Omaha daily bee., 1917-07-01
AFTER Seventeen Years Of Serv-
ice the Pueblo Fireman De-
CideS to Call 1t a Day
and Quit.
BY RINGSIDE.

tive boxer in the business Is about to
quit and live on the interest Of his in
vestments in Liberty bonds and other
git-edged securities, His name Is Jim
Flynn, and he is known as the Pueblo
fireman.
Terrible attack Of neuritis in this
shoulder Jim said to US the other
day, indicating his left side. If it
had been on the other side would
have fought Gunboat Smith and
would have done we'll with him. But
if you haven't got lett you're gone.
So | just naturally passed it up,
"I'm through after this year to
certainty I've got some little invest
ments that'll keep the wife and kids,
I'm going home as soon as ] get this
shoulder rubbed down at Excelsior
Springs.
81 believe I'm the oldest boxer in
actual service. Seventeen years of it
at it hammer and tongs-hghting
the big and the little, tough and easy,
and never getting many Of the soft
ones. Thirty-eight years old and still
going. Born in '79 and started in
1900.
Funny, too. I've been under one
management for the last twelve years,
and we never had the scratch OF pen
between us-Jack Curley and !, !
never ask question and do just what
he says, go where he indicates and
my money to the penny Is always
waiting for me. Can't beat that much!
If more fighters got managers they
could trust and then trusted them
the game would be better"
Jim probably will be able to swing
those hams in good shape for five
years more If he so desires.
Ertle is Slipping,
Johnny Ertle, who laid claim to the
bantamweight title by virtue of a
foul in the fifth round of his battle
with Kid Williams a. St, Paul, Sep
tember 10, 1915, has joined Johnny
Couion on the down grade, Not yet
q years of age, Ertle's quick retro-
gression is one OF the mysteries OF
the ring today.
For the past year or so, in spite of
the fact that Ertle has not fought
himself out, as did Bat Nelson or
Terry MeGevern, Ertle has been
knocked and buffeted around, and
nowadays almost any third-rate boxer
in his division beats him or holds him
even.
If Ertle had Travelled the route
there might be some excuse for his
slipping. In some circles it is said
that Ertle's handlers have been taxi
ing him along the gay white way
where the lights burn brightly, and
if this is the case it is quite easy to
see the reason for his being burned
out just at the time when he should
be at his best.
Only couple weeks ago Kid Bar
one, a third-rater from Pittsburgh,
beat him in six-round battle.
Ertle's performances in the last
year have been most disappointing.
He was outpointed by Abe Kaufman
in Philadelphia in six rounds. Dick
Loadman beat him by a comfortable
margin in Baltimore. "Pekin Kid"
Herman held Ertle even in Milwau-
kee, and now Barone holds his own
with the former terror Of the bantam
division.
Decisions in Cincinnati.
Fifteen-round bouts, with de-
cisions by referees, Is to be the new
rule in Cincinnati, Mayor George
Puchta has approved the plan Of the
boxing commission to strike ten
round bouts from the books, and the
first scrap will be at Redland Field
July 3, between Johnny Ertle and
Sammy Handlow, bantams.
Kilbane Aided Leonard.
The terrific beating doled out to
Freddie Welsh when he met Johnny
Kilbane in New York probably is as
much responsible as anything for the
fact that Leonard Is now lightweight
champion of the world,
Kilbane hit Welsh everywhere ex-
cept on the spot that Welsh always
had covered until he met Leonard. If
Kilbane had been given the same op-
portunity for victory that presented
itself to Leonard he probably would
be wearing crown in each angle OF
his curled locks.
"The only thing am sorry for"
said Johnny, after he had seen
Welsh uncrowned, "is that | wasn't
in there instead of Leonard. | don't
want to take any credit from
Leonard. He's grand little scrap
per. But | certainly believe ! would
have finished Welsh that night, ]
started Welsh to oblivion and
Leonard finished the trick"
Jimmy Dunn, Kilbane's manager,
declared Johnny was much better
ring workman like Benny.
"Kilbane is one-punch knocker-
out" quoth Jimmy, "and Leonard is
not. If Kilbane had been in the ring
with Welsh you wouldn't be hearing
any arguments as to whether the ref
cree erred in not counting over Welsh.
Freddie would have been on the floor,
and he would have been carried to his
corner, il Johnny had landed on his
head. Believe me, that's right. II
you don't believe Kilbane hits that
hard, you might ask George Clancy"
All Of which is moot question
..J U:tL... - 7 nn,arJ .l,e t.,