The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-22
iNoooa JpoeT
 STMPAMlZlNG W,DH A 0UNcH OF BASEBAII SLANE INFO MRG LEANING FOG SuNkT CIiA
Wild Bull
 Has Risen
 High In Ring
Tex Rickard Writes Post script To Series And Deals
 With Firpo
By TEX RICHARD

Copyright 1924. in United States and Great Rritsin Cuba, Japan and South America by North American Newspaper Alliance for Age Herald All rights reserved)
 The most picturesque figure that has loomed up in boxing for many years is Luis Firpo, the Argentinian. There has been much discussion and a big division of opinion as to whether he is a real fighter with championship possibilities or merely spectacular flash in the pan.
 Personally think the South Ameri- can has a great future ahead of him. He may lack in many things. Most of these, however. can be acquired by persistence and hard work Nature gave Firpo the build and constitution of a giant. A man of that tremen- douss strength is bound to Yget some to work. don't think there IS any doubt about Firpo being level headed. There certainly can be no question of his being game.
 Damon Runyon. the sport writer dubbed this giant South American "The Wild Bull of the Pampas." As a matter of fact Firpo is . city raised 
 about the Pampas. Just the same, it was a wonderful name. It added all the more to the picturesqueness of the big fellow. It helped to make him drawing card.
 Attracts Attention
 Firpo, by the way. is good illus tratton of the fighter who always at- tracts attention whether he be really great fighter or not. Long before the big fellow had developed enough ability to compel a fight with the champion the public was growing more and more anxious to see him. Anyone reading the newspapers and listening to the that. The international flavor was al ways big factor in his drawing ability.
 From the promoters standpoint of view Firpo was the richest looking prospect in the field as early as last spring. was determined to invest in him for big profits sooner or later. The time arrived sooner than I expected.
 There has been much said and writ ten about the "build-up" for Firpo- that Is, the gradual talking up a fight so as to get the public interested. There was nothing particularly bright or skilful in building up interest in himself by his ability to constantly attract attention. Incidentally, I have never known anybody to have a repu- tation without having done something to earn it. A man may live long on reputation established but, make no mistake, he must do something to get that reputation in the beginning, The thousands of men who have tried all their lives to get a reputation only to meet with failure can appreciate this.
 Real Thing
 When we first heard the rumbles of the giant Argentinian, naturally, we thought 1t Just another one of those things, as they say in boxing verna cular. But the rumbles persisted. When the giant finally showed up everybody was talking about him. Some attempted to treat 1t as a josh. Just the same the fans wanted to see him.
 To feel the situation out we put Firpo through some preliminaries. As usual this wound up eventually in bout with Bill Brennan, the famous trial horse. I wonder if boxing fans ever stopped to think how valuable to the game is a man like Brennan. Just short of champion, himself, Brennan was just right to put the stamp on somebody else. Any man who could beat Bill Brennan was pretty good.
 We arranged a fight between Firpo and Brennan at Madison Square Gar den March 12. That opened the eyes of the doubters. The betting was to l against Firpo and, I have heard that Brennan himself bet $1,5OO. The Argentinian was given quite q razz at the start of that night, but when 1t was over thousands went away predict ing that he would be the next con tender for Dempseys crown.
 Brennan Lands
 Rx. A. uAA a vicious right on Firpo and then butted him over the eye. This bothered the big fellow and he was a pitifui sight starting the fifth round. This han pening had aroused a fighting giant as Brennan was soon to know. "The Wild Bull of the Pampas" began 10 roar. Still. Brennan, the skillfuI old warhorse, looked like winner up to the twelfth round. Then somethins happened.
 Firpo rushed from his corner and fairly smothered Biil with an attack Brennan could hardly get his arms up to ward off the assault Finally Fir DO landed a right on his jaw As Brennan ducked Firpo cracked him be- hind the ear with the rabbit punch. knocking him cold. Oddly enough this was exactly the same punch. de livered In the same round, that Demp- sey had used to knock out Brennan.
 10 give you an idea of the interest in that battle La Nacion, the Buenos Aires newspaper took a long cabled account of 1t at $1.50 a word. Tcirpo was made as drawing card. How big figure he has become in the fight world, every fan now knows.