Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-01-26
LANGlORD'S CARRIER \ WEIRD
RECORD or EOKM NERSES.
(By James j. Corbctt.)


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 Il weird record Of form rcversals.
Just II few months ago Langford
met Fred Fulton in BoSton-and Lang
ford was beaten lie wasn't knocked
out but when the seventh round was
called the Negro refused to cont niue
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
onctimc great Negro warrior was
through through
But not so. Just Il short time after
that. Langford was matched with
KID Norfolk. another dusky fighter.
Norfolk had flashed into pugil' site
prominence by defeating Billy Miskc
and many other topnotchcrs. Ninety
per cent Of the pugilistic experts fig
urcd that Langford WAS due for anoth
err bad beating. But, to the surprise
Of the sporting world the "Boston Tar
Baby" came back III seemingly mira
cnlouS fashion. made Il punching bag
out Of Norfolk for two rounds and
sent him down and out for the count
IL The third.
These are just two OF the many in
stances Of Langftrd's peculiar carcc"
Ring history is rcplctc with many
others. Among the most striking oil
these arc Sans affairs with Gunboat
Smith. once looked upon as the logi
cal heavyweight champion Of the
world.
On November e. 1913, Smith. then
in the hcyday 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 war; or 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 wocfully out
of condition was not elaborated upon
nj 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 overtures
for another contest. Smith, confident
OF his own ability. finally consented
to another match with the Negro. He
felt he surely could duplicate his
performance and so establish himself
rigdly on the pinnacle Of pugilistic
greatness. He figured that he was
langfords maStcr--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
hight certain Of an easy and early vic
tory. But what Il surprise! 1t was a
different Langford who faced him in
that contcSt-the 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
and never lei up on him. Langford
hammered Smith all around the ring
IN the first session. kept up the hon.
bardmcnt in the second and soon after
the third began walked ND to the
groggy Smith, rappcd him heavily ON
the jaw-and the Fight was over. And
Gnnhoat Smiths ambitions to become
heavyweight champion Of the world
were wrecked then and there. He
never recovered from that heating
and soon after joined the ranks Of
''has bcens"
Langford's career is a crowded one
one cmttcred with so many peculi-
ar performances that it is almost i'm
possible to chronicle them all. He
mas fought great battles one week
against great opponents. the follow
ing week he has looked like Il novice
when pilted against mediocre fight.
ers. No one ever has been able to
-,
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
portcrs to hclicve that in Il return
match he would duplicate the per
formance But with almost unfail'ng
regularity Sam fought a battle radi.
cally different in his second meeting.
He has fought Sam McVcy, jim BaI
ry, Harry Wills and Joe Jeanette
innumerable 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 Digmy 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 Il clever. bra:ny
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
huskicst battlers that ever donncd the
gloves.
1t is too bad that Langford didn't
get crack at Johnson when Jack
was wearing the crown. IF that had
come to pass, it is likely that the
name Of another champiOn might