San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-29
A PROVIDENT PUGILIST

If Firpo were an Indian his first name
would inevitably be "Poor Lo" because
he IS so reech. But he happens to pc an
Argentinean; therefore he was cllristcrcd
Luis Angel. But that name--or part of
its not appropriate in every. sense.
Firpo is not an "angel"--he does not law
ish his reechcs upon all corners. On the
contrary, he is, in some peoples opinion.
4 tightwad. And thereby hangs an ironi-
cal tale of human nature.
Every now and then a certain-or may
be uncertain-school of American sport
writers regale their readers with sob
stories concerning the really pitiable fate
of erstwhile heroes of the squared ring.
There was Champion Squash Eater. for
example. who once was richer than Mi
daS and at least as thriftless as the
Prodigal Son. Champion Squash-Eater,
his punch departed forever. now has to
depend upon his friends for lunch tick
cts. What shame. Won't somebody
start petition among the generous
hearted, so that former Champion
Squash-Eater won't have to be buried in
the potter's field? Won't somebody shed
few tears accompanied by downpour
OF shekels:
Now that Luis Firpo fella is reech-
so reech you think he steal. maybee.
Three hundred thousand in two wears!
Gross earnings? Monet savings What
does he do with his money? It is easier
Tor the covctous to say what he doesn't
do with it. He doesn't spend it onsthem.
lie seems to think that it is against the
law to scatter gold in Gotham or any,
where else. He's poor, sport, that Luis
Firpo fella. ..''..'.
thus are some sport writer's banning"
the fighter from Argentina. If he should
spend all his money while he is able to
fight for high stakes, he would be held
up to pity when his fighting DAYS were,
over. But he doesn't scatter Ills coin
beneath the bright lights therefore he is
"pcoi sport" In other words. accord
ing to the philosophy of some people. a
pugilist is damned ii he does and damn
ed il he doesn't"
Firpo is one OF the very few pugilistic
stars of first magnitude who have re-
fused to twinkle for those who think that
twinkling is the measure Of stars
greatness. 1t is pitiable, indeed. when
a man who has made fortune in one
fight, or in any occupation, swiftly de-
sends the path OF poverty to become
ward of charity. Few American pugil-
lists have retired rich; or, if they were
rich at the time they fought their last
championship fight. they have not long
retained their wealth. Some of them
have lived under the hallucination that
they could come back"
1t is said that Firpo is not particu-
larly quick-witted. Apparently his mind
was not hitting on all six, for business
purposes, when he called for a change in
the financial arrangements for his re-
cent fight with Willard. AS originally
agreed, he was to get guaranteed
purse of 100000, with $4,000 additional
for training expenses. When he saw the
crowd swelling toward hesringside he
called for percentage of the gate re-
ceipts-and consequently got about $780,
900.
Yet Luis Angel Firpo is business
man. enough to hold on to what he
gets, letting some people call him a
poor sport" instead of throwing his
money to the four winds and thus af-
fording future copy" for the sob writ
erS,