The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-12-31
- BlUCk ca

i IS G. Babe" Meanor to thank for
the revival and popularity Of lex-
! ing Meanor's untimely death, Ans
! %, vas a great blow to tn,
j athletics in general. lleanor's j
Island A. c., operating boxing
'hibitions in the old Empire a
was heralded throughout the a
!, die west as an arena where
play was paramount, Ind where
operations catered to the best
terests Of fans and fighters alike.
Before the reerettable termin,
ton Of the Rock Island A. G., tw
boxing clubs had sought to gain
foothold in Rock Island. Las
spring the SpoFtsman's A. c., pro
NOTED by several good Rock Island
sportsmen, Of whom Frank Bauers-
field served ~ matchmaker, staged
/ three exhibitions which met with
only mediocre success, due largely
to the prominence of the Rock Is
land A. C.
Away to Poor Start
The SDortsmsn's A. c. first
matched Mike Dundee and Jack |
Wolfe, the Cleveland feather. The
card also served to introduce q !
new favorite in AL Van Ryn Of st. |
Panl, who was destined to shine
until mismanagement on the part |
OF Jack O'Grady, his felloW-towns-
man. caused him to fade later in |
the season. Dundee and Wolfe /
fought rafting good battle, but
the turnout was Disappointing and
the promoters incurred nominal [
loss. In any. other city Z scrap
like that would have paid hand
somely. SIS
Mismatching was responsibls fes4
the second failure OF the Sports
mems A. C. to stage winner. The
sporting public did not take kind
y to the main attraction betweeni
Pete NARROW Of st. Louis and Al
Tuttle Of Philadelphia, whereas, IL I
Al Van Ryn and Battling johnson.
who engaged in the semi-Wfndup,
had been matched for the headline
attraction, they would have prov
ed better draw. As it occurred.
NARROW and futile staged q thrill
ing draw in which they displayed
every good angle Of the boxing
game. Van Ryn earned q popular |
verdict over johnson because OF
his superior boxing and punching !
talents. !,
Nuss Comes to Front.
The third attempt OF the club to
itself In popular favor
offered one Of the best purely local
matches ever known IN tri-city box !,
ing. Jimmy Nuss Of Moline. forg- II
ing rapidly to the front by the
knockout route, was watched with
Bum" Stuehmer Of Davenport,
whose stock was boosted mater
.Ally by his knockout Of Eddie Gill;
more, the Moline cave-man. Close
followers OF the two boys figured
that It would be q scrap we'll worth
The price of admission. For ALL
around action, there couldn't have :
been more promising bout. X
The same card also contained the
popular favorite. AL Van Ryn. who !
vas matched with Mickey Kerst. Of 8
Chicago. Even with Davenport's
,olid delegation brailing with !,
and Mo!ile's interests at
stake ON Nuss, the attendance was
ar from gratifying to the manage :,
nent. Nuss pulled the unexpected 3
ind stopped Etuehmer in the fifth :,
'ound Of their scheduled 10-round !,
70, after Nuss himself had been =
IL but put down for the count in 3
he third round. Van Ryn and :.
kerst battled to six-round draw. :
This card served to convince the 3
A. C. that It could con-
inue only 1T . loss, and further =
for matches were sus- =
ended.
HeaSor Ideal PremeteE. i
"Babe" Meanor and his Rock L. 81
and A. C. did all In their power to II
ssist the Sportsmen's A. C. in b,
ON. Eeanor never inter- Il
1ASu Win tHc AAuAt& "a anyone q
lse. and would rather give his q
and to the opposition than impair
il own interests by anta4onixing
IL competitors. 1t seemed to bel :,
estined that the Rock Island A. C. =
tas to be the only paying PROPOSE :.
on. The fans put utmost faith ! s. s,
Meanor's integrity and derived =
eneral satisfaction Since '.Babe's-tp
cath. successful boxing from q n "a
ancfal standpoint has been nil. y
The career OF the Rock Island y.
Independent A. C.. promoted BY % :.
rank Fat Smith and Paddy ~
uinn, former Independent football =
ara, broke into the laid With -
pen-air exhibitions 1t Douglas y
ark. but Ill luck has canned a = =
q trail Of these two good fellows y
leiF eight or ten shows falling to y
turn them the profits merfted hv
% dl-aruund class OF their Is,
atcheA u
Babe Me- nor had secured ! an
are on the Illinois theatre. inst =
6ore his d 9TH. for his contem- &,
ated fall. water and spring at g
actions, - the old Empire 'rint m'
d been converted into : en.--~ w