Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-21

A POINT is well taken by one of my
readers. one D. L. s.. who encloses
clippings with his letter, crediting Tommy
O'Brien with being the Pacific coast light
weight champion, and reviewing the battle
for the title of the entire western country
between OBrien and Pat Gilbert. The read
er's letter is as follows:
Il am enclosing clippings from the Salt
Lake City papers concerning a match be-
tween Tommy O'Brien, lightweight cham
pion Of the Pacific coast, and Pat Gilbert,
champion lightweight of the inter- mountain
states: Here in Omaha we thought Jimmy
Drexel held the title claimed by O'Brien.
As you will note, this bout between O'Brien
and Gilbert was q draw. Can you en-
tighten me as to who is the lightweight
champion n 10 Of the Pacific coast. i anyone.
lin postscript. the writer of the letter
adds ? number of complimentary remarks.
for which I am grateful. and he also adds
that a match between O'Brien and either
Drexel or Callahan would make a good one
that some more bouts like the Callahan
Drexel mill may be staged in this locality
before long.
TN answer to this query. must state
= frankly. that do not know positively
who is the real lightweight champion of the
Pacific coast. Jimmy Drexel boxed the ac-
credited champion Of that district few
years ago and defeated him. He was haiIed
as the liehtweight champion Of the coast.
time. Drexel left that section of the
country and came this far east. Leaving,
the district. for which he had defended
championship honors. he naturally forfeited
the title. In series of contests between
contenders for the title, Tommy O'Brien
defeated one Of the Attel boys and a num-
Der of other claimants and was finally con-.
coded to have the best claim to the title,
since Drexel was not in that section to de-
fend the honors any more. At this time,
Is the Pacific coast lightweight champion.
Should Drexel ever show on the coast
again he would have to beat O'Brien in
order to again be considered the title
holder. .-- ,..
THE point taken by D. L. S. will be given
serious consideration. 1t may be that
q match may be arranged between O'Brien
and either Drexel or Callahan. The letter
was referred to the matchmaker of the
Council Bluffs Athletic association. and in
this article. to the promoter Of the Fort
Omaha bouts, Denny Ryan. and one Of the
other Of these two may try to book such 4
bout. 1t would undoubtedly make a great
match and as these two organizations are
working toward the same end, to give low
sport they are interested in and provide
high class entertainment in the way of
classy performers. it is more TINA likely
that an effort will be made to induce
O'Brien to meet either Drexel or Callahan.
Callahan. being the winner at the Fort
Omaha show, some fans may think they
would rather see O'Brien against the
Columbus, o., boy. Others may want to
see Drexel in another contest to give him
a chance to come back" into favor with
local BOXING, followers. II you have an
opinion on the matter. write to the sports
editor and your written opinion may have
some influence with the matchmakers Of
the two clubs in this locality.
TONIGHT the fireworks in the middle
weight boxing division will be touched
off. Champion Mike O'Dowd will defend
the honors against the wonderfully clever
Mike Gibbons in St. Paul this evening.
While my readers are perusing this column
it is likely that / will be talking with one
or the other of the two gladators. Early
winner, picking Gibbons to outpoint
o'Dowd. Due to the reports. emanating
from the training quarters OF the boxers.
am afraid ! must qualify my. statement
somewhat. This may appear to be hedge,
hedge II the possibilities were against him
afterward7 o'DoYd appears to be N bet
ter form than ever before. while the
Phantom" is said to be in Door shape and
considerably overweight. His work in
10 hotHinB hhG WHdt "dS ca
pected Of him and a number of his close
friends are greatly disappointed in his
| work Even at that think I sort Of like
| Gibbons to win a shade. but whether he
does or not. it's dollars to doughnuts that
the bout goes the limit of 10 rounds.
| O'Dowd will never put crafty Mike out and
( the chances Of Gibbons knocking the
champion out were never good.
THE present bantam champion, Pete
Herman. is something of a mystery to
eastern boxing fans. In every bout he
takes part in he shows only flashes of
championship form. but smiles wisely
when It is remarked that he cannot seem
to hold the pace. 1t NAV be that Pete
is going back to the old time-worn style
of allowing the fighters, fans and pro-
moters to think that he has slipped. The
time may come. when his pulling" his
punches will become a habit that he can
not break and then he will find himself
unable to let go when he needs the heavy
hitting to win for him. Some of the new
crop OF little fellows may catch him at
it and slip over a decisive win on him
and grab that championship. When that
time comes. Herman will again be con-
sidered nothing but preliminary boy.
His advent to the charmed title circle was
hashy, but IL takes but little TO prefix
and ex. to the champion. when they get
too wise"