Any 'Thimble Theater fan who
has read the comic strip thoroughly is well aware of the genesis of such characters as the
EUGENE the JEEP, SWEE'PEA and POOPDECK PAPPY. Their respective origins were the
focus of the storyline, so their initial appearances were hard to miss. But some
character debuts were a lot less conspicuous (POPEYE and GEEZIL being two
examples) and at least one personality arrived on the scene with barely a
whisper of introduction. In January, 1931, CASTOR OYL enters POPEYE in a prizefight with KID JOLT. POPEYE beats JOLT but loses the match by accidently hitting the referee. In anger, CASTOR quits as POPEYE's manager and goes in search of a fighter who can defeat the sailor in the ring. The man he finally locates is the great TINEARO, a lantern-jawed brute twice POPEYE's size who spars, not with men, but with fully-grown bulls. On Sunday, April 26, 1931, POPEYE and TINEARO meet in the ring. TINEARO is so huge that the boxing ring floor actually collapses beneath him. POPEYE sits in his corner calmly eating hot dogs while waiting for the ring to be repaired. He generously offers one to TINEARO who replies, "I've got better sense than to eat before a fight. POPEYE's response? "Ya mus'be delikit."
On May 3rd the fight begins. POPEYE charges and hits TINEARO in the stomach. TINEARO counters with a blow to the chin that launches POPEYE high above the arena. The referee, who seems less than interested in the fight, is greeting a friend at ringside. When he finally turns his attention to the bout, he sees TINEARO staring at something overhead. "Come on, boys mix it up.", he says, "Let's give the folks a fight.
Just then POPEYE falls back into the ring landing on the ref's shoulders. He takes the opportunity from his elevated perch to punch TINEARO in the face. Momentarily blinded by the blow, TINEARO strikes where he thinks POPEYE should be but hits the ref instead. POPEYE socks TINEARO under the chin and puts him down but before the ref can count to ten the bell rings ending the round.
On May 10th, the fight continues. A committee from the anti-cruelty society enters the ring to admonish the fighters for hitting so hard. They make the mistake of getting too close to the struggle and end up senseless in a pile at the referee's feet. "Better get out of the ring, gents.", he warns, "Ya might get hurt." TINEARO smacks POPEYE into the last row of seats but the sailor returns to the ring by walking on the heads of the tightly packed spectators. He proceeds to pound TINEARO mercilessly. Again TINEARO falls in the final panel but is saved by the bell before the ref can count him out.
Round three begins with CASTOR ordering TINEARO to tear POPEYE to pieces. When TINEARO charges he's met by a tremendous blow to the breadbasket. Spectators begin to leave the arena, doubled over with sympathy pains. POPEYE is hitting his opponent so rapidly that his entire body is a blur The boxing ring begins to fall to pieces with ropes and debris flying past the referee who stands calmly to the side sporting a black eye and saying, "Nice fight". At last POPEYE knocks TINEARO completely from the ring, his unconscious hulk crushing the audience members as the I referee holds up POPEYE's arm to signal his victory.
On May 24th, 1931, POPEYE invites TINEARO to a post-fight dinner to let bygones be bygones. TINEARO accepts. As they enter the packed diner, POPEYE says to TINEARO, "Blow me down! Here's our ol' fren' the ref ree which counted you out, TINEARO is insulted and another fight ensues with POPEYE and TINEARO knocking patrons down to get at each other. When the dust settles, POPEYE, the ref and the owner of the diner are the only ones still standing.
In the final panel, POPEYE sits at the counter and asks the referee (who now has two black eyes), "Well, Mister WIMPY, How'd ya like the fight? To which J. WELLINGTON replies, "What fight?"
Yes, it was from such modest beginnings as a fight referee that the comic giant which was WIMPY arose. In time, WIMPY would grow to stand as an equal to POPEYE in popularity and at times, even threaten to surpass him.
According to the lore of the town of Chester, Illinois, Segar based Wimpy's physical appearance and his fondness for hamburgers on J. William "Windy Bill" Schuchert, Segar's former employer at the Opera House in Chester. For more on Bill click on the LINK.Bud Sagendorf, Segar's one and only assistant, states in his book that Segar based Wimpy's personality on an actual fight referee in Ocean Park, California who was alleged to have entered the ring each week to the boos and catcalls of the audience. It was rumored his income from being a referee was enhanced significantly by his knowledge beforehand of who would be the winner of the fights at which he officiated. Although this ref may have been the seed from which Wimpy's personality sprouted, he soon evolved into the more complex yet lovable cad he is today. In time, Wimpy would grow to stand as an equal to Popeye in popularity and at times, even threaten to surpass him.
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This essay is reprinted from the official Popeye Fan Club News magazine. To learn more about the club click on the LINK.
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