Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-27
TAR BABY UP TO OLD TRICKS
Sam Langford Is Pulling the you
Win This Time, Win Next
Time" Act Again.
HARRY WILLS NEW PARTNER

NEW YORK, Fch, 2b.-Sam LxanEtoru
seems TO have forgotten none Of his fa-
miliar tricks. Iangfords recent knock
out Of Harry Wills was but another in
stance Of the sad fate OF those who per-
sist in fooling with the Boston Tar
Baby" Like Gunboat Smith and many
others, Wills was not content to let well
enough alone after winning one decision
1t is a peculiar fact that Langford's vic
Tins who have won a temporary success
always return to fall prey to his dread
wallop. Once in a great while something
goes wrong and one escapes, as jeff
Clarke did after outpointlng Langford at
Joplin. Mo-, over a year ago. Joplin
sporting men, with their well known
show me- methods, did not take kindly
to the scheme. so the return match has
not materialized as yet.
Langfords recent feat is really the
most remarkable of his long career. A
lew we<Ss ago local fistic fans saw
Wills outlook the Boston terror in every
! round and when a short time later he
repeated at New Orleans. Langfords s
pugilistic obituary was written again.
This time 1t seemed that he really had
met more than his match, for wills is
young and strong and in the full tide of
his career.
Predicted Sans Downfall.
Another Peter Jackson" was the YER
dict in some quarters In discussing the
rise of Wills and the downfall of Lang
ford. New Orleans sporting men were
greatly impressed with the newcomer
and they wagered heavily on the proposi-
tion that Langford could not knock him
out.
But betting on or against IAngford Is
an uncertain sort OF speculation for those
who rely upon a study of pugilistic form
instead of inside information, as many
have found out by experience.
Langfords sudden form reversals date
back to 1907. During that and the follow
ing year Jim Barry was the chief sub
ject on which he practiced his art. They
boxed four no-decision bouts in quick
succession and sporting men began tc
think that the rugged Barry was immune
to the Langford wallop. But Vhen the
conditions were to his liking Langforc
convinced them Of their mistake by send
ing Barry to sleep in two rounds.
Dangford then turned his attention tC
Jim Flynn. who was a great favorite II
San Francisco. Even then Flynn was ia.
nous for his ability to shed punishment
and thousands of dollars were wagereC
NNNA%
the full ten rounds. There was too mucl
at stake to take any chances of q slip up
, so Langford wasted no time, kut endet
, the battle In the first round with swish
I ing uppercut to the jaw. The next tim
, they met Flynn naturally was regarde,
as an easy victim, but, strange to relate
: this time nothing happened. and he wa
D on deck at the end of the ten rounds.
C0nduefa An0thar gawtas
Between matches with Barry and F1yn
1 LanEford conducted series with 10
h Jeanette 1t began in 1906 and laste
n until less than year ago, each man al
n ternating in winning the decision wit
more or less regularity. In 1907 Langfor
added Sam Mcvey to his list of opponents
= This pair boxed a twenty-round draw 1
!, France and then went to Australia wher
betting on fights is open and money
plentiful.
y As usual Langford's opponent won III
n first bout and IL created a tremendov
% amount of talk. SO that when they ms
% again. as they did soon afterward. gres
crowd turned out and Mcvey was we
supported In the betting. IL was LAM
4 ford's turn to win and he did so, but b
AZ no great margin. and once more II
A Australians demanded another battle.
.p Langford took three in a row, the iai
4. one by q clean knockout, before II
:, Australians were satisfied that he had h
=, opponents number. while in the Ant
- podeB Langford astonished the gullib
fans OF that country By failing to stt
old Jim Barry in twenty rounds, althouS
~ Barry by that time was q physical wrec
pa He then proceeded to further astonii
in them by flattening Barry with the fir
~ punch in the first round. Once more
as tackled Mcvey and when he only secur
N a draw his sudden flip flops began
wear on tho nerves of the natives. so
ne took his departure from that country.
he His next startling form reversal W
he his match with Gunboat Smith at Bost
be when the wild swinging Gunner. who
go lack OF knowledge of the finer points
II boxing was something to marvel at, oil
he pointed tho Bostonian via the jab-an
ID. grab route
he smith Pulls Bone.
On the surface there seemed to be
particular reason why Gunboat should !
,ut have been satisfied with his laurels.
.ia there was no real demand for a retu
~, match and he had been having trout
"a enough with his white-skinned rivals. B
A., for some reason he decided to try and !
- peat and Langford quickly flattened h
- in three rounds. Smith was a pitiful c
iect ir front OF the black demon. W
.n battered him down with ease.
'' OF late Langford has been forced
confine himself to battling McVey, J
johnson ana Wills. The last time Lar
ford tackled McVey the latter won
II decision, so he probably will be select
for the next performance.