Packy McFarland Books?

Too little drama for a book, I suppose, why nobody wanted to write any.

 

Never drank alcohol, never smoked, wasn't a womanizer, didn't like dirty jokes, invested money wisely, didn't like boxing or training. But, at the same time, was considered a phenom from very early and far outclassed most of his opponents, great or not so great, even when out of shape.

 

McFarland, Cleverest Boxer of All Time, Proved Champions Aren't Always Best
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Edgren Says Chicagoan at Official 135 Today Would Be Kingpin.
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Packey, Success in Ring, Showed Same Sagacity in Business World.
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By ROBERT EDGREN. (1934)
Packy McFarland, now a State Athletic Commissioner in Illinois, was the cleverest fighter I ever saw in the ring, bar none, at any weight. Like a lot of others, Packey started his career with a long string of knockouts. He knocked out 14 of his first 15 opponents. In his first four years he had 42 fights, and won 33 with knockouts. But he developed amazing speed and skill, and after that knocked his men out only when he had to. He had a lot more fun making them look foolish in the ring.
I first heard of McFarland when a New York friend of mine, Mart Waterman, who missed very few good fights while taking business trips around the country, dropped me a line from Chicago.
"I've just seen the greatest lightweight I ever looked at," he wrote. "His name is Packey McFarland."
On returning to New York he told me the story. Mart went to see Battling Nelson, lightweight champion, who was showing in Chicago, in a theater near the stockyards district. Among the boys who wanted to put the gloves on with the champ was a tall, lean, curly-haired youngster, who volunteered for a couple of rounds. Bat asked Mart to come up back of the scenes and hold the watch on his bouts. Nelson was a great endurance fighter, rugged, tough, furiously aggressive, not much of a boxer. He sailed into Packey intent of scoring a quick knockout. But Packey wasn't waiting to be socked. He went into a whirling attack himself, all around Nelson, dodging the champ's flying gloves with ease, picking at Nelson, jabbing his head back, stopping his rushes with swift counters.
Nelson was surprised, annoyed and finally enraged. He couldn't lay a glove on the youngster, and he was getting his head nearly punched off. He was cut, jarred, bruised, humiliated and he couldn't do a thing. A fine exhibition for a champion. The crowd was up on the seats, yelling, and Waterman was so interested in the fight he forgot he was holding the watch. Nelson finally grabbed Packey, wrestled around near the timekeeper and snorted: "Call time, you big bum! Whadda ya think this is, a Marathon?" Mart glanced at his watch. The round had gone five minutes. He yelled "time."
During the rest Bat Nelson tried to catch Mart's eye, but Mart wouldn't look at him. The second round started. It was worse than the first, for Nelson was getting winded. In fairness to Bat, he had been on a theatrical tour and was in no condition for a fast fight. Packey clipped and banged him all over the ring. Nelson was bleeding and his eyes were puffing up and he was panting as he never panted in a fight. He snarled at the timekeeper and made various threats, but Waterman didn't call time. He was enjoying the fight too much to stop it, and it was too good a joke on Bat. Finally Nelson called "time" himself and made a dive for the timekeeper. But Mart discreetly slipped the watch into his pocket and hopped off the stage into the crowd. He gave Bat plenty of time to cool off before going to the dressing room to return the watch. Bat was just having a talk with his manager, Billy Nolan.
"Billy," said Bat, "you get hold of that kid McFarland right away and sign him up to an ironclad contract. We'll manage him together. I want him in the same stable where I won't have to fight him." Nolan failed to sign McFarland. Packey was fully as smart as Nelson. He was sure he could beat Nelson and he wasn't going to sign away his chance. But he never could get Bat into a match. That was one of the reasons why the cleverest of all lightweights in that or any other day never became champion.
In another year or so Packey was finding it hard to make 133 pounds. He could do 135, but Nelson, naturally a 130-pound lightweight, demanded ringside weight in full fighting costume--and that was that.
Today, at the official 135, Packey would be kingpin of them all. The cleverest exhibition I ever saw any boxer give was by McFarland in the Jack Britton bout in New York in 1913. Packey had boxed a no-decision eight-round bout with Britton in Indiana, and one paper had given Britton the "Newspaper decision." Britton went to New York and Dan Morgan became his manager. Morgan got a large number of copies of the paper mentioned and distributed them through New York sport departments, meanwhile taking a blue streak--Dan is one of the most entertaining talkers I ever listened to--about Britton's "victory over McFarland." Of course, we had all seen Packey fight and considered him a marvel.
The beauty of it was that under Morgan's coaching Britton was becoming the sensation of the New York rings, winning fight after fight and showing quite amazing speed and skill and a wicked punch that furnished a lot of fighters with plenty of class.
So New York sent for McFarland, and Packey came.
Just before the fight Packey said to me: "I'm not going to try to knock Britton out. I'm just going to show him up and get even with that manager of his for saying he beat me in that eight-round fight."
The fight started like a whirlwind, Britton attacking swiftly and confidently. And Packey, grinning, never let go a hard punch, but just circled around Jack with a rapid fire of short, light taps that tipped him off balance and kept his head bobbing back. As it went on round after round Britton, who was as game a fighter as ever lived, went at Packey in plunge after plunge, throwing everything he had into a wild flurry of punches, and never landing anything! I remember Jack desperately tearing after Packey, and Packey, stopping and standing still, ducking or blocking Jack's blows without once moving his feet, meanwhile shutting off Britton's vision by holding one open glove across his eyes and working on him with the other hand.
Used to seeing Britton outboxing other fighters almost as easily, we at the ringside could hardly believe it. And I think we were all sorry for poor Jack when, in sheer exasperation over his inability to land a punch on the teasing McFarland or to make headway against Packey's constant tap-drumming of light hits, Jack went into a crying rage. Like a small boy in a street fight, he tore after Packey with wild swings, tears running in streams down his cheeks. I think Packey was a bit sorry for Jack after the fight. He had had his revenge, and more. Anyway they made peace and became good friends. And Britton proved his real class by twice winning the welterweight world's championship and holding the title for five busy years without ever dodging a challenger.
Packey earned a fortune in the ring and retired. Two years after that they persuaded him to come back and fight Mike Gibbons, who was one of the cleverest and most dangerous of all the good middleweights of that time and claimant of the middleweight championship. Always smart, Packey fixed the weight a notch low for Gibbons. Mike burned himself out getting down to it, and Packey got a majority of the "newspaper decisions." This was in the no-decision period of New York boxing, back in 1915. Packey retired for good and went into business, and just to show how smart he was, aside from boxing, he was one of the few fighters who ever tolled up a million dollars outside the roped arena.

 

Maybe you could write one up?

 

1906-01-25 The Evening Press (Grand Rapids, MI) (page 6)
[E. W. D_I_CKERSON]
The first bout of the evening was a surpriser. Packey McFarland, the 17-year-old boy from Chicago, proved to be a whirlwind.
...
McFarland was a surprise to a majority in the audience. He made a great hit and will be a big card whenever he fights here again.


1907-03-13 The Chicago Daily Tribune (Chicago, IL) (page 12)
The little world beater, "Packy" McFarland of Chicago, again tonight demonstrated himself one of the greatest fighters at his weight now before the public. In a scheduled fifteen round bout with Joe Galligan he was given the decision in the eighth round after the latter's trainer, Adam Ryan, had thrown the sponge in the ring to save his man from a knockout. At no stage of the contest did Galligan have a look in at winning.
Battling Nelson was a spectator and made a speech. He conceded Packy to be one of the greatest little fighters at his weight this country has produced.


1907-03-17 The Inter Ocean (Chicago, IL) (page S2)
[CHARLES CARNIE]
On paper the McFarland-Galligan affair appeared to be a pretty even thing before the fight, but as it turned out the Italian put up a half-hearted battle, and if the truth were known was whipped before he ever entered the ring. In substantiation of the latter statement the writer has only to quote one of Galligan's own seconds, who said:
...
"McFarland is a great boy--a cracke-rjack. It is not my desire to take away the credit due him, but he still has a bit to go before tackling Nelson or the real cracks of the lightweight class. He has it in him, though. His style is a beauty, and he possesses all the requirements. He simply needs a little developing, and if he takes perfect care of himself and does not engage in more than half a dozen hard fights in the next year he will beat them all, every last one of them, including Gans. The negro champion is aging rapidly, and by that time he will be physically unable to withstand the attacks of the vigorous South Side lad.


1907-04-11 The Chicago Daily Tribune (Chicago, IL) (page 7)
"Packy" McFarland and Battling Nelson boxed three fast rounds at a local theater last night but no blood was spilled. Packy had the better of the argument, landing the most clean blows and showing better science throughout. The boy is improving in straight hitting, and has all the ear marks of a "comer." If he can defeat "Kid" Goodman decisively at Davenport Tuesday night he will be in line for bigger game.


1907-04-21 The Chicago Sunday Tribune (Chicago, IL) (page II4)
[GEORGE SILER]
"Packie" McFarland gave us a better line on his fistic abilities at Davenport Tuesday night, when he decisively defeated "Kid" Goodman in their scheduled fifteen round contest. Goodman is the cleverest and most experienced fighter "Packey" has stacked up against, and the manner in which he handled him stamps him a "comer." The Bostonian may not be as good a sc-rapper as he was two years ago, still he has been at the game so long it was thought he would make it decidedly interesting for the local boy. Instead "Packey" showed the superior knowledge of the fine points of the art, was better and faster in the exchanges and carried more steam behind his blows. He had Goodman in a bad way times without number and but for his covering up and holding he would not have lasted the limit.
McFarland showed marked improvement since he fought Kinney and Galligan for which he can thank Harry Gilmore, who has had him in charge. "The boy," said Harry after returning from the fight, "looks good to me. He has the punch, the gameness and the aggressiveness. He knows enough of the fine points of the game to beat any second class man in the country, and in a short while will be good enough to battle successfully with the class A men. I watched him closely the other night and noted his faults which I will make haste to correct." "Packey" made a good move when he took up with Gilmore, as there is nothing in the game, old or new, that Harry is not wise to.


1907-05-11 The Chicago Daily Tribune (Chicago, IL) (page 6)
[GEORGE SILER]
Milwaukee
"Packey" McFarland of Chicago had an easy time defeating Maurice Sayers of this city in a ten round contest at Schlitz park tonight.
The battle was a disappointment, as Sayers did not fight to form. In fact, he put up the poorest fight his friends ever saw. He seemed weak and overtrained and his cleverness was not in evidence. He can do much better, but seemed to have an off night. Perhaps McFarland's rushing tactics and method of milling at close quarters was the cause of his poor showing.
"Packey" fought up to expectations with probably the exception of forcible hitting. He landed enough blows to put Maurice down and out long before the final gong. The majority of his blows were delivered with the inner side of the glove, however, which Manager Harry Gilmore Jr. explained was because of a pair of injured hands. "Packey," he said, broke his right hand in his fight with "Kid" Goodman, and had not fully recovered the use of it. His left wrist also was partly out of commission.
Whatever the Chicago boy lacked in force he offset by clever and aggressive milling. He outboxed the Cream city lad at long range, the latter's long suit, and easily outfought him at close quarters. It was at the latter style of fighting that McFarland did his best work. He would wade into Maurice with head down and face well covered, and rip in blows to Sayers' stomach with both hands. Maurice seemed a novice at that style of fighting, and did not know what to do. "Packey" also sowed cleverness in avoiding left leads by shifting his head, which presumably discouraged the local boy.
It was a great victory for "Packey," as Sayers was supposed to outclass him in all departments of the game.

 

1907-06-29 The Milwaukee Journal (Milwaukee, WI) (page 7)
[G. A. M.]
Packy McFarland administered a crushing blow to the hopes of Milwaukee when he outgeneraled and outfought our own Charlie Neary in ten rounds at the Hippo last night.
...
Not since the time Dave Sullivan fought Neary has a boxer made the blonde boy miss so often as did Packy. It was this system of evading Neary's fierce rushes that contributed largely to the local man's downfall. Without wasting his own strength in meeting the onslaughts of Charlie, Packy would sidestep and let Neary miss widely or go headlong into the ropes. It was this waste of energy on the part of Neary that robbed him of his steam and left him without that great reserve power which usually sends him forth in the final round much stronger than his adversary.


1907-06-30 The Chicago Sunday Tribune (Chicago, IL) (page II3)
[GEORGE SILER]
The latter [McFarland] showed wonderful cleverness in foot work, clean straight hitting, and ring generalship. His hiding behind his gloves and his system of avoiding hard wallops when in close quarters hardly could have been improved upon. His work in the open was perfect, and that is what won him the fight.


1907-08-18 The Inter Ocean (Chicago, IL) (page S3)
[CHARLES CARNIE]
Packey, though not a terrific hitter, is one of the grandest fighters of his weight this country has produced in years, and he should stop Benny before the limit, or at least win the decision by a comfortable margin. Yanger will find Mac frightfully fast and absolutely tireless, while his ability to cover up and hit with either hand while protecting himself is a revelation to veterans of the game who have watched the lightweights come and go for a quarter of a century.


1907-08-21 The Chicago Daily Tribune (Chicago, IL) (page 6)
On the contrary, McFarland fought one of the best fights of his career. He was cool at all stages, showed a clever left, and brought his right into action with telling effect repeatedly. He showed he was Yanger's master in every point of the game, and his victory makes him an aspirant for championship honors in the lightweight class.


1907-08-27 The Denver Post (Denver, CO) (page 6)
[T. S. Andrews.]
Within the next year or eighteen months there will no doubt be a big change in the lightweight championship ownership. The present holder, Joe Gans, is by no means sure of the title for any great length of time, for the simple reason that Joseph is getting along in years, and besides there are boys coming to the front now who have a good chance to defeat the colored wonder. Battling Nelson has doubtless shot his bolt in the lightweight class, otherwise it is not likely that Jimmy Britt would have beaten him so decisively at San Francisco recently. True, to his own prediction, Britt did come back and beat the Dane, but can the Dane come back now and beat Britt? Admitting that Britt has improved and is now a strong candidate for the lightweight title, there is still another one to be figured with, and that is Packy McFarland, the Chicago boy, who has been taking the scalps of all the Middle West lightweights of late. Gans cannot long stand the pace, and Britt would have a hard time beating McFarland right now. The latter is probably the cleverest of any lightweight now before the public outside of Gans and Britt, and he is stronger than either one, but lacks the knockout punch, although he may master that before long. McFarland is the most versatile fighter in the West, for he has shown that he can fight half a dozen different styles without losing control of himself, during the battles he has fought the past year. When Packy fought Steve Kinney, he knew that the blond boy carried a knockout punch in either hand and was careful not to get too near his blows. He jabbed him for eight rounds and mixed only when Kinney came into a clinch. He outboxed him at all stages and finally won on a knockout. With Maurice Sayers he boxed entirely different. He was not afraid to exchange blows with the Milwaukee lad and he left himself wide open at times and won easily, but at that Sayers was not himself by any means.
However, it served as purpose, for Charlie Neary was convinced after seeing Sayers beaten, that he could whip Packy to a certainty. Accordingly Neary went after McFarland and they were matched, winner take all. McFarland reversed his style three times during that fight. For a few rounds he stood off, as per instructions from his manager, Harry Gilmore, and jabbed Neary so that he gained a big lead over him. Then he switched and fought in close, a style that Neary liked, but he held his own. Then again he changed and really roughed it with the Milwaukee slugger, exchanging blow for blow, but he always had his chin out of danger by covering up neatly. Packy showed clearly that he had the head for fighting as instructed, and he also demonstrated that he could rough it when necessary. His quick defeat of Benny Yanger proved again that he is clever, for Yanger knows the game thoroughly and can go some yet, but Packy beat him at every turn. The boy is young and strong and there is no reason why he should not get to the top of the ladder by careful handling. Kid Herman now wants his game, but he will be lucky to escape a knockout if they ever meet. Manager Gilmore is wise just now in keeping Packy away from Gans as a little more experience will help a lot, but nevertheless the Chicago boy will beat Britt a year hence if they meet and his chances will be just as good against Gans. It may sound a little strange just now, but wait and see.


1907-09-09 The Seattle Daily Times (Seattle, WA) (page 11)
[Hearst News Service]
SAN FRANCISCO
Battling Nelson arrived in town last night and immediately scouted around to see where he could place a tidy little bet on Gans in today's battle between the Baltimorean and Britt.
"I lost $1,400 on Britt the last time he fought Gans," said the Dane, "and I figure to win it back this time by betting on Gans. I have fought both men and I am in a position to judge which is the better man. I pick Gans.
"Of course I want to fight the winner. But, say, I know a boy that I believe is the coming lightweight champion. He is Packy McFarland. He will have a challenge at the ringside. I expect to be the next man to meet the winner, and then McFarland will get a chance. He is the most promising-looking lightweight I have yet seen."


1907-10-14 The Denver Post (Denver, CO) (page 7)
[TAD DORGAN]
Dave Barry, who was knocked out by Al Kaufman in three rounds in Philadelphia Friday night, visited New York yesterday for the first time since he peeked out of a porthole and landed at Castle Green eighteen years ago.
"How about this fellow McFarland?"
"Oh, yes, I heard a lot about Packey around Chicago," continued Barry, "and I saw him go a few times. He's no knockerout, but he's another Attell for cleverness. I've seen him pop lots of those fellows upon the jaw with his right but he don't seem to feaze them. The fellow with the punch is the fellow who usually wins, but this boy McFarland is so clever that none of them ever seem to get to him.


1907-10-17 The Indianapolis Sun (Indianapolis, IN) (page 7)
Packy McFarland, the stockyards ring king, proved himself deserving of all the good things that have been said of him, by his victory over the sturdy Joe Galligan, the Italian lightweight, at the Auditorium, Wednesday night.
The victory was remarkable and it shows that Packy is a marvelous fighter, for it was really won with his left hand, for the right was injured and really out of commission. McFarland faked most of his leads and taps with that hand in the earlier rounds, but got busy with it in the last two, and, with right and left working as a champion could manipulate them, Galligan become puzzled, his senses left him and the rain of punches drowned his faculties.
...
The bout not only showed that McFarland is a great fighter, with a wonderful defense, an attack worse than the Yost machine, great leg work, two good hands and the sure coming-champion among the lightweights, but it proved that the defeated Italian, almost friendless among the patrons of the Auditorium, so favorably were they impressed with Packy, is gamer than he is given credit for being. He took a good beating, but all the time he was waiting for more.
...
Every round was Packy's. His foot work was rapid and puzzling. So well did he cover up that Galligan hardly landed a blow on any vulnerable spot. At long range, Packy was all to the good. At the infighting McFarland was a master, Galligan only an imitator. McFarland was the Cashiel Byron, handsome and perfect in his art; Galligan, the slower, and more brutal, that might be likened to the other gladiator in Bernard Shaw's pugilistic idyll.


1907-10-17 The Inter Ocean (Chicago, IL) (page 4)
McFarland, although master of the situation from the start, fought a one handed battle almost entirely. His right hand, badly injured during his training work last week, had not mended sufficiently to permit of its use when it came to hitting, but it did yeoman service in blocking. In the latter respect Packey proved himself a past master of the first magnitude.

 

1907-10-18 The Denver Post (Denver, CO) (page 12)
[OTTO C. FLOTO]
It's not so very long ago that we called attention to Packey McFarland in these columns as a championship possibility in the lightweight division. We have ever since that time been strengthened in our belief in his ability by his deeds in the roped arena. The manner in which he polished off Joe Galligan the other night is but one of the many incidents that have occurred to make the friends of the crack Chicago fighter rejoice at his future chances in the ring.
McFarland will tackle Tommy Murphy in the East next. Murphy is the opponent who took sick at Indianapolis and left his forfeit in the hands of the club and went back to New York. Galligan took his place and met with defeat. If McFarland makes short work of Murphy he will be in line for any of them. And if Joe Gans stays in the game long enough Packey will be the legitimate man to meet him.
In Harry Gilmore's hands he is being properly pushed toward the front and will by easy stages reach the coveted goal. Not in years have we had such a likely looking prospect for premier honors in the legitimate class as the little Chicago fighter. He has slowly climbed to the top by good hard work, taking everybody who had any claim on him one after the other until now he is right up to the champion himself and will sooner or later fight for the title.


1907-10-20 The Inter Ocean (Chicago, IL) (pages S1, S4)
[CHARLES CARNIE]
At last Chicago can boast of a really great lightweight boxer. Packey McFarland, the 19-year-old product of the stock yards, demonstrated by his decisive defeat of Joe Galligan at Indianapolis Wednesday night, accomplished under the most adverse conditions, that he is not lacking in any of the essentials that go to make up a champion. If, therefore, he is not destined to wear the crown of Joe Gans the critics and fans alike in this old town will sadly miss their guess.
It was not so much the mere victory over Galligan as the manner in which he won it that has justly brought forth a shower of praise for McFarland. Packey, as exclusively foretold in the columns of The Inter Ocean the morning of the fight, went into the fray with only one good hand, his left. His right mitt was out of commission owing to a dislocation of the thumb joint, and this ordinarily good weapon was utilized mainly as a guard to block the dangerous wallops that the Italian is able to hand out.
None but a fighter forced to meet a good man on unequal terms can explain what the loss of one hand means. It is a frightful handicap and seldom, under such conditions, does one so incapacitated pull through to victory, but Packey McFarland has the heart and courage of a lion, and with defeat staring him in the face he simply would not be denied. He had mastered Galligan once before, stopping him in eight rounds, and it was when this period was reached at Indianapolis that Packey had visions of his previous triumph. Hence his efforts were redoubled, and, with only two rounds left in which to end the struggle, he pressed his injured mauley into service with good results.
Packey did not use the sore hand more than three or four times, and every time it landed on Galligan's hard jaw it made him (Packey) squirm with pain, but it did the work. It took all the steam out of Galligan and rendered him groggy, almost instantly turning him from a veritable fighting machine into a helpless punching bag. Joe had battled against one hand for eight rounds. At first he was not sure that Packey was not stalling, but as the fight went on and McFarland made no attempt to counter with the injured member, he grew bold and waded in with all his might and main. Imagine his surprise when McFarland suddenly in the ninth round whipped over the right with enough force to fell a brick house. To say that Joe was stunned, both literally and otherwise, hardly expresses it. That one punch turned the tide of battle in Packey's favor quicker than it takes to tell the story, and he completely smothered Galligan thereafter.


1907-11-22 The Denver Post (Denver, CO) (page 11)
[ED. W. SMITH]
McFarland is a truly wonderful little fighter. He did not knock Herman out after getting him helpless. He seemed to be in the face of the stern orders against it, for the Irishman was a demon when he scented victory coming his way. But he gave Herman such an unmerciful mauling that no doubt was left in the minds of the spectators as to which of the men is the better. Not a fraction of an inch of room is left for doubt.
Packey's strength is greater than Herman's by a wide margin. His boxing skill is far more highly developed. His punches have directness that is commendable. His speed is such that Herman looked like a mere novice in comparison. The footwork was better, the generalship superior and, last and best of all, the aggressiveness is such that only an Irishman seems to develop when facing a foe.

 

One of my favorites:

Five pounds of beef prevent McFarland being lightweight champion
of the world
The day book., October 18, 1913
Packey McFarland again proved conclusively last night in New York
that he is the peer of all fighters under 140 pounds. He effectively cracked Harlem Tommy Murphy, generally considered one of the hardest nuts in the lightweight division, ranking next to Champion Willie Ritchie. Murphy never got started in the fight He was stopped at every point, and McFarland made him look like a novice gaining his first experience in battle. To say that Packey's lead was mountainous fails to adequately describe the result. He was the only man in the ring.
Murphy did not land more than ten blows in the ten rounds, and
these were made ineffective by the fact that McFarland was usually going away when they connected. On the other hand, the stockyards man planted hooks and jabs on his fellow Irishman at will, and forced him all over the ring. At times it seemed that McFarland would surely score a knockout, but each time Murphy was in distress Packey slowed up, and let his opponent recuperate. He preferred to let Tommy stay the full limit, so he could have further chance to show his wide
margin of superiority. . After the fight Willie Ritchie challenged McFarland to make 135 pounds ringside. That stipulation precludes all possibility of the go. McFarland has steadfastly declined to make anything but 135 pounds at 3 o'clock for Ritchie, knowing he
cannot be strong if he weighs in at the ring!
Five pounds of beef prevent McFarland being lightweight champion
of the world, for after last night's fight it is generally conceded that he
could trim Ritchie with almost as much ease as he did Murphy.

 

1908-01-15 The Boston Daily Globe (Boston, MA) (page 5)
That McFarland is a good boxer all the sports present agreed, but it is doubtful if he ever had an easier time winning a decision than he did last night.
Keyes, who has scored victories over Tommy Murphy, who was to be Packey's opponent last night, is a big, strong, awkward fellow with a good punch. From start to finish he was completely outclassed by McFarland, and if Keyes can win over Murphy the Chicago lightweight would have had little trouble beating Murphy.
Packey kept on top of Keyes all through the contest. He did the greater part of his work with his left, with which he can hook, jab or uppercut in fine style. His right is also good. He can drive it straight for the body or face, and can counter with it fast and hard.
McFarland is also a great infighter and seldom clinches, so that he can have his arm free to rain rights and lefts onto the body. He is also a clever feinter, and he often had Keyes hitting wild.
The rapidity with which McFarland worked bewildered Keyes so much that he would make no attempt to box. He would bend over and cover his face, or else put his head between the ropes to avoid the rapid fire of blows that McFarland was shooting at him. Keyes also did a great deal of clinching, and so hard and fast did he hold on to McFarland that Referee Jack Sheehan had considerable trouble breaking them apart.
To the spectators it looked during the close of the contest as if Keyes had become so discouraged at not being able to land an effective blow that he played the game only in a way to avoid taking the count before the limit of the bout should be reached. In several rounds he acted as if he wanted to lose on a foul, for he hit McFarland low twice, and in one round tried to bite McFarland's fingers. The referee cautioned Keyes and he refrained from using such tactics.
During the bout Keyes did not land half a dozen clean punches. A left hook to the jaw in the third round, a right to the chin in the sixth round, a right uppercut to the face and left to the wind in the ninth, and a right counter on the head in the 11th round were the best blows he landed; but they did not feaze McFarland.
From the moment the bout started McFarland was after Keyes like a hound after a hare, and he gave the New Yorker little chance to set. It was no trouble for him to hook or jab Keyes in the face and jaw with the left, or hook the left into his stomach. Repeatedly McFarland followed up that lead with a right and left to the face and jaw, driving Keyes to the ropes. Then he would shoot out both hands so fast that Keyes found it hard to retaliate.
Invariably when Keyes would clinch McFarland would get to work on Keyes' body with both hands, forcing the New Yorker from one side of the ring to the other. Quite often when Keyes missed he kept his face without protection and McFarland would hook him on the nose or mouth with the left. The Chicago boxer also got in some ripping uppercuts to the face and stomach that made Keyes wince.
Frequently McFarland had Keyes against the ropes, and before the latter could get any hold on him, McFarland got home the right and left on the face and jaw. McFarland was ready at all times to give Keyes any kind of a game he wanted, and Packey beat him at it every time.
Several times Keyes began slugging, but McFarland laced him so hard at it that Keyes would fall into a clinch to avoid getting any more punishment.
In the last few rounds it looked as if McFarland would win decisively, but Keyes was such a tough receiver-general that he weathered the storm of blows till the end.


1908-01-15 The Boston Herald (Boston, MA) (page 9)
Packey McFarland of Chicago defeated Bert Keyes of Philadelphia in 12 rounds at the Armory A. A. last night. McFarland lived up to his excellent reputation and there was no time when he was even in distress. Packey has everything, in a pugilistic sense. He is exceedingly aggressive, punches well and uses excellent judgment in landing his punches.


1908-01-15 The Boston Journal (Boston, MA) (page 8 )
Packy McFarland of Chicago won easily over Bert Keyes of New York in the main bout of twelve rounds at the Armory A. A. last night. The attendance was small, owing to the fact that Keyes was practically a last minute substitution for Tommy Murphy.
Of course they saw McFarland, and he's a grand performer. He is fast on his feet, is a grand boxer, and with rare knowledge of feinting that art which so few of the present day boxers possess. He doesn't seem to have much power in his punch, but he was working against a tough, awkward proposition, Keyes being as strong and sturdy as a lion. It would have taken a puncher of welterweight power to make any impression on the New Yorker.
McFarland has two good hands. His left, which he uses in all styles, is his best, and he worked it about the time. He is as good at short range, better in fact than when he peppers at long distance. He was cautious without showing signs of fear, for Keyes is a very cunning individual.
The New Yorker was rough and used the strangle grab around McFarland's neck fifteen or twenty times every round. In fact whenever they got close Bert grabbed Packy around the head and held on "like kingdom come." Keyes was very foxy and several times he waited to waylay Packy with a knockout punch. But Packy never fell in the trap.


1908-01-15 The Boston Post (Boston, MA) (page 12)
Packie McFarland of Chicago was the easiest kind of a victor over Bert Keyes of Philadelphia in the main bout at the Armory A. C. last night. Keyes won a big hand by his game showing against the Western champion lightweight, but he was outpointed decisively.
The main bout was a little disappointing. Keyes showed flashes of good form, but in the long run McFarland made him look like a second rater. Keyes was an awkward boxer, and McFarland's whole trouble was in getting to him.
Keyes was aggressive enough, but invariably McFarland beat him to the lead. McFarland did not exert himself overmuch, but he did enough to show that against a rival of first class he is a champion boxer.


1908-01-15 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 12)
[ROBERT EDGREN]
Boston
Packy McFarland hit Bert Keyes about a million and a half times in twelve rounds here last night and failed to put him out.
Perhaps McFarland doesn't pack that wonderful punch that we have been hearing so much about. Perhaps Keyes was so awkward, as Packy explained afterward, that he couldn't get a chance to land his blows squarely. It surely looked as if Packy meant well. He was busy as a bird dog in every second of the fight. He kept right after Keyes, dabbing and tapping and confusing with a continual massage of feathery punches. In persistence he was a Battling Nelson. Keyes didn't have a chance at any stage. McFarland outclassed him entirely as a boxer, and Bert fanned the air about a yard away from Packy whenever he let fly his wild swings. Of course, Keyes did land a few punches, and on these rare occasions his backers rose and howled in glee. But they never had a chance to howl very long. McFarland, whenever he was stung at all, came back with a rush that carried Keyes off his feet, bewildering him with a rapid fire of jolts and slaps and jabs.
This Chicago boy can box. He's as fast as a dancing master on his feet. He has a left hand that drops into every opening. But there is not a sting in it. Or, if there is, he didn't show the sting last night. He has nice judgment of distance, which enabled him to avoid Keyes's swings without an effort.
It was evident after a round or so that Keyes was in the ring to "stay." He was on the defensive. The fight was held under straight rules, the boys protecting themselves at all times. Keyes clinched continually, holding on until the referee was forced to pry the boys apart. After a couple of rounds Keyes began catching a sort of strange hold on McFarland's neck with the crook of his elbow. He would wrestle and throw his weight on McFarland, jerking and hauling him about. Packy never protested, but as soon as he could get clear he invariably dived in again, only to find himself in another clinch.
Keyes didn't do much fighting himself. He was on the defensive. McFarland's glove was in his face so much of the time that he must have thought the air full of gloves. Bert had a habit of doubling up awkwardly and getting away from the punches, and Packy, being unable to get a fair crack at him, stuck out his long left arm and tried to push the low head around into a position where it would be good for a target.
...
It was all McFarland from start to finish. But although he showed himself to be one of the cleverest little boxers in the ring, and a perpetual motion machine for aggressiveness, he didn't look like the man to whip Tommy Murphy in a short bout. In a long distance fight he would be dangerous for any one to tackle. He seems able to fight fast in that teasing style of his all night long.

 

1929-06-26 The Ottawa Evening Journal (Ottawa, ON, Canada) (page 18 )
[TAD DORGAN]
A new star.
That's all there was to the McFarland-Keyes fight in Boston on Tuesday night, January 14, 1908. It was McFarland from the overture to the curtain. As a boxer he was a second Gans; in the slugging spells he was a McGovern, and as far as ring generalship and blocking were concerned he made the shades of Young Griffo fade.
Mr. Keyes, of 14th street, was able to sit up and converse cheerfully after the bout, but that's about all. He was a sad explorer. He jumped in and took Tommy Murphy's place, thinking he had a soft one. He figured that his punch and the strength behind it would win for him, but--Bertram, like Bill Squires, went hunting for a mole and found a mastodon.
Packey caught Keyes' wild swings on his arm. In the clinches the muscular Keyes was a mere infant, and at boxing he was a shine. McFarland said after the fight that if Keyes hadn't been so awkward the bout would have ended long before the limit. It was surely a first-class trimming done in first-class style. McFarland was there every way. He had the wallop, for he cut Keyes to ribbons. He can take a beating, for he sapped up some of Keyes' best without flinching, and then tore in, forcing the 14th street lad to hang on like the famed porous plaster of which we toad daily. He knew Keyes would be a rough and ready fellow, ready to swap wallops with any of them, but that night he stopped. The Chicago lad was too fast, too tough, and too clever. All there was to it was McFarland.


1908-01-16 Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, NY) (page 10)
Packy McFarland made his initial appearance in the East in a bout with Bert Keyes at Boston on Tuesday night and the little westerner made good right off the reel. He didn't knock Keyes out, but he outhit, outfought and outclassed him to such an apparent extent that there was not a dissenting voice when Jack Sheehan gave his decision to the Chicago lad. They certainly are breeding fighters of the proper caliber in the Middle West these days! Hugo Kelly, Papke and McFarland have shown themselves just the style of fighters the people like. McFarland's style is greatly similar to that of Papke, but he has an additional virtue in that he is really clever. Papke is clever in an awkward way. He has won all his fights by his vicious attack and powerful punch and has never been known to back up. His defense is not so strong, as was shown in his bout with Kelly. McFarland, however, besides being a rushing, bullying, vicious man on the attack, has learned the fine points of the game from his manager, Harry Gilmore, a first-class boxer himself, and if necessary can cover, block and stall, in the most finished manner. Like Papke, he is always uncorking a wallop that brings the change when it lands. With Papke, no matter how fast the milling, a sudden whale of his mit is liable to come out of the maelstrom of swings and jabs and bring darkness. So with McFarland. As said before, he didn't knock Keyes out, but in the last two rounds had him hanging on the ropes. He knocked him down in the second and tenth rounds, the first time Keyes ever hit the floor in his life. He is the toughest and gamest boy around New York. Tommy Murphy is cleverer, but if that long, thin glass jaw of Tommy's stopped half of the gazappers that slapped against Keyes' map Tommy would sleep awhile.
Of course, taking the second best man around New York right off the reel makes it look like McFarland has well-nigh swept the field. The New York sports will insist on him meeting Murphy. Murphy was to have fought him Tuesday night, but strained a ligament in his leg while training and rather than postpone the bout the management secured Keyes. Murphy will probably make Packy extend himself if they meet, but judging from what McFarland showed with Keyes he has lots to spare. In the meantime, while waiting for Harlem Tommy, McFarland will undoubtedly be seen in a few six-round exhibitions in Philadelphia. He is the lion around New York right now. They certainly do hand it to any lightweight who looks like a champion down there. Gilmore is a knowing manager and will not make an unwise match for his protégé, but if Packy continues the gait he's traveling now it will not be surprising to see him matched with Gans for the title late this year.


1908-01-16 The Boston Post (Boston, MA) (page 8 )
Although Packie McFarland did not have to show all that was in him in his bout with Bert Keyes at the Armory A. A. Tuesday night, he showed enough to prove that he is a boxer of the first class and that there is plenty of ground for the assertion so freely made in the West that he will wear the lightweight champion crown of Joe Gans before many months have rolled by.
Keyes is an awkward, rugged boxer, dangerous at all times, and puzzling to get to. McFarland has a punch all right. There was no doubt of that in the minds of most of those who saw him perform against Keyes. But the New York boy was hard to reach with a squarely landing blow, and his defensive tactics, particularly his hanging on at every chance, saved him from the worst of McFarland's rushes.


1908-01-16 The Denver Post (Denver, CO) (page 7)
[TAD DORGAN]
Last week it looked as though Joe Gans was going to die of lonesomeness. Today he sees two men coming for his title and it looks as though there might be a fuss over it. Battling Nelson is back and Packey McFarland has arrived. A bout between the two last named gentlemen is on tap, and the winner of this must battle with Gans for highest honors in the 133-pound class.
Right now, with youth, cleverness and strength with him, McFarland looks to be the contender. He mixed like a good fellow, and showed that he is a master at long-distance sparring in his battle with Bert Keyes.


1908-01-16 The Evening World (New York, NY) (page 10)
[ROBERT EDGREN]
This McFarland is a very clever boxer, with plenty of confidence and an aggressive style. In the fight with Keyes he didn't show any punching power worth mentioning. Although he landed almost at will all through the twelve rounds, he couldn't do much damage. He didn't look dangerous, like hard-hitting Tommy Murphy. But he made Keyes miss all the time. Between the continual tapping and his own exertions, Keyes was well played out at the end of the twelve rounds. McFarland is dangerous in a long fight.

 

Ugh. I'm tired looking through hundreds of pages to find good quotes to post. I might continue some time, but unlikely too soon.

 

Now this was a worthwhile thread, thanks. I think there's enough stuff on this thread to at least start to write a book on Packy. Not enough people know about him. It's good to shine a light on him and fighters like him. I believe there are 1 or 2 fights of his on YT

 

The thing that was curious to me was that Packey wasn't compared much if at all to Joe Gans. The only write-ups I recall were how a young ( 1907-1908 ) McFarland would have done against old Gans of the same period, but never between the two in their prime, never arguing who was better in their prime (although Robert Edgren picked McFarland to be greater than Gans at 135 pounds limit). They often compared or virtually matched up prime Benny Leonard with prime Gans, but somehow no journalist I remember reading "matched" Packy with Gans or Leonard.

Only things like this, perhaps...

1908-02-02 The Duluth News Tribune (Duluth, MN) (page D1)
PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Feb. 1.--Philadelphia Jack O'Brien, considered to be one of the cleverest fighters in the business, though there be many a stain on his pugilistic record, boxed three rounds with Packey McFarland, the Chicago whirlwind, before hundreds of guests that gathered at a quiet little banquet in the Ontario Athletic club rooms here, and today the local heavyweight has nothing but words of praise for the Chicago lad.
"McFarland is truly the lightweight champion of the world, with Gans as an exception, of course. I watched him fight Loughrey and got a fair impression of his cleverness, but not until I donned the gloves with him did I fully realize how good he is," said Jack.
"He is the cleverest boxer I ever saw, and when I say that I do not except Jim Corbett or Kid McCoy. Packey is as fast as any of the American fighters and his cleverness is wonderful. He is another one of those head fighters, and unless I miss my guess is another Joe Gans.
"McFarland does not go into a fight simply to slam away at his man and trust to brute strength to win for him. He uses his fighting weapons to good advantage, but his head does the work. He is a quick thinker, is shrewd and has all the requirements that make a real champion, not the Tommy Burns kind.
"I have heard it said that he lacks the punch and will never do. The best proof that he has the punch is his record, which shows a string of knockouts. Then what's the use of a knocking out a man when you can decisively beat him on points. Every time one goes in for a knockout he lays himself open to getting the fatal wallop himself.
"Packey hit me a few and we were only sparring. They hurt, and I believe I am able to judge if a man can hit. Packey will trim all the lightweights in the country save Gans, and will another year's experience, keeping busy all that time, he will make a fit opponent for the colored boy. Just now Joe can beat him, but I am ready to bet that Joe cannot knock him out should they meet."


1908-11-19 The Denver Post (Denver, CO) (page 7)
(By JOE GANS.)
Philadelphia, Nov. 19.--Packey McFarland's battle with Tommy Murphy gave me my really first chance to judge the Chicago fighter, and if my judgment is worth anything I want to tell the world that in him I see another Joe Gans. I am beaten and practically down and out as a fighter but I held up my end in all sorts of pugilistic storms, many of them more fierce than the ring knows of today.
First of all, and as essential as anything that a fighter need possess, Packey is brim full of confidence. He climbed through the ropes with a big, broad smile and his face was covered with a look of confidence, just as though he were to fight a boy of fifteen. There was no worried look, no thought that his man might win, or the this and that that goes to discourage a fighter when he meets his foe for the first time.
For speed he is a wonder, and his cleverness is equal to his quick movements. He is shifty and can change his style of fighting at a moment's notice. That is what counts with a fighter.
He can hit from any angle, is always set and his aim is perfect.