The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-05-28

A quaintly interesting charac- ter is little Jimmy Proto, who boxes Joe Fowlkes of Memphis at the Birmingham A. C. Monday night. His happy disposition is typified by the sunny smile that always turks about his face; that smile sticks even in the heat of battle.
 It is hard for Jimmy to under stand misfortune. He has had several bouts called off at the B. A. c. during the past two months or so, and each time it has prov en more puzzling than the last. It just doesn't seem right to Jim my that there should be such a thing as hard luck and sorrow in the world, and he cant figure it out. The environment of sunny care-free Italy is very strongly nodded into his makeup. and Jimmy can look only on the bright side of life.
 Sunday afternoon, Proto took a work -out at the B. A. C., and the writer was talking to him while he was having his rub down. Monday nights bout is a very important one for Proto. as 1t is his first here in several weeks, and he's all excited over the af- fair. He can't understand the so- called apathy of the press to- wards his bout with Fowlkes, and he anxiously asked the writer:
 What matter you no give my fight good writeup? You mad at me" And he looked every bit as anxiouslY pertinent as small boy who is about to be punished for some childish deed deed, and cant understand. And Jimmy was hoping against hope that the press wasn't mad at him. and could see it's way clear to- give him a write-up.
 No, Jimmy, we are not mad at you. On the contrary, we think you are a very clever little fight CT, and willing to give and take with the best of them. Although we can't strongly recommend Monday nights bout-for Joe FowlI1cs is stranger in our midst--we can surely tell tine fans that they will see Il whirl- wind, bIOodthirsty little battler --one who smiles SIS he tears in and that is none other than Jimmy Proto. "Thc Man who Smiles"
 
 Random has Day Evans word for the rest of the main attrac- tion. Joe Fowlkes is almost total stranger here. but Dave states that he knows of Fowlkes record and is convinced that the Memphian will give Proto a sure enough battle Dave Evans has the confidence of the fans, for he has always been a very straight, above the board sportsman, and the railbirds are willing to take Fowlkes in on Dave's recom- mendation.
 The sport world is one that constantly boiIs with rumOrs and spccuIations. The athletic field of cndenvOr Is one on which heroes are made, kings are de- thrOned, and men go down in. history ms almost immOrtnls for their feats of courage and honor.
 The rnilbirds perch on the fence surrounding the field and cast an experienced eye over the proceedings. They laugh with success, bemOan disaster, and occasionally they pause to ponder and wonder aS some uncxpIain- able incident is recorded in the great book of spOrtdom. some upsetting of the dope that can be attributed to other causes than just this, "YOu never can ten.
 The "mystcry team" of today Is not the Philadelphia Americans. the Nashville Vols, or the Prince ton Tigers of '22. It Is none other than the Birmingham BarOns of 1923. They are the mysterious pastimers, those who enn't he fig urcd out.
 Joe Dunn has team of un- doubted class. Man for man, the Baron compare favorably with the best in the league. All are veterans. and all have records of being able to play top notch baseball And yet the team is floundering around In the second