated his game
ness Ay coming back strong in the
sixth session. Ferguson had a shade
the better of the mill In as much
as Ferguson had won the bout. MUIR
ply always wore that Il should wor-
ry" smile. Jimmy remarked after
the bout that he had been beaten
fairly and squarely, but he could not
win them all, but would like to again
cross mitts with Ferguson.
During the time that the mentioned
bouts were taking place Jimmy was
doing his training at the Olympia Ath-
letic Club. Training to him was like
bank roll 10 a race track patron. He
trained hard and earnestly for every
bout. He had the best of habits, and
would hit the road every morning,
covering about eight miles of turf.
box ten rounds a day. wrestle with his
stable mate. Ralph Raymond, shadow
box. Jump rope. and punch the bag
Pat Mcconnell. who is a past mas
ter of the art of self defense, took a
liking to Murphy's conscientious
training and was willing to back him
against any boy in the East.
At the present time Murphy is fight
ing at the 133-pound mark He Is
clever on the offense and also a fairly
good defensive man. He plays the
hit and get away game. Unlike the
majority of the boxers when under
fire. Murphy refuses to cover up. He
is the pOssessor of a side-step shift
that few fighters are gifted with. He
has proved that he can take punish-
ment, and also hand out considerable
gaff with either hand.
In Trouble With Ferguson.
Murphy was next matched by Fur
man Cole to meet Danny Ferguson
in a ten-round affair at Norristown.
Pa. In the sixth round Ferguson be-
came so furious that he pushed Muir
ply out of the ring. Frank, Pop,
O'Brien, the referee at the Olympia
Club OF Philadelphia. saw the bout
and said that the referee wanted to
disqualify Ferguson for his rough
tactics. but Murphy said nay. He
would fight It out His fall caused
him to sustain a sprained hand, and
Ferguson was enabled to earn a
draw.
The BOYS we're again matched for
ten rounds at the same club a few
! days later The bout turned out to
be the best ever seen in Norristown.
: AS Murphy stepped In the ring he
was presented with a bouquet from
the Norristown fans He was given
! the newspaper decision over Fergu-
son In this encounter
Murphy is but twenty years OF age
, and taking into consideration that he
q. has never been knocked out, and
defeated shade on only four diff
: ferent occasions, his prospects are
: bright. II is his ambition to stick tc
the game until he meets the champion
of the lightweight division.
on Saturday night Jimmy earned q
clean cut victory over the hard hit
ting Johnny Krause. of Nicetown
Krause having fought some of the
best men in the ring. did not take
Murphy so seriously. but he received
the surprise of his life. when the 10
cal lad showered him with jabs, JOLT
and uppercuts from all angles
Krause has fought Willie Houck. Jacl
Britton. Young Ritchie, and a hos
OF other good hovs.
The following list shows what MuI
phv has accomplished in the ring gam
since he donned the gloves three year
ago;
Johnnie Piazza, won, six rounds, Phi
. adelphia.
= "Kid" stinger, draw, six rounds, Phi
/ III.