Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-05-26
"a. P. by L. S. Naval wireless)

IA. +. Dy |. >. Naval NlT6ieSS)
MEMPHIS. Tenn. May 25.-LeS
Darcy, champion middleweRht Of the
world. died here today after a short
illness. The great Australian fighter
had been i'll for the past month. but
not until the last few days did his
physicians realize that the middle
weight champion was slowly succumb-
ing to pneumonia
Darcy's career has been one OF
praise and condemnation. He first
came into prominence when Snowy
Baker found the lad in a Maitland
blacksmith shop, and brought him to
the Sydney stadium, where he began
to make good in the squared circle.
His first ring experience was in 1911
when he was Is years old.
Many Victories
Darcy came into real prominence in
1915 when he defeated Fritz Holland,
jeff Smith, Eddie McGoorty, Billy
Murray and Jimmy Clabby. He was
recognized as the greatest Australian
boxer since the days Of Fitzsimmons.
Les Darcy was the idol Of the Aus
tralians until he left the Antipodes on
the eve Of his becoming of age. He
took passage on a tramp steamer and
came to New York, where he made a
sensation. He was scheduled to meet
Mike Gibbons, Jack Dillon and q mum.
Der Of other we'll known artists, but
he was branded as Stacker, and
never entered q ring In America,
Before his death Darcy declared his
intention Of becoming an American
citizen, and enlisted in the aviation
corps.
Praise by Andrews
Tom Andrews, the Milwaukee box.
ing scribe, has come forward as an
apologist for Les Darcy, who pussy.
footed away from Australia to the
tune of Il Didn't Raise My Boy to Be
Soldier" while all the other
mothers boys were volunteering and
getting read to do their bit" in the
trenches. In a recent article intended
to condone the Australians sin Of
omission, Andrews writes:
Darcy certainly has had a hard
row to hoe since coming to the States.
For some reason all his friends in
New York turned against him. When
Gov. Whitman chased him out Of the
Empire state, no one man had back
bone enough to stand up for the Wis
itor, or speak a word in his behan.
Les has enlisted in the aviation corps,
and will wear the uniform of Uncle
Sam after he is allowed to make a
couple Of fights in the ring.
ITO read the opinions expressed by
high officials on Darcy one might
have thought he was a highlander
instead. Of a well-behaved athlete.
First one and then the other would
knock the poor fellow, and every Tom,
Dick and Harry took pleasure in
branding him a Stacker Darcy Is
no coward, and it's a dollar to a
doughnut that he will make good
when the bugle blows.
Was MisIed
Darcy was misled when he ran
away from Australia for America. 1t
was not to escape military service
that he came to the land Of the free.
He had no desire to sidestep mis- duty.
At the time he left Australia they
were still recruiting volunteers.
Darcy was told that he could make
a half million dollars beating 1t to
America and feeling that he should
get the coin while the picking was
good he naturally fell for the gush
and came over to bid for the green.
He met with a rude setback, due To
a fight among promoters, who in turn
sought the influence Of politicians to
keep Darcy from getting a match
when they found that he had brought
a manager across the water with him.
Poor management also hurt to a con-
extent End he was about to
become an outcast when he wisely be-
came a citizen of the United States
and enlisted IN the army. Darcy