Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-10
Mack Economy Theory Misses Fire;
Fight Makers Seek New Heavy Star
Chicago Has Bantam Contender
in Little Joe Burman, Who
Has Been Knocking
EN- Down in East.
BY RINGSIDE.

chicago, June 9.-Now that Les
Darcey's star has flashed across the
horizon and set before the Australian
middleweight had had chance to
show what he could do, fight fans are
wondering who will be the next hstic
artist to startle the boxing world.
Promoters are prowling about now
in search of a new giant to go after
the heavyweight title, for they see
but little chance of contenders for
the three honors which Johnny Kill
bane of Cleveland virtually holds.
Chicago may furnish the next ban
tamweight champion in the person OF
little Joe Burman, who admits" he
will be the next champ. Burman, a
Hebrew boy from the West Side, has
been cleaning them up in the east at
great rate.
The Windy City has furnished lot
of good bantam boxers. Back in the
days when Jimmy Larry was in form
the bantamweight limit was held
down to los pounds, but Jimmy didn't
always insist that his opponents make
the weight, although he generally
made it himself.
Barry ruled pretty we'll up until
1898, and then the east put forth
Danny Dougherty to meet Harry
Forbes of Chicago. The clash was
at St. Louis in 1901, and Harry made
Danny take the count in the second
round. Forbes ruled until 1904, when
frankie Neil of France knocked him
cold. At that time the bantam limit
was regarded as liz; later it reached
ia, and now they think ll6 is a low
figure.
Coulon followed Neil. He was
product OF the amateurs, and he lasted
until Johnny Williams came along.
Johnny was the last of Chicago ban
tam champs.
Schiff Cards Bouts.
Johnny Schiff, California's premier
featherweight celebrity, has trio of
mixups scheduled, starting June "a at
Nashville with Johnny Underwood.
The affair, arranged by Harry Click
man, is to go eight rounds, and the
winner is to meet Matt Brock. an
other of the south's star feather
weights. Schiff also will meet George
Cheney and Johnny Mayo at later
dates.
Schiff has fought in England,
France and Australia, and in none OF
about l25 bouts to date has he taken
the count. Among the best in his
class whom he has put to sleep are
Kid Herman, Young Mccoy, Jack
Manning and Andy Cortez. Others
on his list were Johnny Kilbane, pres.
ent champion; Johnny Dundee and
Mike Gibbons.
Fighters in France.
Where are the fighters of yester-
day? We can answer for Steve ket-
chell, one of the toughest of the light
weight crop.
Steve is driving an ambulance with
Hospital Unit No. II in France. Bill
Murray, a prominent California
middleweight, is in the engineers
corps, and Willie Richie has ex-
pressed his willingness to join. Billy
Bishop, former heavyweight cham
pion Of the navy, is trying for an off,
GERS commission at Fort Sheridan.
Willing to Go to War.
Joe yelling, Chicago contender for
the lightweight title, is going to
fight two more fights and then go
to war, he says. He plans on taking
on Willie Jackson, the lad who
knocked out Dundee in one round at
Philadelphia a while back, and then
face Charlie White, terror of light
weights, in an Indiana ring on July a..
"Then I'm going to enter the army
or navy" said Joe. Il hope there
won't be any caulifower ears or fiat
feet to bar me out"
How Old is Sam7
"How old was Ann?" was cinch
of a problem compared to "how old
is Sam Langford?" Sans age has
been lost somewhere up in the dark
, ages-and we say dark ages" ad-
|, visedy-of Nova Scotia.
Here's what dope we have on Sam:
Born Weymouth, Nova Scotia, ex-
, act date unknown; says himself date
was March q, 1874; height, ) teet 6h
inches; weight, over 200 pounds;
color, black.
This would make Samuel 43 years
of age, and still very active at this
figure. The same record book states
that Sam began fighting in 1902. This
would make his ring career start at
the age of 28-something unusual.
The 1916 Andrews Guide says Sam
was ushered in on March 4. 1886
which would make his present age
81 and date his first fight from the
age of 16, which seems more probable
than the other views.
I Whatever the age Samuel has at
tanned. it cannot alter the fact that
he is now in the decline of his fight
ing years. Sam moves like battle.
ship with a barnacled bottom. He
i. has a large and permanent water.
melon in the food belt, and when he
! | II. ta1, 1n