The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-12-31
MACK'S MELANGE

We are in receipt of a gratifying
letter from Vice President Herbert
l.. cobbs of the Birmingham Athletic
club, celebrating on the Downey-
Strtbiing match interrupted Friday
night because OF Downey's failure to
appear in Birmingham. Mr.. Cobbs
explains that the matchmaker failed
to receive definite cancellation
from Downey until 1880 o'clock and
that effort to notify the sporting ed
itor failed. The club official stated
that every effort was made to pre-
vail upon Biddy Bishop, the fighters
manager, to have Downey reconsider
his determination. After Downey
agreed to come to Birmingham it was
unfortunate that he should place the
club in an embarrassing position.
This cancellation coming on the heels
OF the substitution of Claude Wilson
meet Jimmy Katz was an unfortu
nate circumstance, especially be-
cause the Interruptions to the adj
vertised matches came so close to-
gether, And this Is not meant as Il
reflection against Wilson'S ability.
At the same time there were many
present who preferred O'Dowd to
Wilson, despite Wilson's showing
that night Mr. Gobbs letter further
effort to satisfy any dissa tSsfied per-
son holding an admission ticket to
the Wilson Stribling contest.
The class of attractions the Bir-
mngham Athletic club has endeay-
ored to, but failed to bring to Br-
mingham, is. praiseworthy of the am
bitlon of the organization to stage
real shows and II is unfortunate that
their plans recently have miscarried.
Birmingham patrons Of the sport are
q discriminating lot and trouble
never comes single-handed. We con-
fidently believe that once the club is
able to prevent unequal matches and
IL its ambition to get real artists here
is fulfilled, the club will find no COM
plant to make of the patronage af-
forded. Birmingham, backed by a
big population. has hundreds of
lovers Of real boxing; IN fact. more
than enough to insure satisfactory
patronage. The club also will always
be able to count on reasonable sup
port of this column in undertakings
of merit But this column will not
give its Endorsement to matches that
should not be made even when made
in emergency. We believe it is bet
ter to cancel an attraction than to
stage a fiasco such as was presented
| to lovers OF boxing in Birmingham
| Friday evening.
When FIoridn meets The Uni
versfty of Alabama. at lakewood
Thanksgiving, 1923, both elevens
| will be under new coaches. WAL
| lace Wade OF Vanderbilt. will
| have charge Of the Crimsons.
/ while Ftorida's new coach. of
course. hasn't been named yet.
Grid fandom fcioices in the situa-
ton at Alabama. Charlie Bernier.
athletic director Saturday. an
nounced the 1928 football schedule for
the Crimsons, and the 'Bama's menu
Is one fitting for a great state uni
versity, the kind Alabama should ar
range.
Not so many years ago. there was
considerable dissatisfaction in the
Alabama schedules, with the Grim
sons meeting many lesser foes, and
taking on very few big games. Its
different now, and Alabama's sched-
ules rank With the hardest any Dixie
eleven will face next year.
Syracuse. Sewanee, Georgia. Flo
rida, Kentucky. L. S. U. and Georgia
Tech form anything but bunch of
"set-ups" for the Crimsons. and Ala
| bama must have its best to suceess-
fully sail through the season that
must be faced in 1929
Stranger Lewis. probably not
finding enough trouble and mis-
fortune in wrestling circles. ts
seeking it elsewhere. Lewis states
he hns closed for u mixed bout
with Jack Dempsey. When Gues-
toned about his part In II. D-mp-
sey merely states he really
|. doesn't know Tor 4 fact whether
such a bout hi.s been closed, hut
snys all he's waiting for IL for
some ono to bring ON the victim.
A.. In few short months. Mike Dona-
hue Will be gone from Auburn ath-
| ietic circles. but II viii be a long,
| long time before his accomplishments
with the Plainsmcn are forgotten. In
1914 Donahue developed team that