The Washington herald., 1922-09-03
FITzCERALD-RICE
FIGHT SHOULD Be
SLUGGING MATCH
Philadelphia Boy Is One
of the Best Seekers i'm
His Division.
By RAY HELGESEN.

When you are In Philadeiphia
these days and begin arguing about
lighters you generally mention two
Barrett-and then stop. These two
lightweights are undoubtedly the
cream Of the Sleeping city's con-
trlbution to the ring game in recent
years. But a third younEster. also
a lightweight. could have been mem
mentioned in the same breath with
Tender and Barrett a year ago.
Whitley Fitzgerald. the youngster
who is booked for a twelve-round
session with Frankie Rice at Sport
land Heights in the feature bout
tomorrow, was considered next to
1 Tender until he suffered a physical
setback a year ago. Whitley entered
the ring with pneumonia and that
socker did what more than fifty
fighters had previously failed to
do-knocked Whitley out for six
months
| Fitzgerald only recently re-en-
tered the ring game. Previous 70
his Illness he was considered one
Of the three coming lightweishts OF
the country-the other two being
Rocky Kansas and Tender.
Defeated Bobby barrett.
Bobby Barrett probably never
would have risen to his present po-
sition in lightweight circles IL F!rz-
gerald hadn't been Temporarily
Knocked off by, pneumonia. Barrett
fought Fitzgerald only once. Whitley
cut him to ribbons in eight rounds.
. second bout between the two
4 boys couldn't be arranged for the
F very simple reason that Rarrett's
handlers refused TO let their Eov
3 enter the ring with FitzgerafE-
Had not Illness overtsken him Eta
gerald was the logical opponent of
q Lew Tender. However. with V-hf-
tey on the shelf. Barrett was given
his chance. a chance he mfvbt
never have received IL Fitzgerald
rad been well. The way Tender
;ook Barrett is ancient history %
every one except Barrett. who Is
still rubbing the numerous places
Fhere Tender caressed with his
lightning-like rights.
Fitzgerald has been back in the
ring long enough to have fought
himself into the best shape he has
ever been in. Reports from Phil
adelphia indicate that he will fght
Tender inside the next two months
providing. of course. that ne isn't
knocked of in the meantime
One of the main reasons fo-
FttzEerald's success is laid 70 the
fact that he has one Of the clever
est trainers in the game. showing
how and why TO do certain thinas
at specified times. JOHNNY Lotus.
who trains him. is also his manager
but his ability as manager is FAR
less than that as a trainer
whitley n SIugEer.
| LOTUS is undoubtedly one of the
greatest trainers this country has
ever produced He handled me
great Ketchell when he was in pFs
prime and was in ketchel's corner
the day that Jack johnson. after
heNe knocked on his back for TIE
count Of nine. got up and sIugCsd
ketcheu from behind. LOTUS saws
that was the biggest mistak. he
ever made. He takes most of the
blame Tor that catastrophe himself.
ketchell should never have turned
his back on N" riG Eegro dssrira
the fact that ~ had been knocked
to the floor ~ the rims. But he d a
and Lotus has always taken the
.
Fitzserald. whom Lotus claim.
is almost as great in mis- class a.
ketchell. is Of the sluGEinC t,-re
He is puncher. pure and sir1pls.
Exchanging punches Is his esr.-
clal delight. In his fret bolt with
frankie Rice little over a year
ago he and Harris socker stood toe
to toe and sluE=ed thFouch twelve
ROUNDS. Whitley was given the de-
cision after what baltimore srrs
claim was the greatest exhibition
~ hard hitting ever seen in tas
Monumental City.
couple OF months later he r,a-
Rice again The same thlrE haa-
peucd in this night The two hoys
stood toe to toe and sluEEed away.
Neither would cive an inch and
each was pushing the other out OF
clinCheS. At the end OF ten rounds
, Rice was given the decision. al
though Sammy Harris. his manarer.
: later admitted that n n had basn
called a draw he wouldn't have
had thing To say.
John L. Smith. w 0 was outpo!rt-
ed by Johnny Reno a eouple Of
weeks ago. will set a chance 70
come back against Jack skinner.
, Smith wasn't ri=ht when he fought
the navy lightweight. Both he ana
! his manaEer claim hell take skin
ner. in which case he NAV he re-
matched with Reno in semi
windur AT Sportlaud HEIGHTS in =
, later show
Jack Fiahcrty will meet Ned Wa
, tiers in IN" four-rouud op<n@r.
: Here is list Of some ~ NNffrv
: FitzCerald's hGhts and the dsr.s.
ions.