The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-09-25

IL Is probable that Erpo. Win
his horribly severe clubbing style
of attack and his savage advance
right through an opponents de-
tense, can whip any other man in
the world, bat Dempsey probably.
But he .ifdn't whip Dempsey and
It Is not conceivable that he ever
will.
Sharkey could whip almost any
man in the world in his day but
the hairy boiler maker. Many
claimed that Tom beat Jeffries one
night irr Coney Island in q twenty
five round battle that for des-
perate action and real savagery
outmatched anything that has gone
before or has come afterwards.
But he didn't, that's sure. JEFF
fries won that night like the ter
rfble, clawing, battling animal he
was and won safely.
That TOMS corner knew he
was beaten when the fight got
ND into the rounds numbered
twenty Is demonstrated by the
fact that q certain young mid
dleWeight star sent him into the
center with q badlylcut glove that
forced the referee to stop the
battle while the tampered-with
weapon could be replaced. Smart
trick, all right, but It got Tom
nowhere but the credit OF having
stuck the full twenty five rounds.
Probably no more than 5 per
cent of the spectators knew what
- hot Ia
stopped and Tom was given a con-
siderable rest at a time when he
needed it most The other ninety
five undoubtedly believed that the
Sharkey glove merely had burst.
The murderous Jeffries was man.
handling him cruelty at the time,
but he hadn't taken any of that
lion-hearted courage out Of Sharkey,
who was one of the greatest ex-
ponents OF courage and gameness
ever known to the ring. it is
doubtful il Tom, IN his tired and
befuddled condition, ever really knew
what that smart SECOND had done
20 the glove while he was lolling
d his corner awaiting the bell.
It was always my belief that a
man of the type of Sharkey would
ever prove too game and too fair
and too courageous to consent at
anytime to such practices in his
corner Tom always thought he
could win. He had as much ego
as any fighting man I ever knew
and while he pulled his own little
tricks and his bulldog tactics out
In the open where everybody could
see them he was rot petty IN any
way.
Firpo is much of the rushing,
bulldog, tigerisIl sort Of fighting
man that SharIkey was, but he
has several discrepancies In the
comparison. He viii never see
that day he viii display Toms
skill Of hands and his keenness
of brain. He fights with his
hands held too low to begin with,
and therefore is easy to hit about
the head. He learned q poor style
I'm carrying his hands around his
waistline instead of a little higher.
It is doubtful IL he can be taught
to get over this fault.
That he is game man cannot be
disputed, but we doubt much If he
has the same sort of genuine tough
ness that Sharkey possessed-native
rawhidedness that goes with the race
OF which Sharkey sprang.
Tom wasn't temperamental, while
Firpo is. Tom loved to fight for the
sake of the fight itself. Firpo is a
bit commercial in his dealings. He
fights for the lust of gold. 1t makes
O big difference.
There is certain degree of rough
ness necessary in all champions.
But unless it is combined with an
equal degree of skill it will get a
man nowhere. So it was with Shar-
key and so It Is and will continue to
be with Firpo ~