The Washington herald., 1922-12-19
SILVER FOX"
FLYNN PUTS
1T RIGHT OVER
Brennan-lohn Fight Engl-
neered Deity and Papers
Were Signed to Bring Men
Together January 12.
BY FRANK G. MENKE.

BY FRANK G. MENKE.
(copyrisht, 1879. by King Features
Syndicate. Inc.)
Bill Brennan and Floyd John
SON will sling blows at each other
In Madison Square Garden, New
York, on the night Of January IL.
And thereby hangs another tale
which involves "The Silver Fox Of
the Prize Ring"-one Leo P. Flynn.
1t may be recalled that Bill Is
the party who has given Jack
Dempsey the toughest fight which
the king of battlers ever expert
enced. And it likewise will recur
to memory that some months ago
when Brennan was discussed as
an opponent for Dempsey in a New
York ring, the New York State
athletic commission, in majestic
voice and solemn manner, spoke
words along these lines:
"Stories have come to us that
Brennan is not the fighter he used
to be. Therefore, before we permit
him to battle for championship,
he must prove to US that he Is In
condition to do So"
Just about that time this Floyd
johnson was gathering fame and
prestige unto himself. He knocked
over a lot of second and third
raters He was aided by a splendid
publicity outfit. AS a result, 1t
gradually became noised around the
u. S. A. that this johnson fellow
was the one bloke beyond Harry
Wills who could give Dempsey
tough time of 1t.
And right then and there The
Silver Fox" Flynn. connected with
q grand idea. He determined to
sic Brennan onto Johnson, feeling
confident that Brennan could put
away the youngster and thus re-
establish himself as a fit and suit
able opponent for the king of gladi-
ators.
"FEELERS" SENT OUT.
So "feelers" were sent to the
johnson camp concerning a john
son-Brennan tilt. But the moth
ing doing sign was flapped into
the faces of the Flynn scouts, Tor
the johnson handlers at that mo-
ment had a wholesome respect Tor
oil Bill-reckoned him as far too
smart and too tough for Floyd at
this period of Floyd's career.
Flynn, realizing that the only
way that the johnson folks could
be influenced into such match
would be If they could be made to
believe that Brennan was but a
wreck Of his former self. and pro
coed to wreck" his heavyweight
battler.
stories began to float hither and
thither that Bill wasn't training:
that Bill weighed about $50 pounds;
that Bill was drinking the output OF
the bootlegging industry OF the
limited States; that Bill was sott
and flabby; that Bill had astlgma-
tism. spavins, rhinitis, influenza,
pleurisy, rheumatism, dandruff. and
some other terrible ailments.
To make it seem even more
realistic Bill wandered around
among the elite of ~ boxing
world. wearing waisthne ABOUT
eight inches bigger than II ought
TO be. The natives looked at Bill
amidship section-and commehteu
that Bills fistic days were done.
They didn't know that the excess
waiSbt had been created by many
windings of wooden cloth around
BiIl's tummy.
SHOWED Up NIGHTS.
To make 1t seem all the more
realistic that Bill was dissi4ating,
the veteran gladiator used to snow
up at nights in arenas where hghts
were staged. giving a splendid lmi-
tation of a victim of too much
hooch.
To make the deception perfect.
Bill smeared his lips ever and anon
with alcohol and then was careful
tn get within whiting" distance
of those who were sure to tell the
johnson folks about 1t.
What was the result OF this
strategy?
Nothing more nor less than that
the johnson people finally decided
that all they were hearing about
Bill Brennan was really true-and
that Bill was the softest bit OF
picking in the world.
They figured 1t out that Bill
still had a great reputation and
that IL Floyd could take" Bren-
nan 1t would lift the youngster
to a lofty pinnacle overnight.
STEPPED RIGHT IN.
So when overtures were renewed
for a Brennan-Johnson match by the
willy Flynn the johnson folks stepped
right in. signed on the dotted line
and now Flynn and those associated
with him are chuckling-and chuck
ling still more.
Why shouldn't they?
For all the time that Brennan was
presumed to be dissipating, the big
fellow, under Flynn. was working
out secretly and had galloped back
to within seven or eight pounds Of
his old-time fighting form. He was
living out in the open as much as
possible and doing all the stunts that
are intended to equip a fighter for
ring warfare.
OF course, johnson may spring a
surprise on Brennan-the youngster
may be better than he has shown up
to date. But they won't be wagering
that way when the rough and tough
nd tho crafty avnari,