Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-24

~ H1CAGO, December 24.-The
prodigy of the sports world is
Charles Arthur Shires, base
ball player by avocation and a
prize fighter by prediction.
With no knowledge of the sour science
and apparently little aptitude for other
than a rough and tumble fight, Shires
is in receipt of offers that would arouse
the envy of many we'll known and clever
boxers.
He entered the ring in a spirit of
bravado and to recoup a fiat purse. He
was thought to be through when beaten
and winded by George Traitor, another
novice recruited from the gridiron. But
instead of his ring career coming to a
ludicrous end it seems to be only in
robust infancy.
The truculent Texan has received
more than 100 offers to show his manly
shoulders in American prize rings and
the purses offered total more than
100000. The great man has an ambi-
tion to salt down S250,000 in quick
order, and since he is only $245 900
short of his goal, will continue to box
or attempt to box-so long as the cash
is forthcoming
Will Go on Tour.
Within the week the White Sox rebel
will start an eye-punching tour that
will take him into some of the great
centers of the Nation as well as into
the tanks. In most instances his OPP
ponents will be other novices drawn
from base ball, foot ball and basket
ball. Shires' managers will not permit
him to exchange punches with any
professional boxer.
Shires has a corps of managers and
among the crowd is shrewd ring man,
who always believed Barnum was right.
This genius has secured as Shires'
trainer Joe Blackburn of Philadelphia,
who has trained many clever boxers,
including Sammy Mandell and Bud
Taylor. Blackburn-who is no relation
to Lena, the great mans first sparrlng
partner-will attempt to show Artie the
difference between left hook and left
turn and how to keep on ones feet
although unconscious.
The Shires holding company has
booked Mr. America for seven shows
during the next month and is busy add
ing other engagements. Mr.. Shires plans
to box several times week and will
even make nightly appearances If suit
able train schedules can be arranged.
Will Fight in Gotham.
Shires' tour will start Thursday, when
he shows in Buffalo, and then he will
invade New York to appear in one of
the preliminaries of the Thompson
Fields show at Madison Square Garden.
New Workers have paid good money,
many times, to see fighters who couldn't
box, but this will be the first time they
have put 1t on the line to view a gent
who honestly admits he's not much of
q fighter.
What a man. then will head for
st. Paul and Davenport, Iowa, to give
the corn belt a treat before dropping
into Philadelphia, Newark and Balti-
more for exhibitions of his Greek pro-
file. By that time Artie'S managers will
have more bookings ready or else Shires
will be wabbling on his heels and ready
for the cleaners.
ShireS will average something like
$4,000 bout for his first seven exl1i-
billions, and that's better pay than he
could get maSsaging curves for the
White Stockings. So if offers continue
to pour in and the suckers persist in
wanting a look at the Great one, Artie
may be a month or two late in report
ing to DOME Bush-if he ever gets
around to that duty. His managers
claim Shires will net $4,000 or better
for his Winter ring campaign, and
that's money that only Babe Ruth
understands.
The Chicago White Sox are some
what disguised with Mr.. Shires, but can
do nothing about it. They hung a sus-
pension on Arthur last Summer when
he was sparring with Lena Blackburne,
and until that's lifted have nothing to
say about what Shires does or where he
goes.