Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-02-11
FIGHTER WHO WILL
FIGHT IS THE BOY
Old Time Boxing Fan Likes to
See Types Like Miske and
Dillon Battle.
UMpIREs GET CREDIT NOW
By JACK VEIoCK.


served an old timer recently.
Nine boxers out of every ten who
are fighting now lack the steam and
the love of battle that the pugs OF
the old days had. And, believe me,
the fightin' of other years had it all
over the style OF today"
The old fight fan was looking rather
wistful and we asked him who, among
the present day fighters could COM
pare with some of the better mixers
of the old days.
when it comes to that" said he,
II don't believe | can name many
who are as good at the business OF
standing toe to toe and smuggling,
feinting and blocking as they used to
be fifteen and twenty years ago. In
the lighter weight classes the boys
have come more and more to making
the game sparring game, pure and
simple. You seldom hear Of knock
outs. In the class Of the biggest
heavyweights | don't figure tn field
can hold a candle to the old timers,
but there are two boys in the light
weight class who have some of the
traits that made the game OF other
years a thriller.
"They are Jack Dillon and Billy
Miske. I might mention one or two
others, but what's the use? These
two fellows look like the cream of
the lightweights. / can't say any
thing about Darcy, for, of course, |
haven't seen him in a battle, but they
say he Is a toe-to-toe slugger and
likes to mix it.
Battle for Blood.
when Dillon and Miske go into
battle they go in there for blood.
I've seen lot of fights, but there
are few of them that can be COM
pared with a battle between these
two for good, solid, unauthorized
smuggling. Both can hit, and it seems
like every time they start a punch
they stick viciousness into it. They
show a fellow something for his coin.
"You know" continued the old boy,
"that that sort of battlin is what
won the title for Jim Jeffries. He
was a devil in close quarters and he
loved to fight. He wasn't clever like
Corbett, but he was young and tough
and he fought with every ounce OF
Drawn and determination he had in
his body.
T was on hand when Jeff fought
Corbett at Coney Island back in 1900
nearly seventeen years ago. Say
there was a battle for you, and Cor
bett put up a wonderful fight even
though he had q younger and stronger
man in front Of him. Corbett knew
he had tough egg in jeff, and he de-
pended on his craft to put him over
We'll, you know Jeff put him out
in the twenty-tflird round, and every.
body was surprised because they
thought Jeff was slick enough to stick
out the twenty-five rounds and gel
another match right away. They die
fight later, but not at Coney.
After Jeffries had pushed thai
fight for twenty rounds, forcing Cor
bett every inch of the way, cutting
loose with voileys of rights and left'
and goin' just like an engine, he
found out he'd have to corner Cor
bett if he hoped to hang on the win.
ming wallop, and this finally happened
in the twenty-third round.
at was Jeffries' aggressiveness ant
his love Of a fight that made him a
winner. And IT'S just that kind o.
stuff in Dillon and Miske that make.
them look so good. The old hammer
away idea is the idea, it is. You car
have all your fancy boys. Put 'em II
frames for all I care. But give m.
the hammer and tongs lads who Low,
to fight"
Then and Now.
Not so many years ago the fellow
who handled the indicators in bas,
bali were constantly painted as sec
ond-story workers and footpads by
writers all over the country. There
was no such thing as a good umpire
They simply didn't grow 'em, that
all.
And an umpire was never right. TIL,
players used to take every loophol,
they could find to yelp over decisions
and many of them. like George Ho
griever, for instance, were never out
They couldn't be convinced they wcr'
out if a fly bali was caught. Blu
now all that has changed, and thu
umping persons get little credi
when they deliver the goods.
Take any of the bali players off thu
field and you'll find out that the,
are willing to admit there are com
petent umpires. Such arbiters as Bill
Klein and Billy Evans get full credi
for the capable way in which the,
can handle bali games, and although
once in a while the crowd gets in
rage over some decision and few
pop bottles or cushions are showeret
onto the field troubles OF the "firs
peek boys of today are compare
lively few and they don't have t
sneak out of the parks by a side gate
Speaking of good umpires-there'
Big Bill Brennan. Bill is coming bacl
to the old organization this year a
an umpire in the American associa
ton, and Bill will no doubt make goot
with a vim. 1t might be surprisin,
to some that Brennan has not beef
grabbed off by one of the majo
leagues, but you know the power
that be- have not yet forgiven tn
Federal league and Bills association
with it. So he will have to start il
just a step from the big show an,
work his way back. That the BIZ
leagues will see Brennan again is tn
belief of many prominent base bal
writers, who appreciate what h
can do.