The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-15
sPoRToeRAPHY.
"By Gravy"
TOM MCMAHON, THE aHEARcAT9
HEAVYWEIGHT, e5 TO-DAY.

Tom Mcmahon. the Pittsburgh
Iheayyweight boxer who sports the
lfercclous monaker Of sBearcatf was
born Just Is years ago. In spriing
Valley, III. Although Spring Valley
doesn't make much Ola splash on the.
map, and Is only q mining village, It
claims as native sons number OF,
men who have won more or less.
prominence in eht ring game. includ.
Ing no less a parsonage than Billy.
!Papke: he former middleweight
champion was the son Of a German
coal miner and was reared in Spring
Valley.
Tom Mcmahon has lived In the
Smoky City since he embarked on a
pugilistic career. Heels Irish by de.
scent and lacks but an inch Of being
six feet and in altitude. II was about.
six years ago that he entered the, ring,.
but 1t was not until 1911 that, he gain.
ed anything more than a local repu-
Itatlon. Most of his bouts at that peri:
cd were pulled of in Philadelphia;
Pittsburgh and other cities in Penn.
sylyania. New York and Ohio. The
"Bearcat" was then a middieweight,
and he made a good showing against.
such men as Leo Houck, Sailor Burke.
Bill McKinnon, and Batting Levinksy,
who was then scrapping under the
name of Barney Williams.
In 1912 Mcmahon began taking on
the heayies. He whipped Jim Barry at
Youngstown, o., and fought q draw
with Gunboat Smith in New York, be.
sides knocking out JEFF Madden at al.
bany. In 1918 he fought Levinsky, One
Round Davis, Bob Moha and Soldier
Kearns, among others. During the last
year he has been performing principal.
ly on the Pacific coast, and in most Of
his bouts he showed fair form. He
caught a Tartar in Sailor Grande, who
he fought over the twenty.round route
at Vallejo, Cal. and lost the decision
to Sam Iangford at Vernon last Noyem.
Der. Although knocked down by the
Tar Baby, the Bearcat finished strong
when an officer stopped the sport in
the sixth round.
Spring Valley hasn't much Of n
chance Of boasting Of another native
champion, SO far as Mcmahon Is cor.
cerned, but at that the Bearcat has
made a better showing than q lot Of
the more widely advertised hopes. He
is a game. willing and rugged fighter,
and the fans usually get some action
for their money when tho Bearcat Is
among those present In the ring.
Albert Larie, who was the recogniz.
ed heavyweight champion OF France
until George Carpenter, In his trium.
plant rise from batamweight to heavy.
weight, knocked him of, the perch, was
born tlirty-three years ago, come to.
morrow, in Bordeaux. Lurie was about
twenty-five when he became interested
in "le boxe," and he soon developed.
into q clever, sturdy boxer. In 1910 lie.
won the amateur Championship Of
France, and defended his honors
against all ,comers until 1912. when he
entered the professional ranks. Lurle
went along withoutsa defeat, and was
the recogized champion heavyweight
Of France until. he met George Carpen-
tier at bordeaux in June of 1918. The
former pit boy knocked him out In the
third round. Even after that many
French boxing authorities recognized
LURES claims to the heavyweight title,
because Carpenter was only a middle.
weight at the time he put NJ. Albert to
sleep. II we accept thsi principle, Bob
Fitz didn't become champion when he.
whipped Corbett, and the rightrul
champion was Tom Sharqey, who de-
feated Gentleman Jim a little later.
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