Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-05-24
PATSY CLINE TO BOX
HARVE THORP- TONIGHT
Fast Lghtwcights Meet ut Joplin in
I2-Round Bout Before south
western Athletic Club.
CLINE SLIGHTLY FAVORED
Thorp Has Many Backers Who Are
Confident He VIII Hold Own;
CInc's Speed Amazing.

JOPLIN, May 23.-There may be
better boxers IN the world than IRISH
Patsy Cline and there may be better
Judges of distance and better gen
eral all-rouni fighters, but none OF
them ever visited Joplin,
The little easterncr worked yes
terday afternoon at the gym OF tho
Southwest Athletic club and the 200
fans who watched him were unani-
nous in declaring that II Thorp
beats this boy, the Fighting Amer
ican' is certain to become athe next
champion Of the world in the light
weight division
Smiling happily. although notice
ably cnbarrdsrei because his man
aeer, Harry -rollock, was no. pres
ent. Cline worked yesterday Nlth
SNOW Clark and Eiily Matthews.
And when Ciark started to oOX with
the easterner the crowd instantly
sat out on the edges OF .hcir scats
and held their breaths. for the cool
mess, cIeverness, speed and punching
ability OF tho boy came as O COM
plete surprise after a rather tame
round or two OF shadow boxing and
some rope jumping.
A "Rcar' hishman.
Cline is not yet 2tsyears oid. and
he's one boxer who is entitled 10
be called Irish V If ever there was
a "fightin' iriShman' he Is it. As
Jimmie Bronson, president and
matchmaker Of the club said ycstcf-
day: at certainly does a fellow good
to see real Irish fighter after sec
ing so many men of other national
tiles masqnerading under Irish fight
ing titles"
The boys we're using "pillow"
gloves yesterday, and even mt that
a seemingly light tap just where 1t
would do tho most good sent Clark
reeling and staggering around the
ropes, holding himself up by, hanging
on And when Matthews who Is a big
husky who really knows a lot about
fighting. started to do things
CNne played with him like cat
with a mouse
Cline. who beat Benny Leonard
last December in philadelphia. is not
big looking at first glance, But that
ID. lie is ideally built for speed aud
lots Of H. He stands
a trifle tailor than Thorp and he has
n eighty longer reach And, appar-
emily, he doesn't care whether his
opponents fight at close quartz or
at arms length. Neither Clark nor
Matthews could have even touched
nlr7 Yesterday n he hadn't delio-
eratcly permitted then TO do so.
PohocK will arrive today and prob
ably will hc accompanied by Edward
W Cochrane, sports editor Ubf the
Kansas city Journal, who is TO rf-
cree the bout Friday night Cline
wilt he Eout out on the road this
morning and will box again this aft
crnoon. although he said yesterday
he Is in perfect condition now FOR
a bout Of any length. And speak
ing Of long bouts, the 4 rounds he
is 10 60 here viii never bother him,
for Il was only last February that
he went down to New Orleans and
won draw with Johnny Dundee
In n 20-round battle - Wnd Ciine
fought rs rounds Of that fieht with
"A brolJnn htnd'
That hand ha. hoalrd entirely now
and he used II yesterday almost rN-l
cusiyoly He is teaching it TO do
its bit he said
But fight fans who expect to see
the battle tomorrow night must not