Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-02
Coach Decker, Starting His
Twelfth Year, Praises
n Clove Game for College
- Man; Record Turnout
for Team
LIJKAS MAY CAPTAIN

= NDOSINi among the colleBes 10 mere
8. ID TO stay" George Decker, coach
~ the University OF Pennsylvania boxing
team, himself a star lightweight
decade AGO, made the above assertion
this morning in the boxing room of the
University. -. ~
div back in 1909 to start boxing there
was q peculiar feeling among college
men that the sport was rough and there /:
fore improper for undergraduates. Of
course. we had fair squad willing to
learn the game at that time, put noth-
inn like we have now.
. II have seen the sport grow from a
few enthusiasts until this season we
have $50 men trying out for the team
and ouite number more who are taking
mn the sport to become proficient in the
art of self f-defense.
"THERB Is hardly a sport on The
IT, curriculum, that compares toith
boring as body builder. 1t forces a
s,dn TO think fast to sdve himself IN
an emergency. teaches him TO use his
muscles to advantage, thereby build.
irg up his body, Giucs him moral
courage and does lots OF other things
tkat are necessary If the average
srderqradudte is to haze sound
Sody as tpeN as sound mind.
"Pennsylvania should have a good
boxing team this year; as matter OF
fact, one of the best in the history OF
the institution. The squad is larger
than ever before and contains twenty
or thirty men who really have lots of
ability with the gloves. From that
number / expect to select team that
will do credit to the University
O'Malley Ineligible
Tommy O'Malley, last year S captain
and former national lightweight cham
pion OF the amateurs, is ineligible this
year until February. Tommy incurred
a condition and the faculty has banned
him until after the midyear eXamina-
tons.
As vet the captain for this year has
not been choaPn. but it Is expected that
Johnny Lukas, the Shamokin lad. who
played a backfield post on the varsity
football team during the last season,
will get the position.
Lukas jumped into the breach last
year when Decker lost his 15S- pound
boxer, and surprised the intercollegiate
world by his great boxing. This year,
according to Decker. Lukas is a better
boxer than he was last year and should
20 through the season indicated.
In the 11j-pound class Decker has
the two veterans of last year to depend
on. Both Burkert, who won the title
two years ago and who halls from AL
toona and Benson, Of Arkansas, have
had lots of experience. and should be
able to uphold the prestige Of their class
against the best boxers in the colleges.
MAT DOTGHERTY, the son of
~ Jimmy DoWghertV, the "Bdron
of Licperrillc." Is the star Of the
f25. pound class. This is Dougherty's
first year out for the team, but he
shorS the experience Of a rcter1n.
he has frequently bored ,Cth johnny
EilbdnP, the boss of the feather
Dci1lt dtpision. and has learned much
from the gray. .thdtched WGrrtor.
Francis Sullivan, member of the
freshman football team during the last
season; Welsh, of Boston, and Os-
trecker. who won his bout In the NJ. /.
I. meet last year with a knockout, are
the other members of the 125- pound
class showing form.
Southern High Represented
In the 1876 pound class, Bernstein,
formerly Of Southern High School, and
Millner, Of Williamsport, have the call
on the other dozen or more candidates.
When O'Malley returns in February
this division will be greatly strength
ened.
Johnny Breslin. of Shenandoah, is
the leader In the 145-pound class. He
is a veteran OF the last two seasons and
a very capable boxer. Harold Davis,
Of Newark, and Robb. of Cleveland,
the latter the end of the freshman foot
ball team during the last season, are
making great bid for the first post
in this class.
Johnny Lukas, already mentioned :;
King, the freshman football star, and
Lovendale, the veteran of last year, are
the best in the 15S- pound class.
Papworth, of the freshman gridiron
team, and Hap Day, the center of the
varsity eleven, are the mainstays in
the 175-pound class. Day, ineXperi-
enced last Year. has shown such form
that Decker regards him as one of the
best mittmen in his big squad.
IN TIE heavyweight class, Tommy
CoUel, from lost year; Krets, also
oeterdr OF last season; Wilson ana
1rdt, the latter one of the gHards
." the gridiron elepen, are the best.
Decker is being assisted by Sam
Decker, his brother; DR.. Francis
Grant, titlehoder in the 145-pound