The Washington herald., 1915-01-04
Custom Has Changed in Pu-
gilism Since Tar Baby
Has Gone Back.
CAUCASIAN BUGABOO

New York, Jan. 3.-Time and custom
change in pugilism, as they do in every
other walk of life. This is typiied by
events of the last week, insofar as Sam
Langford is concerned. For the first
time in his ring career, the enigma of
the black dynasty in pugilism is literally
swamped with challenges.
Langford has ever been bugaboo to
aspiring white heavy-weights. Those Cau-
cassians who had pretensions to premier
honors avoided the Bangford person as
they would the plague. One never heard
of white hope" being rash enough to
hurl a def at Langford, and mean II.
1t does not require an elastic imagina-
ton TO reason out why Langford was
thus carefully Stunned. Unfortunately
for Than, he was the possessor Of 4
peculiar right jolt that traversed less
than six inches. and meant the ruination
of what boxing ambitions the recipient
ever cherished.
Are After LangfOrd.
But. rs we remarked in the Introductory
sentence, time and custom change even
in the boxing game. So we now hear
OF Langford being challenged as he never
was challenged before.
The reason? Well, the white heavy
weights have a faint suspicion that the
Langford of 1914 is not the LangfOrd
of last year, or other years. What In
duced this suspicion is the fact that in
his bout with Harry Wills, the willowy
and dusky heavyweight, Langford was
nOored no less than four times in the
first two rounds. Also. Sam was so be-
fUddled at the end of the second round
that the black death lad to be direct
ed to his corner
Up to the time LangfOrd collided with
Mr.. Wills Tham's jaw was thought to
be impervious to any bombardment Of
blows directed at his medulla oblongata.
But since Wills has demonstrated that
kangford can be Knocked down with a
punch to the jaw-and the feat performed
four times in six rounds-the white
heavyweights are fairly stepping on one
another's cOrns in their haste to have
their challenges reach Mr.. Langford
first
willard After "Smoke."
Even Jess Willard is on the trail Of the
LangfOrd. When II was first announced
that Willard had signed with Johnson
for a championship battle, it was also
divulged that Willard would not take
part in any bout until after the John
son fracas. But since the Wills affair.
Willard has openly declared war on
LangfOrd. and has expressed supreme
confidence in his ability to make Than
close his eyes and be oblivious Of his
surroundings for at least ten seconds
during the course of the encounter.
And then there Is "Gunboat" Smith.
who has been a dead issue since Lang
ford slowed him away in two rounds up
in Boston a few weeks back. The
"Gooner''-now looked upon as the
"GOner"-was so ashamed of being
knocked lifeless for a brief spell by Lang
ford that he went into hiding and could
not be located until the Langford up
heaval by Wills.
Not to forget Carl Morris. who was
suppose dto be back at his old engineer
ing Job out in that dear Tulsa, Okla.
Morris has resurrected himself for the
occasion and will not be denied in hurl-
ing a challenge at poor. old, dilapidated
Yhammy.
VIII Hear from Others.
If there are any other white heavy
weights not mentioned as challengers OF
Langford at the present moment. you
are sure to hear from them in the im-
mediate future. Not one of them is
going to overlook the chance to Chal-
lenge Langford, while the challenging
process is good. Matters may assume
different aspect after Langford's next
fight
The leading white heavy-weights evil
IDENTIFY overlook the fact that Langford
still retains his deadly wallop. They
base their belief of being able to conquer
Langford on the fact that Than can
be at least knocked down, if not out
Langford showed that he is still a dan
gerous proposition when he came back
and knocked out Wills in the fourteenth
round.
The Boston demon has consented to
take on Wills again in the hope Of prov
ing to the boxing populace that Wills
knockdowns were of the fluke variety.
Langford claims to have wrenched his
ankle in the first minute Of fighting
and says the injured member could not
support the weight OF his body, and
he was overbalanced every time Wills
sent him to the floor. By reason of his
notable performance against Langford.
Wills Is in demand and has been Sc
cured to fight Sam McVey down in New
Orleans. -