New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-02

WHEN Leach Cross made the an
w nouncement Of his retirement
ne said: There is still Benny Leon
ard to uphold the prestige OF inc
Ghetto in the boxing game.
Leach. VINO is now plain DR.. wal
lach. mouth architect, was some
thing Of a prophet. This Benny
Leonard. whose real name is BEN
iamin Leimer. is morally the Ngnt-
weight champion of the world to-day.
In his fight with Freddie Welsh the
clever little Harlem Jew showed MN
self the greatest lightweight boxer
since the time OF Joe Cans. Also ne
demonstrated that he was c!everer
than Welsh, hitherto regarded as 'ne
cleyerest in his class.
Leach Cross takes a keen pride IN
the success of Leonard because tney
are Of the same race and reigioh'
Next 10 getting the lightweight title
for himself. Cross was most eager
for il 10 be acquired by Jew. Nh!le
Cross succeeded in destroying the su-
perstition that Jewish fighters were
not game" in the prize ring sense
he wanted to make Il stronger by
seeing Hebrew boxer hold the light
weight title.
Tina. Cross is about 20 realize that
with is certain. Whether Welsh de-
cides 10 retire or to take on return
match with Leonard. the Harlem he
brew will surely win that title. No
bodv knows that better than Welsh,
who used all his skill and courage
against Leonard, and found II OF no
avail.
The twenty-year-old boy made the
champion look like a novice. Leon
ard showed himself the coolest crea-
ture that has stepped into the ring
since old Joe Cans used to stand
languidly blocking the furious rushes
of the fiercest fighters in the game.
Cans used to wear a half quizZicai,
half melancholy smile as he did II.
The smile Of Leonard is all conn
dence and brightness.
OF COURSE. a Jewish champion 10
~ no novelty. Back in the old days
Of bare knuckles and savage bouts
there was the great Mendoza, the
gamest Of the game. Much later
came Joe Choynssi. the light heavy.
weight Of the steely cold courage and
the staggering punch. Then there
was little Abe Attell, the feather
weight champion.
Attell began in the hungry days OF
the prize ring, when the purses were
small and the matches hard TO get.
Often he was forced TO fight men iif-
teen or twenty pounds heavier than
himself to get eating money.
We remember seeing him give Bat
Ting Nelson as hard beating as the
Durable Dane ever got in his life, IN
ffteen-round bout in San Francisco.
We can see the tiny Attell yet. tear
ing furjously into Nelson and making
him give ground. Nelson was light
weight champion then, and at the
zenith Of his powers. Attell beat him
in every round. and should have been
awarded the decision and the light
weight title. But because Nelson was
the champion the referee called IT. a
draw. The superstition WAS that
title should not pass excepting by
knockout.
We remernb Der one man who started
the howl Kill the Jew" Attell was
used 10 that. lie heard il, too, for he
was so clever that he could peek over
an opponents shoulder and hold a
running conversation with friends at
the ringside. Though Nelson was
lashing at him sayagely, Attell ma
nRuvred over toward the corner from
which the shout came.
III you want 10 bet That III De
killed see my brother Cesar pr