New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-25
LEACH CROSS
HAS FOUGHT
LAST FIGHT
Sam Wallach Says Hi,
Brother Can Retire
in Comfort.
By W. o. MCCLELLAN

Leach Cross has retired from =.
ring. In future he viii be simply D.,
Louis c. Wallach, dentist.
With the retirement OF Gro. IL.
fight fans Of this vicinity will mis-, o..
Of their chief entertainers. IN A..
opinion Gross was one Of the ~.
lghtweights and one OF the game,t
over fought az any time. For ten Yea,
he has fought them an. never oui,,i,,
and never fighting a suspicious ba,,.
IN many ways Cross was a credit ;,
the boxing game. He has always be-,
a cloan-living youth. and he deno..
s.rated that brains do mo-. nece.sa,g,
disqualify a man from being boy,
The fact that he made a small tor,u,.
at the game did not turn bis head
Leach Cross on his rctlfenen, "a,
safely announce that he will never ~.
the fans to pass the hat for him
We were first attracted by cru
when We saw him fight that lo.i,,
fight with Dick Hyland in Csl.tor,
nine years ago. There was neye, ,
any ring such an exhibition Of counr
a. was shown By the Jewish boz fr,-
the East Side IN that contest. crv,
went into the ring chilled. He ht
trained in the warm belt and the f,t;
was held IN q raw, chilling og. IA.
Hebrew fighter seconds made matter,
worse by drenching him with cold vs.,
after the first round. Cross vas BIZ,
with the cold. and shivering. He cosl
not get started
Any other fighter in the world wo.s
have caused IBIS seconds % throw "a
the sponge or would have stuck out 4,
jaw 20 receive the merciful knocso..
But not Leach Cross. Sick, weary A..
shivering he stayed in that ring z,
forty-one rounds. Sighting all the liz.
on the sheer force Of his courage. n,
grit was superhuman The regard ..
formed for Leach Cross after tina, fs.;
has lasted. In fact, further scqgs,:.
snce with him has strengthened il.
Why Cross was not more hlghly y.
garded by the fight fans OF New Yo.i
is hard 70 understand. Certainly u
was representative New Yorker al
clean sportsman. But, like 4.
prophets, many fighters are not Wit.
out honor save IN their own county.
Perhaps New Workers will think more
highly of their own Lightweight shs,
they begin 10 consider his successors
Cross Is old only in the puglls,e
sense. He is now just thirty, and fns
specimen OF the clean-iying athlete.
But thirty is nearing the sere and yel-
low i'm the Queensberry ring, and Lesea
is wise 20 realize that. Il would Dc
rather sorrowful sight 70 see 50 good a
fighter being beaten by boxers VITO
could not have stood against hin Wien
he was at his best
Cross is particularly interested =
the Jewish fighters who will succeed
him. He speaks highly Of Kid kss
and of Benny Leonard There vi
never be so many teeth in need OF ill,
ing or pulling that DR.. Wsllsch III
have to remain away from the rings'e'
when there is q night on.
There are still two Cross brothers =
the ring, Marty and Dave. one 3
these days Marty will make real ~
for the welterweight title. he has w
same iron courage that made broisa
Leach such a good fighter, and be ~
some of Leach's lighting inte!llgenee;
Manager Sam Wsiiach writes the y"
lowing farewell for Leach:
Now that the Grifiths match ~
been cancelled by mutual con'e,.
Leach has decided 10 retire from ~
ring. No Sarah Bernhard fsreSe'r
either. sa
"Saylor caught Leach right OF a.
reel, and he never got over u; SOY.
won by technical X. O., and IS en.'
tied 70 all the credit that goes VIZ -
Leach has been Grand Old "s
rior. and leaves behind an eny!aole I.s'
ord. He's far from through Pnyses.."
and could lick many tough one III
But. as long as he cant De fegsis,i
as one of the leading contende's' y
rather quit while he's stili so'o,, 4,
enjoy h health for the resi- VI -
life. .,oss,
Fortunately Leach was wise eno's. /,
10 save enough of the big monsi :,
made TO be prepared for Just sSs1 :.
occasion. Hes satisfied to CIV
younger crop his place Inc ' a.,
will be well represented BY T "a.
Cross. and the Ghetto By Benny A''
ard and Ted Lewis. -, ls,d
Leach always fought on t1s &c, .y
and tried his best TO please. he ~
undoubtedly one Of the g. 'atSss :,
generals that ever lived, too. 10 J,
press and public appreciated no ;.
forts was best proved by msAs9s %. ID n
the biggest card IN New f VOTE ~ n..s
wears. He wants TO take TINS NV