The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-09

OF Eddle's car was 30 full OF dents II
looked like a pepper can.
After a while Eddie got four or
| five shot In the back OF his neck
and stopped the car and Jim came
| up and called II quits.
MAD? No, OF course not. Those
/ fellows were always Kidding each
other. Kind OF rough, maybe, but
they never got Sore. They thought
II was great Joke. II was a big
/ laugh 20 them when II was over.
They kind OF had Bob scared,
though. He thought It was a real
| gun fight
"Rob told me that he learned all
| his fighting tricks by studying ami
! mails. He used to have lions and
bears. He said the big cats were
( the best boxers in the world.
Bob and Ills Pet Lion.
Bob would step around and spar
/ at the lion and get tho lion TO strike
at him, and watch his movements.
/ Then he'd try to time his blows the
same way. A cat will stand up and
spar and feint before Il claws at
you. Bob said no learned a lot
from cats.
bob used to take a lion around
the country with him. Down in
San Antonio once they wouldn't let
him have the lion in the hotel and
told him he could keep 1t chained
on the flat roof.
Bob put It up there, and next
morning he found the lion dead.
1t had dragged its chain across a
power wire until IL wore the in
sulation off, and the lion was cleo
trocuted. Bob never got over feel
ing bad about that. He liked that
lion and never would have another
one.
He got a bear next, and said he
learned more boxing from the way
the bear cuffed blows aside. He
said you couldn't hit that bear.
"A bear naturally slaps at any
thing thrust at him and he's quick
as lightning with his paws. I've
heard you can throw n hatchet at
a bear and he'll slap 1t away be-
fore II reaches his head. Bob used
that bear slap TO turn blows, and
then developed a counter that fol-
lowed almost IN the same motion.
1t was one OF his best punches.
A Mule rs a Spnrring Partner.
when he was training for the first
fight with O'Bricn. Bob got a small
mule and trained with II every day.
O'Brlen was fast on his feet and
t'itz wanted 10 work up a little more
speed avoiding blows.
He'd tease tho mule and the
mule would watch himA until it
thought he was in range, and then
whirl like a siash and kick at him
with both heels. Bob would side
step one way or the other just far
enough to mako the mule miss, and
stay in close enough 10 punch the
mule on the flank before It could
draw back for another kiCk.
zone day Bob was showing some-
body how he did Il, and as he
turned around to laugh after the
mule missed him the mule kicked
again when he wasn't looking and
hit him in the pit OF the stomach
with both hoofr beraking two ribs
and knocking Bob 90 feet.
Bob didn't let anyone know he
was hurt, Luckily O'Brien, who
had counted on catching Bob out OF
training, and who heard he was
training hard ana in fine shape. got
the date changed. O'Brien didn't
know it, but that gave Fitz time tC
mend couple OF busted ribs-and
, Fitz would have fought O'Brien
, broken ribs and all, rather than ask
for a postponement
Bob FitZslmmons was a charac,
, ter! Jim always liked Bob. Bot
! was rough and game and a wonder,
ful boxer and hitter and he gave
Jim two tough Sights. Beside that
he was as honest as the day is long
81 guess that's one of the MAR
, reasons jun liked him. / liked old
. Bob myself. l wish he was arOunt
now, / kind OF miss having som,
I guy walk hp behind me when
: don't expect Il and nearly take my
J head off slapping me on the bach
OF the neck with the edge OF hli
hand. That was Fitzs favorit,
trick. But at that ! don't know II
/, stand for IL from anyone else. You'C
stand for anything from Fitz.