Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-05-13
HOW BEN LEONARD
BROKE INTO GAME
Lightweight Star Climbed
Through Window and Fought
to Escape Taking Ride
in Patrol Wagon.
By RINGSIDE.

Chicago, May 1.-THE rapid rise Of
Benny Leonard, the New York light
weight who recently knocked out
Richie Mitchell at Milwaukee. brings
to light an interesting story of how
he broke into the ring. Billy Gibson,
manager of the little New York star
told the story when he stopped off in
Chicago the other day,
"On the occasion of one of my
weekly shows at the old Farmont
club a bunch OF younsters broke
into the place through one Of the win
dows," said Gibson. "They had done
it many times before, but this time
we had been laying for them and
nailed the whole gang.
after giving them good scare
by having the cops threaten to take
them to the police station, | noticed
one youngster who was hanging
back. 1t later turned out to be Leon
ard. | went up to him and he began
to plead to see the show. He was
willing to do anything,
"But the principal thing he wanted
to do was to fight. He told me he had
licked the toughest kids in his neigh
borhood. Sc when ] found | was
short a lad ! decided I would get rid
of Leonard, and sent him in the ring
against tough kid named Mickey
Caligan. Well, | got the surprise of
my life, and so did Mickey. The
tough youngster got good thrash
ing in about four rounds.
"But let me tell you how Leonard
got his name. When he fought
Mickey the announcer went over to
his corner and asked him his name.
Loiner,' said the kid. Then the gal
lery gods began bowling 'Good-boy,
Loiner. But the announcer thought
the name was Leonard, and so called
it out. The crowd then changed to
Leonard and Leonard it has been
ever since. Lconard's real name is
'Leiner.'"
From that time on Leonard was a
fighter. Now he has reached point
in his career where he soon may be
wearing the lightweight crown, for
many fans believe he has better
line of goods than the present cham
pion, Freddie Welsh.
Look for Heavy Fighting.
There's going to be some heavy
fighting in the lightest division of the
ring before long. il Pete Herman, the
new bantamweight champion, is any
good as a prognosticator. Pete be-
lieves the bantamweight division is
better balanced than any other divl-
sion, and looks forward to rough
time in keeping his title.
Lots OF people have suggested to
me that | must consider Johnny Will
liams of Baltimore, the man | won
the title from, as the hardest OF the
lot" said Pete.
"While I give Johnny lots of credit
for being a great little fighter, |
don't regard him as any harder to
beat than some of the others.
1.-THE trouble with most Of the
bantamweights is that they arc not
bantams. They either will not or
cannot make the weight. Most OF
them want ll8 pounds and some want
to go as high as 120. frankie Burns
undoubtedly a great boxer, has grown
heavy, and Williams has, too"
Taught By Sullivan.
The sensational end of Jim Barry
the heavyweight, recalls the story OF
a lost chance. Barry in the summer
of his career was declared to be
championship timber by John L. Sui
livan. In fact, John L. thought so
much of his ability that he taught
Barry most of his tricks.
But Barry, like dozens of other
boxers, couldn't stay away from the
cup that cheers. About 1906 he
started to hirt with Demon Rum and
a month or so ago the end came in a
row at Colon, Panama. Barry had
been in South America and was
stopping at Colon en- route.
The statement of John L. Sullivan
that Barry was championship mate
rial came while John L. was making
tour OF the country in 1906. Frank
Hall was managing the tour, and in
cidentally picked up Barry and
Charley Cutler. The two met all
corners in four-round bouts.
Sullivan Immediately took an inter
est in Barry and took him under his
wing. Barry was wonderfully devel.
oped and could hit with the power OF
a triphammer. He scored knockouts
over numerous heavyweights, But
Barry couldn't hold himself in leash
He took TO destination and from then