The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1921-02-05

then, when Kibbane outboxed Able and
had him 1oundering like a stranded
porpoise.
KEbane danced around Attell ana
Attell plunged at him until he was les
weary. 1t was the first time in his
life Able had been outfooted anu
shown up" and he completely lost
his temper and tried fouling and
roughing. And kilbane foiled him,
laughed at him, and jabbed him until
Abie's head bounced around like toe
bean of a rag doll in a bail throwing
parlor at Coney Island.
Kilbane won the decision and tae
championship. Attell 'hollerCd" all
over the country, but the defeat
finished him as a great fighter and ne
never was good for much atterward.
As for kifbane, he went to New
York and boxed frankie Burns, going
around Frankie like a skitterins
shadow. As champion he cOntented
himself with outboxing everybody,
and when he had tapped and danced
| successfully for four years people
grew weary OF seeing him, and feath-
erweight rivals forgot that he ever
had a punch.
One OF these, George CLANCY OF
! Baltimore, became famous as the
| Knockout KING" having knocked out
nearly all OF his opponents for SIX
| years CLANCY challenged Kilbanc
| and Chaney's manager abused Johnny
through the sporting papers TOT
months. Kilbane seemed unwilling to
meet the famous K. o. boy, but at
| last he was nagged into match at
Matt Hinkels club (Matt HinKel re-
fereeing). widely advertised as
featherweight championship fight al
weight
Just before that fight Johnny wrote
me n letter in which ne said:
NThey think l can't hit any more
1 can hit harder than ever but !
always prefer winning on points be-
cause don't like to risk hurting any
body This time I'm going to let the
punch 20, and I'll knock this fellow
lChaney out in a hurry
Kilbane made a show of ChaneN
for two rounds and knocked him colo
In the third with a single punch OF
the chin. After this lie was BUSY
again for another year, outpointinl
boys in no-decision bouts.
Then Kilbane made his first RIM
mistake. He went after the light
weight championship. This nigh
have been all right If Benny Leonard
hadn't held the title Just then.
Leonard was a new champion an(
one of the cleverest and most ettec
tive hitters ever seen in his class
The fight was in the ball park a
Philadelphia and drew a tremendou
crowd. Leonard Outclassed kilban'
from the start, as a good big maj
always can outClnss a good SINAI
man Kilbane was knocked out il
q the third round
After this both Leonard and Xii
. bane were called into military ser
vice, accepting appointments as arm,
boxing instructors, and both dit
splendid work-LeOnaTG at UptO
p and Kllbane at Camp Sherman, Il
, Ohio
Since the war Kilbane has boKe
few bouts, showing much OF hi
old skill but lacking some OF tn
! flashing speed that made him cham
pion- as well as the punch that h
usesi 10 have on tap when he wante
. to use II. He has taken som
! weight, and even II he doesn't figh
: at weight again in defense Of IN
= title he will soon have to retire an
= let the Youngsters have a chance,
, Like Jack McAuliffe, ne can retir
! undcfeatcd in his class. Kilbnne ha
made a fair-slZed fortune IN the rim
and in business, is interested in poll
tics in his home town, Cleveland, ha
. a large family 10 bring up, and ca
' easily be contented to rest on HI
!, laurels. Nine years a champion-an
always with a clean record for fa
fighting-he has earned place
! the boxers Hall of Fame.
- COpyrisht. 1921, by Robert EdGTon.)