The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-02-15
like Mike
AS A Man
OR BOXER
Philadelphia Writer Gives
st. Paul Wonder Big
Sendoff.

If you had bankroll of more than
$4,000. was vice president Of plate
glass company which can write it's
own ticket so far as contracts are
concerned. had a comfortable home, a
splendid wife. three bright-eyed kid
dies and enjoyed the friendship of the
entire municipality where you lived,
would you follow the ring? writes
VIM. III. Recap in The Philadelphia
Public Ledger. But there is one pro-
fessional boxer who thinks different
ly. There came into the writer's Office
last Tuesday a bright-eyed, keen
witted young fellow, who introduced
st. Paul. Minn.," he remarked as
preface to the introduction. IT have
come east in the interest of Mike Glib
bons, and his brother, Tom. They
want to box in Philadelphia, but am
told you have no middleweights here"
"Oh, yes, we have middleweights here.
but they do not quite measure up to
the Mike Gibbons standard" was the
quick reply to Manager Kane. WELL"
he added, mike or Tom will meet any
boxer the clubs may nominate. They
do not want to do the picking" Hav-
ing gotten this out of his system, Nam
ager Kane began to extol Mike Glib
bons to the writer.
Mike Popular As Man.
The writer is a great admirer OF
Gibbons While in Havana two years
ago, he had an opportunity to study
Mike Gibbons. the man. He had form
ed his opinion of Boxer Gibbons by
seeing him perform in his many ring
bouts. 1t was, therefore, a distinct
treat to watch Gibbons. and his
rocky coast OF the Gulf Of Mexico at
the entrance to Havana harbor with
camera In hand. like two school chill
Glren. It was devotion itself. The
young wife fairly blushed at the
adulation paid hubby by the fight
fans, who had gathered for the Will
lard johnson battle. Gibbons bore
domesticity which he brought from st.
Paul to the Cuban island made him
hundreds of friends and Mike Gibbons,
the man, over night became as popular
as Mike Gibbons, the boxer.
Ahearn Went Quick.
Two contests stand out in Gibbons
career which prove his wonderful skill.
For three years he was bounded by
young Ahearn. On June Is, 1913, aft
err Ahearn had waded through all the
light and welterweights. he essayed to
match his skill with Gibbons. The st.
Paul wonder boxed him for three
TOun09 anu OTOpPCo IOE Sh0 4uA
count in the fourth round. The bout
was held in New York. Dan Nc
Ketrick, manager Of Ahearn and all
the latter's New York friends argued
that the knockout was a huke. Year
after year Gibbons was labeled as be-
ing fearful of return match with the
Lancaster dancing master. On Jan. 10
OF last year. Gibbons finally gave
Ahearn his second chance. The bout
49, In al hnnna
town. He was determined to show the
crowd the first knockout was no fiuke.
Little time was spent in boxing
Ahearn. Gibbons had sized his man
up. A few feints, a short lead or two
by Ahearn, for Gibbons has a habit
of letting his opponents miss by inch
es: then he stepped in, jolted Ahearn
on the jaw and the contest was over
in less than q round.
Dillon Got Mental Jolt.
In his more recent bout with Jack
Dillon, who outweighed him by ten
pounds, he proved what he could do
with q rugged man. At the end Of ten
rounds 1t is claimed Dillon was almost
q mental wreck. He tried to hit Glib
bons at long range, and failing in that
he tore In and tried to slug. He found
Gibbons as elusive at close quarters
as he was at long range. Some of his
short hooks and swings were slipped
by Gibbons. Jolts that spelled dream
land, had they landed, missed by a /
fraction of an inch. After each round
Dillon was perplexed. The crowd was
wild. for the contest was in Gibbons
baiiiwick while Gibbons smiled with
satisfaction. for he had gained both a
mental and a physical victory.
Gibbons not only scored a fistic tri- |
umph, but he pocketed $4,000. 1t was
wired east that Gibbons had held the
management up on the day OF the |
show, but the real truth is that the st.
until the third day after the contest.
Gibbons will be 80 years Of age on
July rs next. He is a credit to the
American ring.