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The Biographies Newsletter Volume 8 – No 5 7 May , 2012 www.boxingbiographies.com

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Name: Charles Kid McCoy Alias: Kid McCoy Birth Name: Norman Selby Born: 1872-10-13 Birthplace: Warsaw, , USA Died: 1940-04-18 (Age:67) Nationality: US American Hometown: , , USA Height: 5′ 11½″ / 182cm Reach: 76″ / 193cm Boxing Record: click The World

2 January 1900 KID M'COY, INVENTOR OF NEWEST . Norman Selby, whoso fighting name is Kid McCoy, is an American lad, born Twenty six years ago in Rush County, Indiana. He comes of Kentucky stock, his ancestors having lived for generations in the Blue Grass country. Selby is the newest development in the art of pugilism. He knocked out with a little left-hand punch on the side of the chin. The blow travelled not much more than six inches. Selby invented the blow. He calls it the corkscrew punch. He delivers it with either hand, feinting: apparently at random until he has moved the fist up within six inches of its target, then cracking it in with a twist as if he wore turning a corkscrew. The blow starts from the elbow only, and is not followed by the weight of the body. Selby can throw it in equally well whether coming in or running away.

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Selby is a tall, thin, pale youth, modest in manner and not much of a talker. He has curly brown hair, sallow skin, and hazel eyes that gleam coldly when he is fighting. His smile in the ring is colder than ice. Story of the Maher McCoy fight told for the World by McCoy

FACTS ABOUT THE FIGHT. Place - Coney Island Winner—"Kid" McCoy. Weight—McCoy, 163, Maher, 172. Club lost—$1,000. McCoy Won—$12,000. Maher Won—$4,000. Fought for gross receipts . Referee — Charley White. Knockout blow —Left on jaw Number of Spectators —4,500.

In one of the fiercest of heavy-weight battles "Kid" McCoy defeated Pete Maher at the Coney island Sporting club yesterday afternoon. The knockout blow come in the fifth round. The men fought for the gross receipts, which were $16,000, Instead of a purse of $20,000 as previously agreed. McCoy was a strong favorite as the men entered the ring. McCoy tells The World accurately and picturesquely how he won the fight 3

M'COY'S STIRRING' STORY.

Winner of Fiercest Fight In Years Tells The World How He Won,

Peter Maher is a good man, but he isn't quite good enough. I never saw him so fast as he was this evening, I give him full credit for being one of the best men in the business to-day. I beat him just about as I expected. I had no time limit fixed on the fight. My idea was to block him off and keep out of his way, then throw it into him at the first opening. That idea I carried out exactly as I planned it. I saw an opening in the first round and dropped him, right off the reel. You probably noticed that I didn't get gay with Maher, though, as I did with Sharkey, but took my time and held him safe all the way.

Some people thought Peter made a fine showing in the fourth round and had a little the best of it. He didn't though, ho was simply doing his best in a last desperate effort to turn the tide off battle. He made his struggle right there and then. After that he was through with the game. I had simply jolted all the strength out of him. I want to thank William Muldoon for the fine condition I am in and the help his training afforded me in preparing for the fight.

What Caused the Delay.

There was a long delay in starting the fight. Neither Maher nor myself was responsible for it. The articles of agreement provided that we were to box for a purse of $20,000. which was to be deposited three days before the fight. The money was not put up. Maher and I refused to go on this afternoon until the money was up. Finally the management put the gross receipts, $16,000, in Jimmy Wakely's hands, and we went for that, 75 per cent, to the winner and 25 per cent to the loser.

Maher and I entered the ring at the same time from opposite corners. He took the northeast corner, where Jeffries sat in his battles with Fitzsimmons and Sharkey, and I took the southwest corner, which the losers occupied. But I have no superstition, and I'd just as soon have one corner as another. Maher came over and shook hands with me and wished me a Happy New Year. I wished him the same, and gave him a good, hard grip.

It's a good thing to give your antagonist the strong hand before you begin to fight him. It makes him understand that you're in good shape and he'd better look out for himself. I noticed that Peter received, a floral horseshoe. That sort of thing would jar me before a fight. If there is such a thing as a hoodoo in this world, it is to have people giving you horseshoes and things and hailing you as the winner before the battle. The safest way is get your decision first; then take all the horseshoes they want to give you.

Wrangle Over the Gloves.

Maher objected to the gloves I provided for myself on the ground that they were "not new." They are practically new gloves. I sparred in them a few times Just to soften them up a little. Maher 4

said he wouldn't fight unless I wore the gloves the club provided, I refused to put them on because they were too loose, fully an inch and a half too big for me around the knuckles.

Every time I'd hit a hook blow with those big gloves I'd be in danger of breaking my wrist or spraining it, because the padded glove stuck out on the side, so as to throw a great strain on my wrist. Maher insisted that hot. wouldn't go on unless I took off my own gloves. His objection was nonsensical. I wouldn't stand for it. The crowd began to yell "Take 'em off!" and "Fake!" and "Woo-oo-oo-do!" but I knew my business, and I wouldn't be bullied. finally Billy Muldoon advised me to "Put them on, take a chance and do him anyhow," so 1 put on the club's gloves. They were a big handicap to me, and .Maher know it.

Phew! It was cold when we stripped down to trunks and shoes. The air was just as cold as outdoors. Think of two men-skating a race all naked except for breach clouts! I danced in my corner to keep warm. Then came the bell and we began.

The 'Big Fight Begins.

Round 1

Maher looked fine when he came out of his corner. He said he weighed 172 pounds and he looked just about that. I weighed 163 pounds. I never felt so well in my life.

Peter didn't come for me with a rush as his friends thought he would. I feinted at him, left and right, making play for the body and head as fast as I could keep fiddling, and Peter did the same. As he came in cautiously I backed away. I had him worried and cautious from the start.

McCoy's Marvelous Blow.

I stopped backing away, and as Peter came in I feinted with left and right very fast for the jaw. Both were short. Peter thought he was safe, just as I wanted him to think. Then I looked down at his belt and he thought I was going there, but instead of that I stuck my left fist up near his jaw and gave it a little twist just as if I was sticking a corkscrew into a cork. At the end of that little twist my fist hit Peter on the point of the chin. Down he flopped as if he was shot. The blow jarred him all the way down his spine. He stayed down six seconds on hands and knees before he was able to get up.

Maher was mad when he got up. He rushed at me and I simply pushed his fists away by tapping him on the wrists before he could get "set" for a blow. Then his rush carried him in against me and I clinched and held him safe. The thing is as simple as A, B, C—if you know how to do it. 5

Maher rested himself in the clinch and rushed for me with a left swing. I ducked under it easily. He knew enough not to come too close again, but sent in a long left lead for the belly. I simply stepped away out of distance. He came in again with a left swing for the head, but that was short. He rushed again. But I fooled him and kept away. I leaned far over, feinted both high and low, then gave Peter a long left jab in the belly. It hurt him. He made a wild rush for me and swung his left for the body so hard that when he missed me he flew around and bumped the ropes and sat flown on the floor.

When he got up Peter rushed, but I pushed his fists aside before he could start them and clinched him. After the break-away I put a little corkscrew left on his jaw. Maher rushed me to the side of the ring and as I fell up against the ropes he sent in a hot right jolt on the side. I guess he was trying to give me a terrible stroke on the short of the ribs, as the old fellow out in the woods advised him. But the blow was too high up to hurt me. I heard Tom O'Rourke's voice shouting "Go below” but I clinched and held Maher safe as we got off the ropes. After the breakaway I sent a straight left for the body, but Maher was breaking ground and it barely touched him.

Fastest Fight of His Life.

This was the fastest first round I ever fought. If I had gloves on that fitted me I might have put Peter out in that first knockdown. The corkscrew blow is something I worked out myself. I feint around until my fist is within five or six inches of the mark I want to hit. Then I give it a quick twist with all the power of my forearm. The blow starts only from the elbow. The muscle that does the work is called by the doctors "supinator longus." Wherever that punch lands fair it crunches. I practice it with both hands.

Round 2

Maher came out fresh and strong and rushed, hooking with both hands. I laughed at him and danced away. It's a good thing to laugh at a man when he can't get near you. It makes him mad and when he loses his temper he can't fight half as well. Peter tried a right jolt and a left hook for my ribs, but I blocked them and clinched. He was red hot with rage. As we broke away I gave him a right corkscrew in the short ribs. This stung him into fury, and he rushed in and banged me in the ribs with a right jolt. But I saw it coming and backed away, so the blow lost its force.I laughed again, and Peter frowned and scowled. He kept rushing angrily after me, and I suddenly stopped and popped in a little left corkscrew on the side of his chin. Down , went Peter on his knees, dazed and half out.

Corkscrew Blow Dazes Peter.

I don't suppose he knew what hit him. Peter took six seconds to get up, then rushed wildly at me hoping to land a knockout with either hand, for he kept them both flying. I made up my mind to take it easy with him so I just clinched and tied him up. After the breakaway I hooked him on the jaw with the left. He came back with a right on the ribs, and countered him with a left jab on the jaw that jarred him. 6

I never saw a man as mad as Peter. His eyes blazed as he ran at me, swinging left and right in the hope of a knockout. I ducked under both swings and out both hands on the floor. The crowd laughed at Peter, and that seemed to make him angrier than ever. When I stood up he made a jump for me and tried a left chop for the nose. I half blocked it, but it smarted a little.

Maher jumped at me again, and I hooked him with a left corkscrew on the jaw, following with a right hook for the jaw. He fell up against me, so that the right fell on the back of his neck. But for that I'd have settled him then sure.

Round 3.

I played with Maher and feinted and laughed at him until he began rushing again. He couldn't reach me though he tried so hard that he began to lead by swinging his right. That showed how excited and anxious he was. We fell up against the ropes in a clinch.

I made him think I was pretty tired, then prodded his 'belly twice with the left as soon as we were free. That spurred him into rushing again. His swings landed only on my shoulders and we clinched. We sparred a few seconds and just as I saw Peter going to start for me again I let him have right, left, right, left, all corkscrew punches on the sides of the jaw. They weren't quite on the right spot, however, and Peter dashed in with a left hook for the body which he missed.

After the break, finding Peter a trifle tired, I rushed him with a left hook which brought blood from under his right eye. He missed his return blow at me and I clinched.

Maher Grows Angrier.

Poor Peter was so infuriated that he grabbed me with both arms around the neck and seemed to be trying to tear my head off. I don't blame him, for he must have felt pretty sore at not being able to hit me. But Charley White, the referee, warned him. At the breakaway Maher tried his left for my jaw, but I shoved .my right fist inside of his blow, throwing it off and banging him on the left eye, drawing blood.

Maher fought like a mad man now. He ran in. swinging wildly, and when I clinched him he began trying to yank my head off and I think he wanted to butt me if I hadn't held him as tight as I did. The referee warned him again and told him to fight fair.

Just as the bell rang Peter drove in a good right jolt on my ribs and I caught bin on the mouth with a left hook. It must have bled him a little, but his mustache hid it.

Round 4.

I began making the pace now, feinting Peter and throwing in a long left jab on the ribs. Peter jumped in with a left hook on the cheek. 'I went with the blow. Peter cornered me and jabbed my 7

nose with his left and made it bleed. He rushed me again with both arms set so as to jolt my ribs, but I just fanned the blows off by pushing his wrists before he got his fists started.

I never saw a more infuriated man than Maher. His eyes were blazing like blue lights. He rushed me into his own corner, banging away recklessly, but I blocked him and held him. After the break he rushed again and I planted a left corkscrew on his jaw as I was getting away. That's one of the advantages of the corkscrew blow. You don't have to throw the weight of your body into it so you can hand it out to a man like an electric shock at the end of a long wire.

Maher’s Fierce Rushes.

There was plenty of steam left in Maher. We clinched again. Then he rushed me and swung his right on the back of my head. I had stepped inside just in time. Next time he rushed I ran away to let him tire himself out. As he followed I hooked him on the mouth with my left. He rushed again. I clinched. At the breakaway he banged me in the mouth with his right, drawing a little blood. Peter dashed in swinging both hands, so anxious to do me quickly that he was in his own way. He jabbed me in the mouth with his left and did it again a moment after the bell rang; but I made no complaint. Poor Peter was doing the best he could and he was wildly excited.

Round 5

Peter looked fresher than he felt when he came out this time. I fanned his face, then put in a left hook on his neck. He rushed at me and I left-hooked him on the neck again, but he bored right in on me like a runaway horse and hurled me upon the ropes. As I got off I missed a left hook at his neck and banged his short ribs with a right corkscrew.

Maher a Game Fighter.

Talk about a game man! Peter had already taken enough to settle half a dozen big, strong fellows, yet he kept right after me glaring and swinging. As he came in I hooked my left on his neck, jarring him a great deal. Then I jabbed the left in straight on the belly. Peter grew very tired all of a sudden. He chopped his left down on my shoulder. Was he really played out?

No. He rallied and rushed again, and I stopped him with a left hook on the chin. He ran over me and shoved me back to my own corner. On the way there I tapped his chin again. As he rushed again and I clinched I felt there was little strength left in him. At the breakaway I made a left hook for his jaw, but missed it. The moment I straightened up I banged him in the belly with a right-hook blow and threw in a left corkscrew on the chin. Down went Peter once more. He fell in a sitting position. His eyes were glazed. He tried to rise up, but he was all gone below the waist and there was no life in him. He fell back and lay there resting on his left elbow. He was done.

NORMAN SELBY (KID M'COY.)

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HOW THE FIGHT WAS WON. Technical Story of the Great Battle Telling How It Was Fought.

Many delays marred the day for the spectators. They finally ended. McCoy put on the new and clumsy gloves and Charley White, the referee, called time. Immediately the yelling, hooting, hissing crowd became quiet. Maher threw off his sweater. McCoy's robe was thrown aside, and the two men faced each other. Maher looked determined and confident, while, as usual, McCoy seemed nervous.

Round 1 They sparred but a few seconds, and then, with the quickness of bantam weights, the two magnificent athletes were upon each other. Maher rushed, but the .Kid got away. Then McCoy's left shot out as quickly that few realized it had started until it had landed on Maher's jaw and sent the Irishman down. It was a clean knock down, and the McCoy men rose to their feet and rattled the windows with the shout they sent forth. The Maher men rose, too, but no shout went up. Referee White counted one, two—the Maher men held their breath—three, four, five, six, and Peter rose. And then, with a yell of relief, the Maher men took their seats.

Maher kept away from McCoy, who danced around him and feinted at belly and at head. Peter was weak and dazed and his legs wobbled, but McCoy took no chances. The Irishman quickly recovered and then rushed McCoy to the rope where they clinched, both trying to hit, and each landing light shoving blows that did no damage. Maher again rushed and swung his right, which McCoy ducked cleverly. Maher made a vicious chopping lead with his left which missed.

The force of his own blow carried him to the floor. McCoy made a long left lead, which landed lightly on the stomach. Maher lead with left, missed and came to a clinch. In the breakaway McCoy put his left on jaw. McCoy shot in his left for the jaw, which Maher cleverly blocked. Maher again rushed the Kid to the ropes and landed right and left on the chest and shoulder. They broke away and sparred. Then McCoy put his left on Peter's wind. Maher rushed, McCoy sidestepped, and the bell rang. McCoy's round.

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Maher Down Again.

Round 2

Maher come up breathing hard. He rushed McCoy and sent in his right and left, which fell short. McCoy shot in a light left to face. Maher tried a right and left again, and came to a clinch. Each landed a few pushing blows. Maher tried to reach McCoy's chin, but the Kid buried it lovingly In his chest. Maher wrestled and roughed it. They broke and sparred, and then quicker than the eye could follow McCoy swung his left on Peter's jaw and once more the Irishman went down. He took nine seconds.

The Maher backers groaned and looked blue. Maher rushed wildly. They clinched. A few seconds of sparring followed, and then the Kid put his right and left on Peter's Jaw. Maher put his left on McCoy's nose. Maher rushed and was stopped by a left jab. They mixed it up, neither landing. It was McCoy's round.

Round 3

Both came up smiling. In the first two rounds Maher had crowded McCoy, who constantly gave ground. Peter's two knockdowns had dampened his ardor, and now McCoy became the aggressor and Maher gave ground. Maher tried a left hook, but missed. Maher suddenly rushed McCoy into a corner and swung his right, which McCoy cleverly ducked. It was a dangerous blow, and the Kid's cleverness in avoiding it was cheered impartially.

Had it landed Maher would have won. They again came to a clinch. McCoy sent a light left to the belly. They sparred for a few seconds. Kid shot in two lefts to the jaw. Maher rushed, but McCoy put his left on the mouth and stopped him. Maher sent in a vicious right, which McCoy ducked. They came to a clinch, and Maher put his right in stomach. Kid missed a left for the belly, but shot one to Maher’s immediately afterwards, which brought the blood. They 10

clinched. White separated them and warned Maher for wrestling. McCoy put another on the cheek. Maher sent his left to the Kid's nose and brought a few drops of blood. McCoy sent a left to Maher's good eye and again started blood. They were sparring when the bell sounded. Each made a vicious lead as it rang. McCoy's round.

Round 4

Maher feinted with right and landed a left swing on McCoy's head. Maher then landed a right on the head and rushed McCoy about the ring, swinging his right and left. McCoy seemed weak and slightly rattled. He clinched again and again to avoid blows. He braced up and then for half a minute each man feinted and made half leads. Then Maher put his left on the Kid's jaw, but the blow was light. They clinched and in the break Peter put a left on McCoy's nose. They clinched again and Maher roughed it and was again cautioned by the referee. Maher rushed McCoy and McCoy ran, Peter putting his right in the middle of his back. Maher then put his right on the Kid's ear. Maher swung his right and Kid ducked. Maher rushed and swung rights and lefts, which McCoy avoided by a series of clever ducks. Then there was more wrestling. In this clinch Maher landed his right and left in the ribs and shoulders. It was a fast round. There was not a second when the men were not in motion nor when Maher was not rushing McCoy. McCoy seemed a little tired when the round ended.

Maher Knocked Out.

Round 5

After 2 minutes and 22 seconds of fighting in the fifth round McCoy put Maher out. It was a clean knockout and not a lay down, as many claimed. The round started with both men fresh and eager to end matters. Maher jumped in and shot out his left, 11

but failed to land. McCoy sent a left back to the neck. Maher jabbed left on wind. He rushed McCoy to the ropes. Kid braced and held his own. He seemed stronger and held Peter well. They sparred. Maher rushed and McCoy landed left on ribs and then on the jaw. They rushed at the same time and clinched. Kid then swung his right, but missed. He began to keep close to Maher. He feinted and jabbed so fast that Maher was kept guessing and was clearly "up in the air." Maher in desperation drove in his left to the Kid's belly. Kid missed a right swing. He then swung it again for the belly. It landed light. Maher dropping his guard to stop it. As quick as lightning McCoy sent his right to the jaw and Maher went down and out. He fell on his left side and rested on his left-elbow. He struggled to rise, but sank back as Referee White counted off the fatal seconds. McCoy stood for a second ready to go in then took a long, deep breath of relief and walked to his corner. Maher's seconds dragged him to his corner, where it was some minutes before he recovered. Referee White counted ten, then announced Charles "Kid" McCoy the winner.

A CHANCE BLOW, SAYS MAHER.

To the Editor of The World:

I have no excuse to make for being defeated. The fight was fair and square in every particular. All that I have to say is that up to the time that I was knocked out I had a shade the better of the fight. Those who witnessed the battle know that in the third round, when I hit the "Kid" a right hook on the jaw and sent him up against the ropes, that he was completely dazed.

I had him going in that round, but the bell saved him. The spectators can vouch for the fourth, round being all mine. I did all the fighting in that round, and had it gone thirty seconds longer I would have put McCoy out.

I think those who witnessed the encounter will bear me out in my statement that up to this time I was the aggressor and had the better end of the fight. The blow which knocked me out, in the fifth round, was a chance one. I don't think that the "Kid" could duplicate it again.

All that I hope is that McCoy will give me a return match, for I am confident that if we should 12

ever come together again that I shall beat him.

PETER MAHER.

BIG CROWD AT THE FIGHT.

Long Delays Put the Spectators in a Very Bad Humor.

RING followers to the number of 4,500 saw Kid McCoy knock out Peter Maher at the Coney Island Athletic Club yesterday evening in the fastest, most furious fight between heavyweights ever seen in this part of the world.

The managers of the show advertised that the barn-like clubhouse would be heated, but the steam was lacking and the building was colder than charity. The bout was promised to begin at 3.30 P. M., but there was a long delay because the purse was not forthcoming. Fred Burns announced at 4.20 o'clock that the men would box for the entire gross receipts, $16,000. Twenty minutes later the contestants were in the ring.

Maher gave his weight as 172 pounds and looked trained to the hour. McCoy said he weighed 163 pounds, but he looked a little heavier than that . He appeared stronger, bigger, more robust in better general health than ever before. Muldoon's farm must be a mighty healthy place.

Maher's seconds were Pete Burns, Pete Lowery, Spike Sullivan and James Maher, while McCoy was looked after by Homer Selby (his brother), Jimmy De Forest, Frank Hart, Mike Sullivan and Joe Falvey.

A long delay was caused by Maher's insistence that McCoy should discard own gloves, which fitted, him, and wear gloves provided by the club, which were too loose and therefore dangerous to the wearer. Peter's reason was that McCoy's gloves were "not new." The crowd roared, howled, hissed, and yelled “Fake!" at the long delay. Finally Muldoon advised McCoy to put on the loose gloves. The battle began two hours late.

PITTSBURG" LOSES $5,000.

Kid McCoy and Peter Maher both had backers by the hundred in the crowd, at the ringside. The odds in the betting fluctuated in a way never before seen at the ringside of a heavyweight battle.

"Pittsburg Phil" bulled the odds market in favor of Maher on Sunday when he offered to better $3,000 to $2,500 on the Irishman. Hundreds of men who until then were afraid to back either man took "Pittsburg's" judgment as conclusive and hurried .about looking for McCoy money. The big bets of Sunday were made at these odds, and then money to bet on McCoy became scarce.

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So strong was Maher's tip, however, that many who had already bet on McCoy tried to hedge when the club house was reached in the afternoon, and tips of all kinds were flying around, 100 to 70 being freely offered that Maher would win.

The McCoy men were evidently holding back either for better odds or for better assurance of the "Kid's" good condition. About an hour before the fight began the odds on Maher became gradually less.

Jim Corbett and his brother Harry, George Considine, Dave O'Connor and a few others thought the time had come for them to make their plunge. As fast as money was offered on Maher they took it in.

On all sides of the ring McCoy betters sprang up as if by magic, and thirty minutes later thousands were bet at even money. Again there was a lull in the game and Peter regained some of his lost favor, 100 to 90' being offered and snapped up wherever it appeared.

As the time grew close for the fighters to appear more money was offered on McCoy than the other side would take. It was offered at evens in five hundred dollar bills, and the odds on McCoy went up by jumps. It was like the Maher tip earlier in the day, so strong that the smaller betters could not withstand it, and some of those even who had invested heavily on Maher's chances became frightened and tried to hedge. It was the liveliest betting at a fight in New York for years. Rolls of big bills were shoved about and put up in stakeholders hands, and thousands were bet by bookmakers and brokers without putting up the money.

Many of these bets were made to hedge. Men who had their money up couldn't understand this extraordinary fluctuation in the odds, and thought it best to have no money at all on a fight upon which the tips were so conflicting.

Following are some of the wagers:

Pittsburg Phil, $5,000 on Maher. "Honest" John Kelly $1,000 on Maher. which he hedged and bet another $1,000 on McCoy. Dave O'Connor $900 to $1,000 on McCoy," with Jesse Lewisohn, and $600 more at even money with an unknown. Jimmy Wakeley, $800 to $900 on McCoy. Jim Corbett bet for his brother Harry $1,600 on McCoy at evens.

WHAT THE SECONDS THINK.

All McCoys seconds when interviewed after the fight were jubilant and knew just how it would be. All of Maher's men were downcast and could not realize that their idol had been overthrown. In one camp was joy, in the other sorrow. Maher's seconds, after studying the fight over, arrived at a conclusion that satisfied them: "It was a chance blow that did it."

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McCoy's seconds said: "Superior science did it and that's all there is to it." Just what the different seconds thought is given below in their own, words:

McCoy's Seconds.

HOMER SELBY. McCoy's brother — Norman won easily, just as I hoped and expected. There never was a moment when the fight was in doubt as I saw it. In the fourth round my brother was not tired. He simply changed his tactics, and instead of dancing in and out he set himself and played a waiting game. It was rough to make him use those new gloves. They were miles too large for him and slipped all over his hand. But at any rate he showed himself the best man and won easily.

Maher's Seconds.

PETER LOWRY —That's hard for Peter, after forcing the fight for four rounds to be knocked out by a chance blow.

SPIKE SULLIVAN — It's hard luck for Maher to be defeated by a chance blow after being the aggressor all through the fight.