FIGHTERS I HAVE SECONDED.

NZ Truth, Issue 104, 15 June 1907, Page 8

FIGHTERS I HAVE SECONDED.

'(By Spider Kelly.?

Tim McGrath.

This fighter I never h'andle'cl! m the ring, 'but as he has been behind me, and we have swung towels together m so many fights he is a good story. I refer to my old sidskicker, Tim MpGra-th, who returned from the Far East last week. Many people don't know or else have forgotten that McGrath was a fighter himself. He was no champ. ; I won't claim that ' for him.. He was not even a contender for the honors., Tim was just a plain, ordinary "biffer, who boxed around the country m the days of the Crcmorne, Bella Union, and other old resorts. A fellow couldn't lay up a fortune boxing m those places, so wise Tim learned the candymaking business and went to work. He got so he could' turn-' out a fine bunch of chocolates. .■» » • He might have been maiking confeotionerv yet hadn't old- Gus Brown come along and asked him to train him. Gus was matched to fight a fellow by the name of Joe Hescofct, who was a dead tough kid. Tim wasn't struck on the idea of trainins; Brown, for he was doing very well at his trade, >but Gus gave him such a bi? talk that he quit i">isjob amd went with him. In those days training a fighter meant more than il> • docs now. The trainer was. stiuposed to go out on the road with his man. and if he Covered ten miles the trainer was to do the same. To make along Sitory short Gus nearly killed McGrath. He ran his eye teeth out, and if ever a trainer- earned his salary Tim did. The outcome was that Tim went hack, to the candy shon. Trainine; Dues was lie business for him. It was easier getting the money pulling taffy. ■ • ' « ■ - ■.■*.- • Tim had no idea of ever looking another fighter m the face until Ike Weir came along. This erratic chap ■Hired Tim, and was dead crazy to have him train and second him. Tim said "Nay, nay." "Gus , Brown was enough. No more ten-mile runs before breakfast for him. He promised to let Tim cut out the long runs and snooze m the morning . All ho wanted Tim to do was to 1 be' around, ' the gymnasium, peddle the bull, which he can do to. perfection, and second him. Tim said all .right to this, and he has been seconding and training fighters ever since. * « • After Weir he had Tommy Warren, Frank Murphy, an English fighter, Mike Lucie, Brooklyn Jimmy Carroll, Charley Turner, Danny Needham, Jack McAuliffe, and many others. He seconded Young Mitchell m his last fight, which was against Australian Jimmy Ryan. I think it was an eight-round draw. After making this fight Mitchell retirsa, and hasn't ihad a glove on since. Tim' was behind Eddie Graney, the night he bestedi Billy Murphy, the Australian champion, m six rounds. Graney might have won innumerable battles m the ring, had he wanted to turn professional. He was &n amateur when he fouaht Murpay. Tim went tienind Joe ChoynsM When he fought Billy Keneally. This was one of the roughest battles I ever looked at. ■ *, » n ■ . The first time I remember meeting McGrath was the night he tried out Mysterious Billy Smith at the Old California Club. We got quite chummy, and the, result was I hadi him ibehand. me .m;, all my fights thereafter. Tim handled me when I fought" Jack" Everhardt, Sam Barber, Joe Gans, George Green, Billy Dooley and a dozen other scraps.* When Dal Hawkins came out, he engaged both of us to train! him, and we have been together more or less ever since. We have had our. Ups and downs, but I want to say the best times of my life were had with the old trainer, as -I call him. When you are with McGrath you can't e,et the blues, for no matter how tojugli your luck may be he will keep you laughing. • • • Without exaggeration, I think we have been m more championship battles than any other two seconds you can name. We had Solly Smith when he won the belt from Dixon ; we had Lavigne when he fought Joe W'alcott and others ; we \wre with Tom Sharkey all through his exciting campaign ; we handled Eddie Connolly; we were with Peter Maher when he was 'beaten by Fitzsimmons m Mexico ; we were behind Franlde Neil when he won the championship from Harry Forbes ; we were with Jimmy Britt through many of his contests,, and we threw the towels m the fae» of big Joe McAuliffe. Is it to *» wondered at that wo became fttftt friends after putting so manyi winners over the plate I

MoGrath is a greajti trainer and second m more ways than one.; Where fa,e makes a hit with; many a) fighter is his jovial disposition.. No matter how. dark aaixi stormy the night may be he has a good story to break! the gloom and cheer his protege. He has told enough stories to Tom Sharkey. and about Tom Sharkey (to fill a large volume. Sharkey arvt^ys thought the world of him, and would no more think, of training; for a fight without McGrath than I would of los-; ing- my. right arm.; «■ ■ « . n One of tho hest stories Tim tells on the old sailor is a>bout the chandeiieri, -It is an, old one, hut it is good., 2A.tr the time Tom opened his big, saloon m New York a party of friends dropped m to pay their respects and' spend a little money.- Everything was brand new, and Sharkey was as proud of it as a child with a oiew toy.* He showed the bunch all round, and as <they had finished, Tom asked them what they thought of it, and if they had any suggestions to offer. ■'"Your place is a peacb,'.' Said one m all sincerity, "hut if I were you I would put a chandelier up there," (pointing to the centre of':ttie room. ■"'A chandelier," 1 repeated Sharkey, flabbergasted, "and wlio would play it?" Sharkey thought- a chandelier was some sort of a musical instrument. . Another one MeG-rath tells is about the first time he took Sharkey to New York. They dropped into a restaurant to have a hit to eat. Tim ordered a pot of cocoa and. a Sandwich. Without giving the waiter a chance to ask him /what he would have, Sharkey said, .'''Bring me the same and a cup of tea."' Here is a good one Tim tells on the McOoy fight. The Kid handed Shark- | ey <a clout on [the jaw and we dragged him to a corner. The song was the on.^ ly thing that saved him from a knock out. By hard wprk we brought' Tom to- his senses, . though he was dizzy whon he went hack. As lie started m, Tom said, "I'll kick the three of them," meaning that there were three men ..in the ring. McGra-th yelled" out, "Pick out the middle one, and soak him, Tom." The' night Sharkey fought Peter' Mahor lie got a good lambasting. Big Peter could hit Hke a mule, and Sharkey was getting his plenty. Maher hit/ him so bard that he wobblQd on ''his feet.' To oheer him .on, McGrath criocl out, "Go at him, Tom. Go at him." "•Why don't you go at him?" replied Tom, ■ glaring back at Tim. "Pretty soft for you." When Sharkey fought Jeffries m New York, he was a mad hull. I thought he would pitch Jim out of the ins;. Tom was so rou^jk that the auddience te^-an to yell, "Foul !" and. call on the referee : to stop it. This mad© / Sharkey mad, and he roared at the audience, "You would hiss the Pope.'' ' Quick as a flash McGrath piped, "Never mind that, Tom;: it's only the electric lights." You know what a hissing sound the lights make around the ring, especially when they are are not working ; any too well. I could tell a dozen others on Mc&rath, but I will have them for future use..