Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-26

BENNY LEONARD TASTED
MORE PUNCHES THAN EVER
BEFORE in HIS CAREER
Lightweight Champion Censures Seconds for Failure to
Shout Advice While in the Ring; Blames Gibson
and Engle for Showing Against Britton
By JAMES S. CAROLAN

ss7owIE! talk about action! There
- was that and MORE" said
smooth-faced Gothamite as he surged
| through the crowded stairway and out
through the jammed doorway. Benny
never tasted so many punches in his life
before. This Britton sure was there
with the goods tonight"
| You can bet old Jack Britton had on
his punching gloves. and they weren't
or the Kid variety" retorted the anx-
ious Quaker City fan. Jack may be
| old, but his cunning was there and he
also convinced the gang that he could
| hit"
| While the dispensing throng was COM
menting fiuently upon the big battle
which just had thrilled for eighteen
minutes In the open-air arena at Shibe
Park last night. Benny Leonard, out
pointed lightweight champion, was busy
IN his dressing room censurine his sec
onds for failure to transmit intelligibly
their words of advice to the active Clad-
! iator
Benny Is Peeved
Benny was very much peeved when
he reached his dressing quarters. 1t was
the frst time since he became champion
| that there was the least chance to uues-
! ton his right to the decision Britton
refused to be intimidated and fought as
courageous and aggressive fight as any
| ran would care to witness
AS Benny carefully placed his finger
to a slightly swollen mouth and brought
| forth few drops of blood he became
more aroused
II tell you fellows. you simply were
away on tonight" exploded the cham
p'on. you chewed your words You
| know there were at least 10000 persons
out there watching us and it seemed te
me as though they all were giving me
advice. You fellows didn't give me much
help"
Billy Gibson Explains
Now Benny. not so fast: calm your
SELF" INTERRUPTED Billy Gibson. who
plainly was distressed to see Benny SO
aroused. "I'll admit that It was hard
| to hear us. but we were doing the best
we could. There was all kinds of noise
there, and 1t was difficult to outroar
| that gang"
Benny then took his turn in directing
a terrific verbal attack against each
member of the advisory board. which
consisted of Manager Gibson. Brothers
Charley and Willie. George Engel and
Captain Click. They took what he said
the champion to do anything but smile
and exchange caresses with his man
ager
l was the lone newspaperman in the
room-was there unknown to the cham
pion and his seconds. Captain Click
then turned around to avoid the wordy
onslaught, which was direced his way,
and in so doing Sherlock" was dis
covered
IT beg your pardon. sir" quickly ut
tered the very courteous captain. "but
Benny never likes to have newspaper
men in his dressing room after fight
I'm sorry. but"
Visitor Told to Depart
That was enough. The kind invita-
tion to move was gratefully accepted and
the lone visitor moved.
But the brief sojourn in the cham
pions quarters was most convincing II
was the first time that Benny ever was
so disturbed He had been the recipient
of many unblocked punches and Benny
very much disliked being on the receiv.
ing end.
He was marked there was no getting
away from that His mouth was cut and
swollen, his left eye slightly dscoored
and the right side of his neck bruised
Those left hooks which missed the jaw
had to land somewhere. SO most of them
found resting place on Benny's neck
stuck Close to Morgan
Britton always managed to keep Leon
ard near the corner where were fount
Danny Morgan and Jack Grace. the lat
ter a celebrated globe trotter and one
time ring artist. Britton never strayet
far away from his corner and never ou
of hearing distance. This was apparent
In the fourth round Britton exhibited
what is known as the hit and run.
which he executed like a master. H,