Evening star., 1960-08-09
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS STANN
Wild Bull of the Pompos

IT is THE NOTION of many old timers that Argentina
might have boaSted its first only world heavyweight
champion on the night OF September A. 1928 if it had not
been Tor Official government This heroic figure
would be Luis Angel Firpo who pnched his pennies so
avidly that he died wealthy well Unexpectedly at
There is considerable doubt that Frpo could fight
much, but that memorable night in the Polo Grounds
he second away from knockout of Dempsey
Some SO later ngemar JohanSson whose sls also
were (and are) suspect luckier in catching Floyd
Patterson in a careless moment.
Shabbly dressed and carrying two cheap cardboard
SuitcaseS Firpo and lone companion interpreter got off
boat from Aires 1922 Promoter Tex Rickard
had heard Of the crude giant from American managers
and gambed on boat fare With Rickard at the dock in
New York was Jimmy DeForest the trainer who prepared
Dempsey for his fight with Jess Willard in 1919
DeForeSt to take Ffrpo into hiding and teach him
the rudimentS Luis, man who did not turn down any
thing that free accepted the proposition with thanks
And between DeForests schooling and the shoalless
course Rckard chartered toward title fight, the Latin
American giant knocked succession of nothing
fighters and haS-beens
THE CLIMAX OF THE bud-up later to be duplicated
IN the case of Primo Carnera was ehround knockout
OF Willard. George Barton of the Minneapolis Tribune
the sage Of the Midwest fatty wrote that Willard quit
But the Argentine government hailing Firpo as a
national hero assigned top official to look after the wild
Bull OF the Pampas as Damon Runyon dubbed him. The
official, who knew nothing of the fight racket fired
DeFores Either he didn't know refused to believe that
DeForeSt had fallen out with Dempsey and Doc Kearns
ana would nave QeugnIeQ IN guQlng Flrpo 10 tne
The result of the most confused training
camps in history, and perhaps loss of the fight itself
Even Granand Rice, who thought little of Firpo limited
that Dempsey the wild 3-mnutes- -and-57 seconds
battle by belaborng Firpo before he could get up off
the floor which he hit times in the first round
***
WHETHER DeFOREsT would have made difference
Is conectura lot of observers thought it likely The
first punch Frpo landed dropped Dempsey and by Jacks
admission put him out his feet Then Firpo knocked
him out of the ring Dempsey to this day contends that
he doesn't know if assistance from the reporters and
telegraphers helped him beat the count.
At conference the next day Dempsey confessed
that he had fought in daze after Frpos first punch
and didn't fully regain his until he taking
shower in his dressing room at least half hour after
the battle.
when to-" Dempsey told reporters IT thought
I'd lost 1t took Kearns and Jerry the Greek several
minutes to convince that I'd won."
Thus Luis Angel Ffrpo became legend and set foot
the road to riches He looked the part of rich
even in his later days. And in his training camp
Rice, while concedng that Firpo "Wild Bull of the
Pampas" when hurt, said I'm recne, after meal, he
looked more like great bum in the part"
Rices introduction to Firpo at Atlantic City
two weeks before the brawl. "Frpo tacklng a light
breakfast: huge steak smothered with lamb chops
Granny reported. after finishing he walked to
couch and lay there like python who'd just swallowed
a calf. He seemed dopey and indolent. compared his
camp to Dempseys at Saratoga There the of the
day mayhem, with George Godfrey Jacks No. l
sparrng partner at $1500 per week Firpo had couple
OF tWo-blt Sparrng partners Whom he outWeghed by
ton and belabored at will"
FIRPo CAME OUT of the fight with almost as much
money as Dempsey, and kept more tender Of it.
In those preTV days the Wild Bull received $172OOO after
taxes plus $4,000 from the MOVIES and shrewdly bought
several sets of films which he marketed in South America
repeatedly making we'll over 100000 on the deal.
Luis admiration for money almost we'll esab-
hshed his stamina and courage Once he invited small
group lunch called for the check abruptly departed
When the waiter appeared with the tab his guests waited
for Firpos return, only to learn finally that he had paid
for his meal and left.
Another time Ffrpo, running an automobile agency
in BuenoS Aires invited friend to ride with him in test
of The friend declined after learning that
Firpo expected him to share the cost of gas and OIL
They say you can't take it with you but those who
remember him we'll won't bet that Firpo didn't.