Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-09-03
FRP0, new ASP|RAAT
FOR CHAMPIONSHIP.
HAD STRANGE CAREER
Son of Italian Immigrant to The
ArgentiHe, Pugilist Was Once
a Stevedore
UNHEARD OF 2 YEARS AGO.
Now Matched to Meet Jack
Dempsey at Polo Grounds,in :.
New York September ID


Firpo-ex-stevedore, the son of an
Italian emigrant to the Argentine
has scaled the pugilistic heights
to challenge for the worlds heavy
weight title after one of strang-
est, most picturesque careers the
prize ring has ever known. IN
heard of two years ago, he is match
ed to fight Jack Dempsey, the
CHAMPION lat the Polo Grounds on
September IA.
Big, strong and possessed of a.
powerful punch, Firpo is recogniz-
ed by boxing critics as a danger
Gus contender for the title, but
back in his native Argentine, Louis
is more than that-he is national
hero.
FirpQ's early career in the land
of the pampas gave little forecast
of the athletic proves he was to
gain. Born October 20, 1895, near
ly 20 years ago, in Buenos Aires,
he had little but size and rugged
ness to recommend him as ring
prospect. His father, a native of
Genoa, Italy, emigrated to the Ar
gentine at an early age. Enrique
Firpo was small of stature but his
wife, born of Spanish parents in
the Argentine, was of much larger
build and from her Louis inherited
his size. The mother died several
years ago, leaving an older brother
and younger sister, besides Louis.
The father is now employed in the
government railroad offices at
Buenos Aires.
Before turning to pugilism as a
means of livelihood, Firpo had a
variety of occupations, doing odd
work as stevedore for some time.
He also earned a little as boot
black and had another job as bot
tle-washer in a drug store-the
foundation upon which was built
the legend that he once was drug
clerk.
Firpo, however, irked under the
drudgery of these tasks and de-
voted much of his spare time to
athletics, where he demonstrated
all-round proves through natural
aptitude and physical qualifications.
He had read of the achievements
of the worlds greatest pugilists
and one day when a friend took
him to gymnasium he seized a
chance to enter the ring against an
amateur PANIED AAngel Rodriguez.
The disastrous ending of that at
tempt, in 1917, was the real stimu-
Jus to Firpo's ring career. He was
Knocked out in the first round by
Rodriguez, who since has retired
from active competition.
That setback, the only one of
his career. was followed by sue
cession of triumphs. Firpo, find
ing a natural outlet for his ply
steal ability, learned the rudiments
of the game rapidly, through rely
ing chiefly on his strength and
punch. He knocked out a score of
opponents as an amateur Then.
in his first bout ~sa professional
he knocked out an American, Will
liam DAILY, in the seventh roupd.
That bout occurred in September,
1919, in Chile and was followed
by a string of knockouts by Firpo
among opponents in that country,
Uruguay and his native land, the
Argentine.
BY the winter of 1922, Firpo
had conquered about all the pugi-
listic opposition South America
afforded and began to turn to-
ward other fields. Influenced by
sportsmen who had taken an in
terest in him, Firpo came to the
United States early in 1922 and
after some DELAY obtained match
with Sailor Maxted, at Newark, N.
J., Firpo won bv a knockout in
seven rounds and then in success
sion stopped two other lesser heavy
weight lights, Italiar Jack Herman
and Joea Mccain. before return
ing to lie Argentine.
Yet u scoholed and crude in the
finer pd BITS of the game, Firpo
showed Enough promise to attract
attention of boxing expects. After
bowling over Jim Tracey, an Aus
tralian, in Buenos Aires, Firpo
signed an agreement with Tex. Rick
ard to return to this country for
a series of fights, the last with Jack
Dempsey for the heavyweight title
if he won the others.
That marked the rise of Firpo
to real prominence and recogni-
ton as title contender. He bowl
ed over Bill Brennan, Jack Nc
Auliffe and then halted come
back by Jess Willard, besides scor-
ing a number of minor victories
here and on transforming trip
to Cuba and Mexico. He had bat
tied his way to the top Of the
heavyweight challenging heap and
+ha +itle match was a natural out