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Luis Angel Firpo Lionized
By Home Folks in
Argentine v-(
NEW YORK, Sept. 1. -(By The
Associated 1 Press) Luis Angel
Pirpo, ex-stevedore, the son of an
Italian emigrant to the Argentine,
has scaled the pugilistic heights to
challenge for the world's heavy
weight .title after one of the
strangest, most picturesque careers
the prize ring; has ever known. Un
heard of two years ago, he is
matched to fight Jack Dempsey,
the champion, at the Polo grounds
on September 14. ' .
Big, Btrong and possessed of a
powerful punch, Firpo Is recog
nized by boxing critics here as a
dangerous contender for the title,
bat back In his native Argentine,
Lul is more than that he is a
national hero. - '
Washed Bottles
Firpo 'a early career In the land
of the pampas gave little forecast
of the athletic prowess he was to
gain. Born October 29, 1895,
nearly 28 years ago. In Buenos
Aires, he bad little but size and
ruggedness to recommend him as
a ring prospect. His father, a na
tive of Genoa, Italy, emigrated to
the Argentine at an early age. En
rique irpo was smalt of stature,
but his wjfe, born ef Spanish par
ents in the Argentine! was of much
larger build and from her Luis in
herited his s'ue.. The mother died
several years ago, leaving an older
brother and a younger sister, be
sides Luis. The father Is now em
. ployed in the government railroad
offices at Bnenes Aires. V
Before turning to pugilism as a
means of llvelHiood, Firpo had a
variety of occupations; doing odd
work as a stevedore for some time.
He also earned a little as a boot
black and had another Job as bottle-washer
in a ( drug store- the
foundation upon which was built
the legend that he once was a drug
clerk. . ;-.v-r' ; ".ir-. ,.'--'.:'
. Dislike Dmdgery.
Firpo, however, irked under the
drudgery of these tasks and de
voted most of his spare time to
athletics, where he demonstrated
all-round prowess through natural
aptitude and physical qualifica
t lions. He had read of the achieve
ments' of the- world's great pugi
lists an one day when it friend
took mm to a gymnasium he
t
I.
COOT
Let
THE OREGON STATESMAN. SALEM OREGON'
FIRPO IN TRAINING
1
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1 1 A ( C $
v i , : e I i - 3-. .'1
Luis Angel Firpo about to whip Over a right on bis si irring
partner at the Atlantic City camp, where he Is doing his ti. ining
for the Dempsey bout. - Horatio Laveile. Argentine millionaire Man
ager for Firpo (on right), watches with interest. .
seized a chance to .enter the ring
against an amateur named Angel
Rodriguez. i
i The disastrous ; ending of that
attempt, in 1917, was . "the real
stimulus to Firpo's ring career.. He
was knocked out in the first round
by Rodriguez, who'since has re
tired from active competition.
aty Knocked Out.
That setback, the only one of
his career, was followed by a suc
cession of triumphs Firpo, find
ing a natural outlet for his physi
cal ability, learned the rudiments'
of the game rapidly, through re
lying chiefly on his- strength and
punch. He knocked 1 out a score
of opponents as an amateur. Then,
in his first bout as a professional,
he knocked out an American,' Wil
liam "Daly, In the seventh roundj
That bout occurred In September,
1919, in Chile, and was followed
by a string of knockouts by Firpo
among opponents in that country
Uraguay and "his native land, the
Argentine. : " ."'.""-"
; By the winter pf 1921-22, Firpo
had ' conquered 1 all the pugi
listic opposition South America af
forded and began to turn toward
other fields. Influenced by sports
men who had taken an interest in
him, Firpo 'came to the United
SUtes early In I 1922 and after
ILmilbB'ScQtSomi Hjfipeirlt.i
CT737
AT ATLANTIC CITY.
IT' W!l
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1
some delay obtained j a match
with Sailor Max ted, at Newark, N.
J., Firpo won by a knockout -in
seven rounds and ,then in succes
sion stopped two- other lesser
heavyweight lights, Italian Jack
Herman 'and Joe McCann, before
returning to the" Argentine.
Shows Promise
Yet unschooled and crude in
the finer ! points ' of the game,
Firpo showed enough promise to
attract attention of boxing ex
perts. After bowling over Jim
Tracey, an Australian. . in Buen-J
os Aires, Firpo signed an . agree
ment with Tex.Rickard to return
to this country, for a series ! of
ffghts, the last with Jack Demp
sey for the heavyweight title If be
won the others.
That marked the rise of Firpo
to reil prominence and recognition
as a title contender.' He bowled
over Bill Brennan, Jack McAuliffe
and then halted a comeback f by
Jess Willard, besides scoring?' a
number of minor victories here
and on a barnstorming' trip to
Cuba and Mexico. He had bat
tled his way to the top of the
heavyweight challenging heap and
the title match was a natural out-
come
N
U(BF 'South Liberty Qfoeet
Do
siSt Sib
Hero of Shelby to Appear in
Person at Grand Theatre
Tomorrow j
Tommy Gibbons, 9t. Paul boxer
who gained fame at Shelby on !
the Fourth of July when he stayed
the distance with Jack Dempsey,
being the only man to do so since!
Dempsey became champion, will
arrive in Salem tomorrow with his
big. vaudeville show for his three
appearances at the Grand theater.
First show at 2:30, the next at
17 p. m. and one at 9 o'clock. .
- i
, Gibbons has one of; the longest
string of knockouts ever recorded
by a boxer in recent years, while
in addition holds the distinction
of never having been knocked
out. With the assistance of 111
Hunt, a local boy, Gibbons will
show how he managed to stay with
the champion in his local exhi
bitions. I :
Along with him comes a real
knockout of a variety show, and
from the reports that have been
brought from Portland by those
who have -seen it, say It is aome
show. The balance of the bill is
composed of the following:
Wilfred DuBoIs, offering a se
ries of remarkable juggling feats,
the feature being" his tenhisfrae
quet and ball manipulation; a
problem in dexterity that seems
impossible but performed by this
master "Jongleur" with an ease,
grace, and finish that never leaves
a doubt as to its ultimate success.
Weber and Elliott, offering
their latest comedy hit entitled.
Nonsensical Nonsense," a breezy
iine 'of cross-fire dialogue inter-
spersed with special and popular
songs.
El Cota'. premier xylophonist, of
fering an' excellent program of
semi-classical .and popular jazzy
numbers, interspersed with com
edy.
' Spectacular Septette - Seven
young girls of charming appear
ance trained in the famous Wright
dancing schools, appear in a se
ries of spectacular dances, rang
ing all the way from the ultra
modern to the extremely ancient
Egypt, Jndia, Russia and 'Ameri
ca of' today, all furnish their
quota of danee motifs for this bril
liant revue.
' Leg Gellis Three all-star Par
isian entertainers offering one of
Yonar Dirty
I V f
1 . L
TOMMY GIBBONS
Plays the G rand Monday
the cleverest novelties ever seen
in vaudeville, , a song or two with
dance' steps and a very speedy
routine of rlsley' nd acrobatics,
blended with comedy., ,
Seals will be on sale all day to
day at the theater, and from all
Indications it is. deemed advisable
to get your seats .reserved : early
for the 7 o'clock show, as that is
the! only one that seats are being
reserved .for; The matinee and
the 9 o'clock 'show seats will be
sold' general admission. "V;
IL
BE FEATURED HERE
Auto Races and Tommy Gib
bons Attractions Busi- .
ness to Cease n
'- Labor day in Salem will be ob
served by automobile races, Tom
my uiDoons ana a general cessa
i
4' '
UHDAYWI
SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 2, 1923
tion of private and public busi
ness, it, was announced yesterday.
With the exception of meat mar
kets, I conteciionery ana tobacco
stores, all business houses will be
closed throughout the day. The
meat ; markets will be open only
for two hours in the morning to
supply the1 restaurant and retail
trade. " This is ; necessitated be
cause Labor day follows Sunday.
At j the postotfice the general de
livery window will be open from
9 to 10 o'clock In the morning, but
all departments will be closed the
remainder of the day.' The banks
and the city library will not open
alt day, and the same holds for all
public offices, state, county and
city. ...!'
I Because of the holiday the Sa
lem city council will not convene
CHICHESTER S PILLS
w. iMaasriSM viai
flit km K4 M 4 wnlli
J1A4N HUNS riLUkio tft
YOU WOULD
Be Surprised
7 j ' ' ' v ' '
at the saving you can make by
buying your new
BICYCLE
from us You not only gain by
dollars and cents, but you will
also - appreciate our personal
service that enters into every
deal "I. '
Bicycles for School
$28.00 and up
Harry W. Scott
'The Cycle Man
. 147 So. Com'l St.
Monday night, but will meet on
Tuesday night instead."
- Because pf the automobile races
at. LoneLQak track and ' .the com
ing of Tommy Gibbons, a throng
of people is expected in the city.
VICTORIA, B. a, Aug. 28.
LNearly 400 cameramen and wo
men from Oregon, Washington,
Idaho, Montana and ' British Co
lumbia were here tonight for the
; annual convention of the Photo
graphers' Association of the
Northwest,
THE JOLLY
ca k
Is tailored into every Ed V. Price suit.1
i nai is ine reason
our customers is a
- A TAILORED SHIRT
Will open new visions .of jshirt satisfaction to you
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I " X.ET JCS I1K YOUR TAILOR "1
WIL L I AM CHR 1ST A N C E
Artistic Tailoring 4 v
Stage Terminal Bldg. Phone 696
Try Our Service Department for Cleaning and -I
.i Pressing , - ', .',
Work
IfUQGOiiQ LaalbcaGQitHon
5
v The orchestra yii . practicing
Mr. Stearns; the composer's, very
long and - tedious composition
when he arrived. -"What's thia?"
be demanded from ; ihe', doorwty.f
"I can hear only the violins, not,
the wind Instruments.".
"It's 4oo . hard a job for the
wind instruments,' replied 'M
Amos, the i orchestra leader.
"They can't blow and yawn at
the jgame time." Boston Tr.sn-
script. . . '
LITTLE TAILOR
rj .B t c
mac, every, one ojc
booster.
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