1961-08-08 — Page 9

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FAME in their FISTS

PART FIVE

THE CHINA - MAIL. TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1961.

Tommy Milligan-the miner's son who became a boxing idol

He was Britain's finest boxing pros» peat for years..... Tommy Milligan, middle weight champion of Europe and the ido! of Scotland. His fans stormed Euston when he arrived for the fight of his life with Michey Walker, the ruthless, savage. punching champion of the world. They called him the Toy Bulldog and even to this day the him in the ring-is like a name to those who saw shiver up the spine. Massive shoulders that rippled and. pulsed with savage power, punches that left ribs raw and broken, the hardest left hook in the world-these were only a few of the mighty assets of America's Mickey Walker, one of the deadliest middle-weights over to pull on 8-oz. gloves.

For this ruthless, bull-chested Irish-American from New Jersey-his forebears came from Roscommon and Kerry -not only hit like a heavy-weight; when the pressure was fiercest he was as cool as iced water.

mace

the gong had

Thousands complete with

Indeed. clankext to have no nerves at all.

This

the wise from then was cracking killer-ex-ironworker, station. ex-night-schmni student of archi- fecture, and winner of two world titles, welter-weight and middle- weight who, in the night of June 30, 1027, at London's Olympia, fought TOMMY MIL LIGAN, of Scotland, for the middle-weight championship of

the world..

for action, he seemed pipe band and wildly waving schoolchildren-lined the roule Tommy's house in the Thousands mire walted to when ป train cheer him stopped at Carlisle,

And al Eusion, when the

in. Scot teamed Royal mling, half-crazed mob stormed the station and climbed on the rool of Tommy's carriage before police and porters could hustle him through to a waiting taxi.

CHALLENGER Yet, as the world champion, wearing a royal blue dressing gown, swaggered into the ring on that summer's night 34 years ago, the eyes of most of the en spectatore were riveted not Walker but on his eager, fulr- haired challenger.

the hopes,

For the faith, the overwhelming affection of nearly everyone in that vast hall, heavy with smoke. were planed on blue-eyed Tommy Milligan, champion of Britain and Europe and a boxer who had the same latoxicating effect on his followers as the finest Highland whisky.

FAN - WORSHIP

To undersind this maxs idolatry, this blind fon-worship

Д

Buch then was the boxer demi-god to the Scols and the proud hope of ALL Britain

following night, the who, on stared across the Olymple ring Walker, relaxed and conf- dent, swopped Jokes with his smelling manager, the tabulous

Kearns. "Doc"

who had guided Jack Dempsey up the slippery staleway of success.

FAST TALKING

Kearns, of course, was already a legend on both sides of the Atlantic--a suave Machiavelli of a manager who operated on the unswerving belief that "there is ene born every minute."

back teeth.

Over in the States rival man ngers had discovered long before that getting the fast talking "Doc" to tell a straightforward story was as difficult as pulling in the bioak, strike-ridden But in the extraordinary pre- twenties Milligan was as big .liminaries which led up to the hero to the Scols as Benny Milligan-Walker fight the wily Lynch in the Uirties it is

Kearns excelled even his reputa back to necessary to plunge

tion as the sharpest and most Tommy's boyhood.

adroit money-maker in the box- ing business,

Born at Craigneuk, a village between Wishaw and Mother- well, Milligan was the son of a Lanarkshire` miner.

First, he insisted that Walker's record purse should be deposited in à Paris bank. Win or lose, the promoter, the late C.B, Cochran, had been forced to guarantee the American £22,000, a colossal sum for those days of economie Blump. Milligan got £6,000.

MERCILESS

One of a family of 11-he had cight sisters and two brothers he dreamed even as a choir- Ley of becoming a champion.

During the Sunday services in the Romah Catholic church f SI Patrick's, Shfeldmuir, would while away the intervals

Then, because ballyhoo and between the hymns reading the banging the publicity big drum otventures of Bob Fitzsimmuns, were second nature to him, Kearns suggested that either the Prince of Wales or Georges

he

the last British-born fighter to win a world heavy-weight lifte.

龜T

And then, like a bomb explod Ing. it happened.

the fire COBO to the ring waiting-waiting for Milligan's manager à amall, onlookers

burning so brightly in the Scol paunchy man began to look anxious, double-jowled,

For despite Milligan's seinil to flicker out. named Paddy McGrecchin, who

Tommy to win a lating speed, despite his non. had backed

it punch cannonade, fortune, was demanding to see slop

seemed to them that the 'Scot the Americary's bandages.

Before the sixth round "Dog" Earlier, before the boxers had was employing, the wrong tactics

Keerns told Walker:-

"Stop argued-Mill-

away. entered the ring, McGreechin against the powerhouse Yank.

bocking

get Surely--they had gone to Walker's dressing-

Smashed down 6 times,

he would

would not surrender

1 similar request, gan should be boring Walker out by using his immaculate left and Toom with

matchless footwork to outwit the Kearos, only to be ordered

But now, once again, Me- clamplon-instead of trying to Greechin

Insisting that out-fight him? Wats see Walker's hands he must

prawled

before the fight could begin, Again, there was something

"O.K.

Walker, almost sinister about the way be "Take a look at this one Mickey Walker, seemed to (thrusting forward his left) and 11 knock you cold with this" (waving his right in front of McGrecchin's nose).

"I wam't scared of him," said "I had three McGrecchin later.

who the gallery brothers In could have taken care of him. But the M.C. came across and nght started to announce the

and Waiker's bandages were never examined."

After this bitter exchange the ring was atmosphere in the smouldering, Above, in swing- ing cages, the cameramen who were filming the fight looked down on Walker and Milligan as they glowered at one another, Then the bell, and Tommy streaked from his Milligan stool like a rocket from launching pad,

Swarming all over the sur- prised Walker, lasking punches

At other times-perhaps when Carpentier should be referee from every angle, the flery Scot he should have been paying more attention to the sermon! be proposal which was

of

would gasp with astonishment #1 the heart-stirring triumpha the great Jack Dempsey.

IN SECRET

Later, ús'a 15-year-old appren-

too pre

posterous to be taken seriously.

opened an old cut over the American's eye and the blood

The "Doo' master-stroke, coursed down Walker's check.

however, was when he la structed Walker "to look A mug" in training.

FRENZIED

Wild outbursts of applause

"When the public and Press broke from his supporters-

are around, pill your punches," there wore thousands of Scots Kearns ordered.

in that roaring, frenzied crowd

tloc in Motherwell steelworks. It was not until the celebrities as Milligan, who was three he paid s. 6d. out of his pre- and the critics had left Walker's inches taller, rammed lefts and clously hoarded packet-money lo a mentor named Thomas Mur-Thames-alde, training comp at rights to Walker's head.

phy who taught him in box.

Tags Island, Hampton Court, In the second round, imoving

And each morning, as he left that "Doc" Kearns

closed the at the same incredible speed, set Milligan put the snarling Walker

doors and the champion

home, he would hide his bath- about his sparring partners with half through the rupes with a ing costume and plimsolls under

coat so that his church- merciless thoroughness,

his

Meanwhile,

д

smashing left to the face. Thre mysterious Elmes searing rallies of feree. going mother would not know stories began to circulate that two-handed agaling ended with what he was doing,

With much optimism, such the world title-holder, who was the Scot on top. determination, and such brim known to like the bright lights, ming-over buoyancy of spirit, the young, dalit crazy Scat gradually forged himself into the finest prospect British

boxing had seen for years. Soon he was meeting, and beating, a whole crop of lough, hard-bitten adversaries. In the

was spending

his evenings dancing and drinking, his foxy manager was busy drumming up

Hitle extra business.

AT HIS PEAK Secretly, as the boxing kages

ring he had the dazzling speed shook their heads over Walker's

now

The ringilar beiting, which at the start had been 2-1 against Milligan,; waa voering 10 am the Bzel. Everywhere tho vant Scottish contingent were Jubilant. screamed, They shouted and hawled and cheered.

10

As Milligan continued

the shorter, slockier el. a human whippet. Ife was an apparent Inck of condition, the plaster

Walker with a hail of punchen, strong and durable.

"Doc" placed beta on his man as Scottish plaid. And he could box like a all over town until he alood from the back of the hall came & YOUCOUS chant of Scottish mucleian-as the Americans dis- to win £20,000.

covered when he went to the Then, rubbing his hands with triumph.

velled glee, that thinly

States and showed them here was one Brilon who could Aght and win ; ; ..

·

TUMULTUOUS ·

Kearns

"Milligan is o world cham

roared plan."

one ecstaile brought his iron-fisted champion dmirer. "Aye, he's the cham- to Olympla

of at the peaks condition completely convinced pion of the world. now," chimed that the two of them were about in another,

to clean up not one fortuns but

Back, home, Milligan, a model two.

FURIOUS

of clean living who detested sny

And now, at last, the terrible But abruptly, these clan volle form of bad language, swiftly "moment of truth" had arrived of unbridied lay at the caning attracted, an enormous follow- Around the 11-2uines ringside Mickey Walker appeared to be fanatical army of seats at Olympla-"dren as for taking changed to rells of brass tunged supporters which the cnera," C. B, Cochran had mortification and rage. stretched for beyond the borders instructed-there was a sudden For, in the third and fourth of Scotland.

hush he, Bike a white cloud, rounds, as Milligan continued to with bath hands, Indeed, when ke wou the the avid, expectant faces cranod tear in

tactica Walker's

rounod tha middle waight eftie from forward. Cleorge West, the train taking The men, in white les ond crowd to n erencendo or tury. him back to Glasgow Central talls, and the bejewelled society, Bolding, mothering, stailing Station had to be diverted to women in evening drest-many twice the American's punchies another platform because of of the tingskile ndais, sil alded landed low enough to bring the veteran the dense thronge walilag to chairs, were empty because of warnings from greet him.

the ove-of-fight sülelds of Jim referee, Eugene Corri. Yat even those tumultuour my White, the nilionaire Twice, too the fony, roared Rcenes were dwarfed by the Razed up walling for the great their protests. fantastic shenanigans that went Beats-American battle to begin. Yet, the difih round ended on when Millauri started out on But, as they waited, lense and with wonderful Tommy Milligan his trip to London for the fight strung-up, an angry hubbph in ali eray lead of bolnis, the of his life with Mickey Walker, broke out in Wiskers Durnar. nor Kowledgeab16

Wolker the Toy fighting." Bulldoggot Bghting."

Near the end of the sixth round he brought over his blockbuster left hook. Atil

tracks, ilgan staggered in his WAVER of pan scissoring through his head.

Four D. Jones AH! JAMES HAWKE,

BY MADDOCKS

1 HAVE A STORY

FOR YOU TO SPECIAL - INVESTIGATE

YOU INTRIGUE ME. DEAR BOY-

DO TELL

FERDINAND

NANCY

WHAT KIND OF

A BIRD 15 THAT, MISTER

BRICK BRADFORD

*

Tommy Milligan was a publican in Glotgew after he retired. Here he is with Primo Cornera who called for a drink 'In 1929.

But the Scot would not go down. Fighting back, trading punches, he boxed on by Instinct until the bell went.

In the seventh round the pounding Walker, blasting away like a demolition, engineer, twice smashed Milligan to the canvas with left hooks for counts of cight.

IN A FOG

Parc

By ALAN HOBY

American

len landed a terring blow, that bludgeoning left hook on the temple and from then won on ita way again—for the on I was fighting in'à fog." lust time.It-érashed home on Now the masssure was on. - the ghin Down ...weni.. the unbelievably All through the eighth round brave Millgan. It was the end.

helpless, panting.

Tominy Milligan, Aghing on his Afterwards Mickey Walker heart, his Hon-like courege, and paid this tribute to his indomit- his, outomatie nighter's reflex, able opponent:-

kept going in a contest 'which Millikan is the gumest man had developed into a slaughter. I ever fought. It's good to know

"Once."

#aid Milligan, such man exist." *Walker hii me with a lett hook on the breastbone, and

·

THE GREATEST

I felt like a hammer..I always thought afterwards that And Tommy Millgun? When Walker's Bandages must have they had led him away from been loaded."

the place of punishment, aftor ......... bchia attended: by two' ambu- By this stage, however, it was lance men and several doctors simply a question of how long he said

Milligan could go..on assimilat- "Walker was the greatest ing such. murderous punching, middle-weight who ever Ived. 1 The crowd watched in à sickly could have boxed his head off allence as Walker the execu- but I was told to go in and knocke like toner best: Milligan, as if he him out....and it was were an old dusty carpet. walking into a mincing machine. If only I had kept on with my A jarring left and Milligan's straight left marked face was jerked nearly Miligan is 57. He lives of his neck. Another left, and In Glasgo and is recovering Walker's gloved dat was, burled from a protracted; stomach J11-. writ-deep in Milligan's body. A nons which forced him to give whistling right hook and Mill up both KOLI and his business gun. was scrabbling in the resin, as a publican. He used to own fore down.

three pubs.

OFF HIS FEET He sald that hla doctora

This was it the anisher. But nol From somewhere deep in tils

have

the got the root of it will not be too long before he trouble an ulcer and he hopes geis back into the trade again.

in

fighting sub-conscious Milligan dredged up hidden reserves of And talk about "the long arm anergy, He got up and looked of calncidenco....

Over round for his tormenter.

America Mickey Walker, now 80, 1s sales promotion man with Walker threw another scald-

and ing left book at the Scol's mid- the National Distillers

Chemical Corporation, And rld. Down came Milligan's what does Mickey do? He sells hands again as a stupendous Ilquer, right uppercut lifted him clean

Like Tommy Milligen, Walker off his feet and dumped his used to own a tavern in Now quivering body, on the door for York. He has also earned inter- count of six, How much national, fame as a painter. longer could it go on?

He first started to paint at the But there was Milligan on his age of 39, never having had a

11

feet again.

lesson in his life. It was an epic of endurance.

At first Mickey's painting was Blood was pouring from his treated as a joke in sporting mouth, his low were split, his circles, but he improved so eyebrows lacerated his teeth rapidly that within ave knocked out, and his ribs cover he was holding his first one-man ed with blotches from Walker's exhibition at a leading New pummelling.

York art gallery.

But give up? Never....

years

Out he came for the teith Теп years later, the old round weary, wobbling on the champion held another success- extreme. Umits of achosistion, ful show On Fifth-avenue every bond of hle body feeling Walker, who works in alls, still as if it was on fire,

paints, but only as a hobby,

Amid shocked erles of "Stop It? Walker twice sent Milligan

But each time Milligan, the keeling over for nine. And Indiarubber men, got to his feet twice more Milligan scorned and flailed back al the surrender. champlon,

Another. flurry and the ring-

I was in this round, accord- siders squeezed back in their

that the seats apprehensively. Ing to Tommy tater,

THAT IDIOT COWBOY

| CLAWING THE DEVIL

FOLLOWS HIM AROUND, WELL, HE'S VANISHED

THE DEVIL HE HAS! ON RATHER SUBTLE THAT,

WHAT

HE'S VERY

RARE---

IN FACT THE ONLY. ONE

IN THE WORLD

BIRD SANCTUARY

THIS IS NO JOKING FEAR NOT, DEAR BOX MATTER, NAWKO, THERE I 1 WILL INVESTIGATE

15 SOMETHING SINISTER AND BRING THE DEVIL.

AND EVIL ABOUT

THE WHOLE DIABOLICAL,

TO HEEL

NEXT WEEK:

The triumph of a boxing immortal.

SHEAFFERS Imperial It

ballpoint

with "Reminder "clip:

By Mik

SWISSAÏR

By Ernie Bushmiller

---A HUMBLE PEACOCK

NOW

SERVES

SHAN

KHARTOUM

Now...

By Paul Norris

TRO ABOARD A SPA

Delicious

PEPPERMINT

The Fortout Wit

flavour

in the

World!

ILFORD