Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-20

Since Jack Dempsey began punch
ing out heavyweight aspirants, the
manner in which he does it has been
q source of discussion by the sports
OF the game. On the subject of
those who gained fame as wallopers
in the days gone by Otto Floto, the
wel1-known Denver writer, talks in
terestingly.
Dempsey's quick knockout of Bat
ting Levinsky is what started the
veteran Floto on his "reminiscences.
1t wasn't so much the quickness with
, which Dempsey turned the trick,
but the short route the blow travel
ed to put the clever Hebrew out of
the way. All great fighters, Floto
says, employed the same punch as
does Dempsey to-day.
1t seems when a fighter has a
kick behind his jolt it need travel
only few inches to deliver the
goods" says Floto. I'VE could
glance back and call to mind many
fighters of the past who were pro-
ficient in producing this short cir
cult.
ITO my mind Peter Maher could
NSAfNA a. wv" WIN pOWCl bG-
hind 1t than any other man who ever
wore the gloves. 1 have seen Peter
knock out opponents when his fist
seemed to travel but a fraction of
an inch. 1t was more like a twist
of the wrist. l recall his bout with
Nick Burley and Tom Johnson in
the old Grand Opera House in Mis-
sion street, San Francisco. Peter
kayoed both these tough babies in
half a round, and it seemed as
though his fist went but a fraction
of an inch, yet the terrific Jolt it
contained stretched both them prone
on the rosined canvass, apparent
ly lifeless. l saw him with the same
punch knock all the front teeth out
of lke's mouth, and sending him
headlong under the ropes of the
stage. have always maintained
this to be the hardest blow / ever
saw struck by any fighter living
or dead.
L saw Maher in New Orleans hit
Fitzsimmons with the same short
punch and hang Bob over the top
rope as cold as any fighter ever was.
Joe Choyniski reached over, pulled
the bell cord and then jumped into
the ring and carried Fitz to his
corner, while Alec Greggains pull
ed off Fits glove and pushed the
blade of a penknife under his thumb
to bring him back to consciousness
again. 1t took the whole minutes
work between the rounds to push
Fitz out of his chair toward Maher
again. If Peter Maher had possessed
Jack Dempsey's heart he would have
been the greatest heavyweight
champion the ring ever boasted.
Then, there was Fitz, another
great champion and with a cham
pion's punch. You who ever watch
ed him battle recall that famous
shift which proved the undoing
of so many of his opponents. Many
thought Fitz employed any sort of
swinging blow to make his connec-
ton. True, he varied its delivery.
When in close he would shift and
then uppercut an opponent and
when at arms length he would let it
go with a sort of stiff Erm movement
in which he threw his whole body
in rigid fashion after the punch. But
it always spelled curtains when it
landed on the doGk for which Ruby
Robert headed it.
Joe Cans, a past master and the
Ole Marster' as he was deservedly
called, knew the value of punch
that did not spend its force while
travelling. All his great battles
were won by this same short jolt,
which seemed to be of sufficient
vigor against all opponents. except
ing Battling Nelson. The Durable
Dane could always assimilate an
overdose of punishment.
Stanley Ketchel, another great
puncher, always sent his right hand
across straight, while his left, when
not jabbing an opponent, came in
a sort of semicircle fashion to de-
post the object it came in contact
with on the floor. Believe us, this
same S. Ketchel could send them
home labeled 'tobasco,' and what a
lions heart he possessed along with
his other great fighting qualitica-
uonsl He was truly gameless per-
sonited.
kid Mccoy was another of our
topnotchers that could jolt you to
The very marrow with his rail-like