Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-28

third fight, which was held in a circus
tent in storm, with the lights going
on and off, Ketchel won the decision
In the last fight he knocked out
Thomas in few rounds and--and the
story goes-broke his heart.
He Destroyed the Others.
THERE were other middleweights of
L the period who might have been
looked upon as great If 1t had not
been that Ketchel ('the Michigan AS
sassin') happened to be around at the
time with perhaps the most deadly
punch that was carried by any fighter,
with the possible exception of Ruby
Robert Fitzsimmons.
There was Billy Papke. He was a great
fighter until Ketchel finished him. The
ketchel-Papke story is one of the won
derS OF the modern prize ring In one
OF their fights in Southern California
Papkne knocked Ketchel out. There
were various alibis for this occurrence,
The story is that just as they were
shaking hands at the opening bell Papke
swung right to Ketchel's eve.
The blow paralyzed the optic
nerves, just as that blow by Jack
Sharkey paralyzed the optic nerves
OF Tommy Loughran and sent him
reeling his way around to a corner
With his back toward his adversary.
But, blinded though he was, Ketchel
did not drop to the mat.
With the film over his eyes he felt
his way toward the opponent he could
not see and lasted it out for several
rounds. Then there was an utter black
ness before him and he was Knocked
out.
Now it is an axiom of the game that
fighter
much use against the man who Knocked
MIN out. They never come back" they
say in the ring. But Ketchel did come
PACK. The fighters were matched again
Tor a bout in San Francisco. This time
ketchel administered such a terrific and
systematic beating to Papke that the
latter never was anything Of a fighter
after 1t. Ketchel hammered all of the
pugnacity out of him before he finally
knocked him out. He not only beat his
man, but he beat the traditions of the
game.
Close to the Title.
GTANLEY KETCHEL came within 4
~ inches of being heavyweight cham
plon. That was when he fought
JACK johnson in bout in San Fran
CISCO that was scheduled to 60 is rounds
"a very short fight for that time and
place.
I was given to understand that there
was what the boys would call "a gentle
mems agreement" in advance of this
night Secretly, the ARRANGEMENT was
that 1t was to be an exhibition bout
johnson was not to endeavor. to Law
Ketchel horizontal, and Ketchel was not
supposed to attempt any real violence
upon the person of the big Smoke"
But ketchel at the time was under
the management Of Willus Britt. a very
amoiticuS fight manager. He felt that
MS position would be strengthened ma
terially In a financial and social way II
his charge could become the heavv-
weight champion as well as the middle
weight champion.
regret to feel that Mr.. Britt
could break a gentlemen's agreement
But suddenly Ketchel shifted and
swung with all his might at the law
OF johnson. If that blow had landed
where 1t had been aimed Ketchel
would have become heavyweight
champion.
But johnson. wary and snakelike of
movement, always was on the alert for
the double cross. The Negro ierked
down his head with the swiftnesS of a
RATHER. The blow caught him high on
the cheek, and a lump formed there
immediately. Johnson dropped from the
force Of the blow, but he was up Ia an
instant. AS he rose he shot his fist into
hetcners mouth and knocked him across
the ring, out for 10 minutes.
When they started to remove john
sons glove they found two of KetcheI's
teeth Embedded in the leather. Ketchel
missed the heavyweight title by this
margin, but without doubt he was the
dleweights.
(Copyrieht, l9So)