Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-02-01

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vinced, and the sooner the letter he
would like It. He hasn't had a
chance yet to show his class. When
he does he will take his showing as
proof OF his ability and stick to the
game or quit as the case may be
I have always admired this little
italian boy for his nerve, and have
always been ready to help him get
to the top.
Fight fans hereabouts are just
crazy to see Mike Gibbons and Gun
boat Smith step into the Madison
Square Garden ring, and Jimmy
Johnston, the manager, says such
match Is not a long ways off. Glib
bons has come out fiat-footed with an
open def to the heavyweights, and
Johnston, with an eye to business,
picks out Smith, who is one OF the
Iightest of the good big men. AS an at
traction Gibbons and Smith would test
the capacityo Of the Garden at increased
prices. AS to the fight, II will be just
what Smith presumes to make it.
Gibbons. no doubt. will be as careful
as a bank president and will not care
to take chance, and therefore II will
be UP to Smith, the heavyweight, to
force the battle and to set the paca
| In that way Gibbons will be given the
acid test, and he will have an oppor-
I tunity to prove whether he Is gama
or not, q fact that Is disputed by nu-
merous well-informed followers Of the
sport.
G
When Freddie Welsh meets Joe Shu-
grue again the champion is on record
as saying that he will show the public
that Shugrue's victory over him in
their recent bout was all a big mis-
take. Welsh declares he was stale
when Shugrue beat him, and he pro-
duced the facts to prove his claim.
The next time, Welsh says, he will
outpoint Shugrue ell the way and
leave no room for doubt. Shug1ue
and his friends, while admitting that
Welsh might not have been at his
best, say that Joe made such a
monkey out OF Freddie that tho cham.
pion would have to show q hundred
per cent. improvement to have d
chance at all. And they add, by the
| 10 ~, unlP &
better man now than he was the !
and point to his victory over Charley
White, who also beat Welsh, 20 prove
it. That is the line of argument thai
is being advanced on both sides in re-
gard to the outcome OF the Welsh.
shugrue fight, which is scheduled fol
the Garden on Thursday, February
g
Charles Leonhardt, the wrestler
who died last Friday in Jacksonville
Fla. was we'll known In sporting cir
cles in this city. He was a wonder
full man on the mat for his size, and
though only a middleweight ne wal
generally good match for the bes
men in the heavyweight class. Be
sides being expert In his game HI
was q shrewd business man. WheI
he made a match ho got II all. HI
managed the whole affair. He hire'
the hall, he secured his opponent, h
visited the newspaper Offices and re-
, ceived good notices and when tn
time came he did tho wrestling ant
/, he did It we'll He won and he won
but always after a most interesting
battle, and therefore return matche
were in order. The Newark sport
took to wrestling at that time lik
duck takes to water ana tremen
; dous crowds turned out to see tn
men perform on tho mat. In m
recollection, Leonhardt was onl
: beaten twice-once by Nechad, tn
> Turk, and again by Dan Mcleod
who was wonderful man in hi
0 day. OF course, Leonhardt wa
9 thrown O. number OF times in hi
a matches, but these were In the handi
= cap affairs, which called for eithe
: two falls or three falls in an hou
k and In which Leonhardt. after LOSING
= say, one fall. would emerge a victol
Q Nechad won from Leonhardt easil
= and Mcleod won from Leonhard
r after o claim by Leonhardt that h
J. had broken his arm. After thl
t match the game began to die out an
o Leonhardt left for the South, wher
e he was very successful. He cam
It back here now and then and alway
k showed evidence of his prosperit.
j. His death was due to stroke {
i apoplexy that occurred about tw
n years ago. He was frugal live
Il and, It is believed, he saved consid
I erable money.
= o
It The gentleman who wrote the CON
e munication signed Wage Earned
: please call on me at the Evening Sts
e office. An appointment may be mad
i by calling ane UP on the telephon