Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-01-26

LANGEORD'S CAREEt 4 WEIRD
RECORD OF FORM RiVIIRSES.
(By James j. Corbctt.)


A sport writer once called Sam
Langford "the elevator Of pugilism."
And the sport writer wasn't far
wrong, because the Boston Tar
Baby" has had more ups and downs
than any other man that ever stepped
within the ropes. His whole career
Is weird record Of form reversals.
Just few months ago Langford
met Fred Fulton in Boston-and Lang
ford was beaten. He wasn't knocked
out, but when the seventh round was
called the Negro refused to continue
the fight, and Fulton was given the
verdict on technical knockout. When
this news was flashed around the coun
try. everyone figured that at last the
one-time great Negro warrior was
through-"all through"
But not so. Just short time after
that, Langford was matched with
Kid Norfolk, another duslIy fighter.
Norfolk had flashed into pugil'stic
prominence by defeating Billy Miske
and many other topnotchcrs. Ninety
per cent Of the pugilistic experts fig
urcd that Langford was due for anoth
er bad beating. But, to the surprise
Of the sporting world the Boston Tar
Il
culous fashion, made Il punching bag
out Of Norfolk for two rounds and
sent him down and out for the count
In the third.
These are just two of the many in
stances of Langftrd's peculiar career.
Ring history is replete with many
others. Among the most striking Of
these are Sans affairs with Gunboat
Smith, once looked upon as the logi-
cal heavyweight champion Of the
world
On November II. 1913, Smith, then
in the heyday of his greatness, took
on Langford in Boston and gave the
Negro an artistic beating. Smith won
the decision after twelve rounds OF
fighting and Immediately was hailed
as the greatest white warrior in the
game. His defeat Of Langford was
looked upon everywhere as the final
stamp of greatness upon his record.
The fact that Langford went into
that contest with Smith woeiully out
of condition was not elaborated upon
at the time. But that was the real
truth. Smith made so much capital
OF the fact that he had defeated Lang
ford that the Negro made ovcrtures
for another contest. Smith, confident
OF his own ability. finally consented
to another match with tho Negro. He
felt he surely could duplicate his
performance and so establish himself
rig,dly on the pinnacle Of pugilistic
greatness. He figured that he was
Langford's master-and there was
where he made the fatal mistake Of
his career.
Langford trained fairly hard for the
return bout with Gunboat Smith and
the battle was staged in Boston on
October 20, 1914 Smith went into the
fight certain Of an easy and early vic
tory. But what a surprise! 1t was a
different Langford who faced him In
that contest-thc great Langford of
the other days. Smarting under the
sighting remarks Smith had made
about him, Langford went out after
the white fighter in the first round
ana never let up on him. LangfOrd
hammered Smith all around the ring
IN the first session. kept up the bonn
Dardmcnt in the second and soon after
the third began walked up to the
groggy Smith, rapped him heavily on
the jaw-and the fight was over. And
Gunboat Smiths ambitions to become
heavyweight champion OF the world
were wrecked then and there. He
never recovered from that beating
and soon after joined the ranks of
"has beens.'
LangfOrd's career is a crowded one
ono cluttered with so many peculi-
ar performances that it is almost i'm
possible to chronicle them all. He
has fought great battles one week
against great opponents. the follow
ing week he has looked like novice
Lnn NJ ni,,,i 9Th
ers. No one ever has been able to
fgnre ont just how Sam Langford
will conduct himself when he enters
ring. Hundreds OF thousands of
dollars have been lost through his
errat!c showings. He has met some
men in initial contests and beaten
them to a fragile. That led his sup
porters to believe that in a return
match he would duplicate the per-
Torrance. But with almost unfail'ng
regularity Sam fought a battle radi-
cally different in his second meeting.
lie has fought Sam McVey, jim Bar
ry, Harry Wills and Joe Jeanette,
innumcrable times. In some Of the
contests against these men he has
looked like a world beaten; in others
his showing has been pitiful. A pugi-
listic life filled with more ups and
downs than any other fighter has
ever known before-that's Sam Lang
ford.
But the fact remains that Lang
ford, when at his best, was one Of
the greatest battlcrs the ring game
has ever known. Almost a pigmy in
stature, he could punch with amaz.
ing power and stand up under pun.
ishment that would have sent ordi-
nary men crumpling to the mat.
Langford always was a clever, brainy
Fighter and for years ranked as one
Of the most feared warriors in the
ring game. No better evidence Of his
punching power can be presented than
his record which shows that he has
scored knockouts over some Of the
huskiest battlers that ever donned the