The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-13
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(Reg. U. s. Patent Offlce) By JACK CUDDY

ny JACA OOOOx United Press Stan COrrespOndent)
 New York, Feb. 1S- CUP) -Hype Igoe-bard of boxing: Minstrel Man of Maul-has gone to join the im- mortals whom he glorified in his Sagas of the ring; and they will well come him because he was their crony and a great champion in his own line.
 From the days of Gentleman "Jim" Corbet T.. little Hype and his glowing tales of glaiators probably did more to populariZe prize fight ing than the heroics of any ring king about whom he wrote. For he was a genius at capturing the drama, romance and color of this strange profession.
 Igoe of the New York Journal American was dean of New York boxing writers when he died Sum- day night of a heart ailment at flushing hospital-67 years young" He never grew old mentally. He never lost his enthusiasm for the sport, despite many illnesses before his death.
 His unfailing bouyancy was illus strated before the -Braddock heavyweight title fight at Chicago in June, 1887. Mike Jacobs and the brigade of sports writers threw a party at the Morrison hotel for Hype, celebrating his 60th birthday. Hype-though suffering from the shingles, skin inflamation-was the life of the party. Always on the alert for a gag, 1t was at his Sug- gestion that the lights were turned out in the banquet room when a certain editor, who had @ reputa- tion for long -windedness, rose to speak. The editor said, "Just sit still boys, and I'll talk to you until | the lights come on." About five min- utes later, a waiter turned on the | lights-and there was the editor talking to himself. His audience had sneaked out in the darkness.
 Igoe loved and lived boxing throughout his career on the San Francisco examiner and the New York papers-Journal, Sun, World and Journal-American He did road work with the fighters in their camps and was buddy of virtually every champion from Corbett on down. He mingled with the man. agers around the taverns, and with the strange characters around the gymnasiums. They never seemed strange to him.
 There was the day in Boston when the portly little man with the sharp features and pince-neZ SpectacleS was attending funeral services for the late Ernie Schaaf, who had died after being knocked out in New York by the huge Primo Camera. Little Hype sat far back in the church, alone and unnoticed in a pey. He was meditating upon the solemn grandeur of the funeral Mass when someone Sidled into the pew alongside him. Hype did not lift his head. Suddenly a hoarse whisper mortified his ear: "Hype-liSten! got the gol-dangdest heavyweight you ever seed. His name is Jose Santa. the Portuguese giant, and l wanna.
 Telling the story later, Hype said, T was so surprised, didn't know whether to belt the guy on the lug or to burst out laughing. But then I remembered, This is boxing. So told him to keep quiet and see me outside"
 He managed Stanley Ketchel awhile-until Ketchel came into Igoe's bachelor quarters (the famous "Fleabag'D one day and, pulling two pistols, informed Hype that Wilson Mizner would pilot him from then on. This incident did not spoil the close friendship between Igoe and Mizner, who were prominent duo | in the night life at the then popular Jacks restaurant.
 Many of 1goe's stories were syndi- cated and read from coast to coast. He also did ghost" writing for prominent fighters and managers | Writing for Jack KearnS before the first Jack Dempsey-Gene Tunney l fight at Philadelphia, he was un- able to locate Kearns on the eve of | battle to get his prediction. Mana ger Kearns and Dempsey had split | up. Hype figured that KearnS would | pick Tunney to win, becaue of his | enmity for the Manassa Mauler. So, out went the story under Kearns' name: T pick Tunney!" Meanwhile Hype picked Dempsey in his own piece.
 When Kearns heard of his Tunney | selection, he was furious. He bel lowed, "I'll kill that Igoe with my bare hands! He's made me the laughing stock of the country!" Later he was delighted--after the title changed hands that rainy night.
 Hype has gone to join the immor- tals: but the legend of the mintrel man will live long in Caulihower Canyon.