Evening star., 1927-11-17
BY the Associated Press.


n IEW',, ',,.,, YORK. November IL T.:
N theodore criser, Fl Flowers, YER The +,
4 praying Deacon" of the prize
ring, died in a private hospital
last night after a minor operation.
Clad in the "riger" bathrobe bearing
the huge yellow head of a jungle cat
across the Shoulders--a familiar sight
In rings all over the country-the
taciturn Georgia. negro who once held
the world middleweiGht championship
went to the operating room in the
sanitarium of DR.. w. G.. Fralick to
undergo an operation for growth
over his right eye.
As the anesthetic was being adj
ministered the Tiger, deacon in his
church at Atlanta, Ga, murmured:
"If I should die before | wake,
pray thee, Lord, my soul TO take"
Without regaining more than semi
consciousness after the operation, per-
formed by DIR. Fralick. Flowers died
suddenly at $50 pm, when his heart
collapsed after he had been thought
out of danger. The surgeon pro-
nounced his death due to status
lymphati ticus.
Little more than a year ago, Harry
Greb. who lost his title to Flowers in
a decision bout at Madison Square
Garden February 26. 1926. died under
similar circumstances after an opera
ton for removal of bone from his
nose. Flowers lost his crown to
Mickey Walker on a 10-round decision
in Chicago. December 3.
End Came Suddenly.
DIR. Fralick said that Flowers death
was II case in 100 900" He said
the boxer was in splendid condition
before the operation and had rallied
well. Death occurred so suddenly. Dr.
Fralick said. that he was unable to
reach the patients side from another
room at the call of a second physi-
clan before the end had come.
The coiorful Tiger" whose f1stic
career extended over nine years. had
been a unique figure in ring history.
A clever. speedy southpaw. with an
attack that never once slackened. de.
spite sethacks, he fought 120 fights
before winning the 160-pound title
.IIe was 81 years old and fought all
sthe leading middleweishts of his time
many light ht-heavyweiShts and a few
eavyweights.
a. = In the last year he fought 10 times
iwithout loss in a campaign to force
sMickey Walker back into the ring
for another title match. Only yester-
day, Madison Square Garden author.
tiles served notice on Mickey Walker
that he must agree to meet Flowers
under terms of an old contract or
legal measures would be taken to
BRING about the match.
= Had Suffered Headaches.
1t was in preparation for this shot
at the tile that the Tiger under.
went yesterdays operation, Walk Mil
sers his manager said. Years of cam.
paigning had left punches of hard.
ened cartilage over Flowers eyes, he
said. as well as a slightly caulifiower.
een right ear, which were reduced by
de. Fralick.
skss-l went with Flowers into the on
Grating room," Miller said, "and he
acted just as though he were going
: INTO the ring for an easy fight. He
was in splendid shape. but quiet as
ever. He took along the little black
Bible that he had carried in his grip
wherever he had gone. He had had
headaches lately and the punches
over his eyes hurt when he was hit,
but We expected no trouble.
"Have you anything to talk over
now?" / asked him before he took the
anaesthetic.
No, SIR he replied.
That was the third remark this
fellow, who talked but rarely, had
made to me in the whole day. Once