Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-05-07
PAPKE ATTEMPTS COMEBACK
Former Middleweight Champ Re-
kindles Fighting Spark and
Thinks is Still the Goods.
WILL BATTLE TOMMY GIBBONS


NEW YORK. May e.-Bllly Papke -
coming back. TO be more truthful. Billy
Papke Is endeayorIng to come back. The
one-tlmo middeweight champion OF the
world has relsindled the old fighting
spark and thinks he can once more al
cend to the crest Of tho mIddleweight
wave.
To show his sincerity, Papke has nom.
mated himself 10 oppose Tom Gibbons,
brother Of the crafty Mike. upon his
re-entry into tho pugilistic game. lilo
eaud have made no moro foolhardy
selection, II no hopes 10 attain top hon
ora again
Tom Gibbons is no mediocre fighter.
His brother Mike will youch for that
statement As matter OF fact. Mike
thinks Brother Tom Is even a better mid
dleweight than he himself IL. Which -
some testimonial, considering that
Michael is looked upon as the most
logical holder Of tho middlewoight cham
plonshlp.
Papks plans 10 start all over again
In Milwaukee tho latter part Of this
month. Tom Gibbons 10 an obliging youth
hhi NAA III W AAAho thR AAittARta AHAH
dorboit reconsider when he gets him
into the ring. But that IL a matter for
Tom TO throsh out Now Yorkors may
DO thankful that they Will not DO sub
jeeted TO tho painful task OF witnessing
this come back"
Tho spring Valley dll) mauler has
not appeared IN the ring since back N
October, 1916 when he fought Marty
Rowan In ST. Louis. II went eight rounds
with no decision, but a majority OF those
NJ the ringsldo then and there read
Papkes obituary as glove man. Seven
months previous 10 that sad affair
Papke fought Georges Carpenter. tho
European champion. and the American
won on foul In seventeen rounds, the
Frenchman refusing 10 continue. Car
peutier was but mere stripping then
and fought himself into state OF phssi-
cal exhaustion. He was conscious Of his
surroundings and posasessed all HIS fac
ultieH, but he lacked control over his
muscles and could not make them obey
hts command, 10 disolhimed any In
tcntion Of quitting, claiming that he
simply could not continue
Papke started fighting ten years ago.
| when in thu game but two years he be-
came undlsputed mlddlewelght champion
by knocking out Stanley Ketchel. the
Michigan assassin, IN twelve rounds.
Three months previous Stanley had given
Papke O sound thrashlng In ten rounds
Ketohel became undlsputed champion BY
knocking out Joe Thomas IN thirty-two
rounds the year before.
In knocking out Kstehel, rnnke failed IN
convince as To his eamencss, even though
he became champion with tho yory
first punch OF tho fight ho caught Ket-
ciel between the eyes and flattened Stun.
ley who never recovered. from the blow
Yet rs managed 10 stick twelve rounds
fighting blIndly. He lasted that long
because Papke thought his opponent WIS
feigning srogEiness and refused 70 mix
II with his totterng foe. whose subcon
Hclous self alone was doing the fighting
KetcheI Turns Tables.
4 Two months after this affair Papke and
Ketchel met In a return match and thll
time the ASSASSIN regained his title By
knocking out papke In eleven rounds
They mot once more after that, Papkt
losing a twenty-round decision tho fol.
lowing July,
When Ketchsl was shot dead on octo.
Der Is. 1910 the title reverted to Papke
who was one OF tho strongest claimants
at the time. Billy lost several decisions
after that but stiil persisted in his claim
OF the crown. when he met Carpenter
IN 1912 tho fight was billed as for N,
middeweight championship OF the world
Several months later Papke lost to Franz
Klaus on foul In fifteen rounds. Bill,
fought one more fight after that, IN,
Rowan mill. and then retired to the 40
cluhion OF his farm.
Whatever prompted Papke to return q
a question OF debate. Some contend that
Papke Ia in need OF ready cash: otherl
believe Tom Jones, his former manager
has had his ear for few moments
Loquacious Tom can talk enough in thre,
minutes TO convince Papke he is still
tho greatest middleweight extant