San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-01
Babe Asher Here to Box
Johnny Mccoy, Confesses
He Ran Like the Mischief
in Leaden Shower But He
Has Faced Fanciest Leath-
er Showers in the Business.

Babe Asher of st. Louis, who won
the bantamweight championship of the
American Expeditionary Forces when
all scrappers who didn't have a yellow
streak were in uniform or had some
mighty good reason for staying out, says
there's lots of difference between fac
ing bullets and boxing gloves. Asher
intimates that a fellow can feel fine
in the ring and yet get downright
squeamish when he knows the little
unseen hunks Of lead are fitting about
him.
Asher, who arrived in San Antonio
Thursday morning to prepare for his
ten-round bout at Beethoven Hall next
Tuesday night with Johnny Mccoy OF
Cleveland, admits that he ran like the
mischief" in shower of lead but adds
that he's never been guilty of running
away from a leather shower.
Asher's record proves the latter as
sertion. He's met everybody on the top
rung of the bantamweight ladder. Jimmy
Wilde eight rounds in st. Louis, Pete
Herman. Joe Lynch, Pal Moore, Bud
Taylor. Sammy Mandell, Jack Wolfe
all of them. And, considering the class
of the company in which he has trav-
elled, the former soldier champion has
come out very well.
Drew with Tim 0'Dowd.
The other night, in his most recent
engagement, he received draw decision
from Tim O'Dowd in Atlanta, Tins
home town. Mccoy beat ODowd here
after one draw.
Asher is modest and good-ratured.
He laughs over his army experiences
and of the red tape that is delaying
the delivery of n decoration he won
overseas. incidentally, he WIS sta
toned at Camp Stanley, near here, in
1917.
Asher was shot a few times, once in
the knee. OF this wound, he has tie
following to tell. 1t seems he was on:
by himself in a lot of German "straf-
ing" He says he decided 10 get out
of the way as quick as possible and
took to his heels. He THINKS he de-
velOped a lot of his speed in the ring
during that run. When he stopped, LIE
looked around. Then he started 10 move
again and found he couldn't wigsle enc
knee very well. Investigation disclosed
nice bullet furrow and lot Of
foamy blood, indicating that it had
been received early in the run.
Asher. unlike most "pugs," talks
freely Of how he ran, but he is Ieti-
cent when il comes TO discussing the
occasions when he didn't run and
achieved various military marvc!s that
won him decorations.
Never Met Mccoy Before.
He has never met Johnny Mccoy
before. This fact should make it even
better battle when they fight Tues
day night. Mccoy is very anxious I"
re-establish himself in popular favor
and can be counted on TO do his
utmost.
Mccoy works out every afternoon
until the day Of the bout at the Con-
tinental Club between and 3 O'Clock.
Asher is scheduled at the same place
each afternoon between 3 and 1.
Promoter Shelton hopes to book Jack
Willis, the boy with the wicked punch,
and Acy Riddle. clever Goth Infantry
man, who outpointed Willis couple Of
months ago, in the semi-windup Of
eight rounds.
Kid Burns and Joe Ortiz have been
matched for one six-rounder and KID
Gilbert will meet Jimmy LlBarre in
the other six-round bout that completes
the bill,