South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-05-24
"Knockouts"
BY Ed. W. Smith.

Going back over the long list Of
good lightweights that have flashed up
since the great days of Jack McAuliffe.
the first real champion Of the division
under the Queensberry code. can re-
call no harder puncher than a swarthy
little full-b lOoded Mexican boy named
Alreha Herrera, who came out of
California in the late eos and cut a
wide sWath for several years.
Herrera had his good points and his
bad, the latter unfortunately out
weighing the others. For instance he
was chap who was none too particu-
lar about his training methods and as
result frequently was caught entirely
out of shape and beaten by men who
had no license 10 even match up with
him. But he certainly could whale
with his right hand and if he could
take peX" on an opponent the end
generally came quickly.
The Mexican was around here in
1904 and had several sensational
battles In this vicinity. but the
strangest of these easily was his battle
with Kid Farmer. a West Side boy
over at Apollo hal. Herrera came
here with the tremendous record and
was cordially feared by most of the
135-pOunders. He had beaten such
men as Tommy Cody George Mems,c
Cyclone Thompson. and Eddie Santrv
and il was hard for him to get
matches
Nate Lewis. now managing Charley
White, had Farmer at the time and
when the latter suggested a matcn
with the Mexican, Lewis very frankly
told Farmer ii wouldn't do at oil.
He can lick you sure" Nate said.
Nobody can lick me-" was the game
retOrt, so, very much against Mates
judgment and advice, the contest was
scheduled.
Aurelia was sleepy looking little
fellow even under fire, but a close
look would reveal a whole lot of ian
ger lurking behind those dark eyes
of his. Farmer soon discovered this
When the bell rang Farmer sailed
into the Mexican like a trolley car
running amuck For two minutes and
a half he shot so many lefts and
rights i'm the direction of the Mexican
that it was impossible to stop them.
Meantime the Mexican was merely
guarding himself and looking over the
men in front of him. Farmer was
making what looked like a sucker fight
and that's what it proved to be.
Farmer paused for an instant to
get a fresh start and like a flash
Herrera shot out a right that caught
Farmer under the heart. He stiffened
up with a JERK anu over WtIl NAAC
right 20 the jaw, flooring Farmer
completely.
The local boy took the full count
and arose just as the bell ended the
round sounded. Farmer walked to mis-
corner and during the minutes rest
seemed to revive nicely. But there
was a wise old head handling him
Adam Ryan He knew all the indica-
tons and Just before the second round
was to start he said quietly to Lewis:
Throw in the sponge; it's all of
with this boy"
Just then Farmer leaned his head
back into the angle OF the ring and
went to sleep as peacefully as baby
might have. The carried him out of
the ring and stretched him out on a
door that had been taken from its
hinges.
For exactly one hour Farmer slept
on. His worried handlers called a
doctor, who made a hasty examination
and said there was no danger as his
heart action was entirely normal.
They didn't try to waken him at all.
At the end of an hour Farmer opened
his eyes and sat up.
He stared around at the flock OF
friends that surrounded him, rubbed
his Jaw refiectively and then said:
Gee. that was one horrible crack
he hit me- wasn't it,