1939-06-26 — Page 25

THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 26, 1989.

BOXING PROMOTERS FACED MARBLE

WALL WHEN THEY CAME UP AGAINST

FIGHT

*Page

25

By Leo Fuller

FINANCE

AND

MR. FRANKIE MORAN

HEY don't come any smarter in the boxing game, than Frank Moran, the Pittsburg Den- tist, famous for his 'Mary Ann' punch, and once very near the heavyweight championship of the world.

'free passes. Naturally they had been one by demanding his percentage be- ly, Coffey leapt savagely after him, sold on the quiet by the promoters, fore he entered the arena. Officials knocking him but there would be no official record were aghast. It was disgusting!

along. the ropes of them, and no percentage for

A with his meat-axe poor common fighter actually doubting that, man of his weight, he was surprising-

fists. For Frank!

fistic holy of holies-the Madison ly fast, and even the deer-footed Frank Grimly Moran counted four hundred Square Garden!

had difficulty in getting away. of these 'phonies', and stalking_back

They talked to Frank sharply; they second, and when they came up for the Moran took a fair belting in the to the promoter's office, he flatly re-

fused to go on until he was paid out spoke of honour, decency, mutual third session that yelling crowd had in full. The promoters blustered and trust. Half an hour passed by, and decided that it was-all-over, but the threatened, but when they saw the fans became impatient, yelling for

that

Moran's

eye,

shouting. the big fight to come on.

As Coffey bore down on his foe, wasn't having any! He'd been clip stepped in under it, and smashed home But Mrs. Moran's little boy, Frankie, leading with a piston left, Frank ped before, and was tired of fighting under the heart. Coffey. winced, but just for the exercise.

started a right hook. At that "No dough.

very No fight," he replied second, Moran swung a 'Mary Ann' laconically, to all urgings,

The right gloves of both men sped like cannon balls towards One of Coffey's seconds was present, others' jaws. Coffey

each and he sneered:

missed by ย Coffey put you where you belong the force of a trip hammer

hair's breadth "Hurry up into that ring, Moran, and sweetheart smashed on her target with Moran's little

Frank is a Hollywood actor these days, but he has many an uproar- steely glint come into ious story to tell of the times when and the hardening of his Irish jaw. they hastily gave way and paid him his iron fists were the tools of his out eight hundred dollars in cash. trade. Blue-eyed, sandy-haired, and with a sly sense of humour, his Dollars Take Belting favourite subject is the eternal Even then Moran wasn't satisfied. He battle of wits between promoters, still didn't feel safe. Taking a long managers and boxers, all trying to silk scarf from his bag, he rolled all double cross each other in the mat- waist, and in that way entered the let

the notes into it, tied it around his ter of purse money.

"My God, No!

To the complete amazment of the

ring...!

on the floor." Sometimes Moran had a manager, Thereafter followed a bruising bat- “Listen,"

"Frank snarled in reply. sometimes he did business for himself. tle with a certain Harry Wuest. But "You tell that big ham that when I In his early days when he campaign- every time Wuest hit Moran in the kiss him with my little sweetheart ed from coast to coast, fighting his stomach, he didn't realise he was sev- Mary Ann'" and-here he kissed his spectators, the great Coffey folded like way from New York to California and erely punishing eight hundred crack! huge right fist-"He won't know what a jack-knife, and thudded to the canvas! back again, Frank wound up many a ing dollars!

its all about until morning."

At five' he showed signs of stirring; bruising battle with nothing to show They always, say money wins wars And that was the official christen- at 'six' he was on his knees, and at for his efforts but a busted nose! But in the end, and it may have been the ing of the punch that made Moran seven' he lurched to his feet swaying. he learned fast, and many a luckless nice feeling of this good American cur- famous. His 'Mary Ann' was a sweep.

But Moran didn't leap in for promoter found a marble wall when reucy nestling around Frank's torso ing overarm right, with which he did kill. He just stood in a neutral cor discussing finance with Frank Moran, that enabled him to hang a haymaker most of his "killings."

on Wuest's chin in the seventh roun:!, and put him out for the night.

The next time Moran held up

3

no

Officials Give In

the

ner, gazing at the pathetic giant, who was trembling from head to foot; star- ing dull-eyed into the void. He was stone-cold unconscious!

Then, walking right up to him,

a

Hunch Was Right There was a time when Frank was fight was in no less a place than the Eventually the officials were forced boxing in a small Ohio town, and he Madison Square Garden, and for to give in, and from the box office they Moran raised his right glove to got an idea that the two promoters less a contest than a eliminator fo brought thirteen thousand, five hun- punching. position, and, turning to the were going to give him a run around. the right to meet Jess Willard the dred dollara in cash! This time Frank referee, said: He couldn't quite see where, but he heavy-weight champion of the world. didn't wrap it round his middle, ho "Bill, do you want me to hit him?" just had a strong feeling that all was Frank's opponent was the huge dim gave it to a trusted friend, and out. The spectators had found their not well. Percentage details had been Coffey, and New York went wild over he went to do battle.

voice with a vengeance. And with us- fixed up, and one of Moran's stipula- the match.

Coffey was a tremendous favourite ual fickleness were howling for Moran. tions was that only fifty free passes

Coffey, known as the

Roscommon for the fight. He was cheered to the But the referee took one look at the should be issued.

Giant, had captured the imaginations echo, while Moran was heartily booed shuddering. Coffey, and hastily replied. As he sat in his dressing room, Mor- of the fight fans. He was one of the for having held up the fight. That "My God, no!": an's uneasiness increased, and, on 3 most colourful fighters who ever pull worried him not at all. He was only

Another Mary Ann' could have kill- hunch, he decided to take a hand in ed on a glove, and the Madison Square interested in Coffey.

ed Coffey, so the referee raised Frank's the ticket collection. Throwing an Garden was crammed to capacity early

Out from his corner blazed the hand in victory. overcoat over his shoulders, he went in the evening.

giant, like a fighting bull. He weigh- It was definitely Mr. Moran's even- ed two hundred and twenty pounds of ing. lithe muscle, and when he punched he

to the entrance, and, clad in trunks

and boxing shoes he took a customer's ticket. Within a few minutes, he rea-

Amazing Demand.

(COPYRIGHT)

put every ounce behind his blows. A Tomorrow-Corbett and Fitzsimmons -How The Solar Plexus Punch Was Born.

lised how right had been his hunch. In the dressing room, attired for the slashing left hook cut Moran's cheek, Customer after customer presented fray, Frank suddenly astounded every. and when he back-pedalled desperate-

Suitable Club Weight

By BEST BALL

Possibly at some time or an- other, you have picked up a much lighter driver than those "you have been using and taken a healthy swing at a ball with it. Perhaps to your consternation the ball soared straight down the fairway, picking up enough yardage to make you wonder why you hadn't discovered these light clubs ere this. There's a bare chance there- after that you did give the light clubs a run for your money but that continued play with them was too inconsistent to benefit your game.

All of which runs pretty true to form according to the golfing scientists. In tests at the Massa- chusetts Institute of Technology, Francis Quimet, swinging a vari- ety of clubs was discovered to reach greatest speed at impact with the light ones and as velo- city at this point means yards in flight, the discovery was worth fur- ther investigation. The eventual disclosures however

were that lighter club performance while reaching greater heights than the heavier clubs, were apt to be more variable in performance. For con- sistent golf the club which was heavy enough to feel solidly could be better controlled. Naturally it is up to the player to determine what clubs have substanco in his hands for what may appear heavy for one golfer may be Ught for another,

Wedheadi

-RelaxationT.

SOON

GRAPHIC GOLF

FRANCIS QUINET

SWINGS LIGHTER CLUB

FASTER. IN TEST?

SERVICEABLE

CLUB

SHOULD BE HEAVY ENOUGH

TO FEEL

AND CONTROL

LOCAL BASEBALL

1-20

U.B. STILL WINNING

U. B. maintained their unbeaten record and greatly enhanced their chances for the Championship when they defeated the Chinese Baseball Club yesterday by 5 runs to 2.

Mindanao had had no difficulty against South China and won by 12 runs to 5.

THE QUEEN'S

THE MOST SPECTACULAR AND LARGEST - STAGE SHOW EVER BROUGHT TO THE FAR EAST!

THE

MARCUS

SHOW

Entourage of 80 Artists!.

GRAND OPENING JUNE 29th

EUROPEAN FLY-WEIGHT

TITLE

Tiny Bostock.

matched to fight Enrico Urbinati, the Italian, for the European Fly weight Championship, in Rome on

(Leek) has been Wednesday.