The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-22
NORFOLK IS MOST
 PICTURESQUE OF NEGRO SCRAPPERS
Baltimore Heavyweight Has Had Interesting Experi-
 enCeS in Ring
Ny JAMES J. CORBETT NCop4 right. 1922. by King Features
 Syndicate. Inc.)


 one of the most picturesque char aeters the prize ring ever produced is Willie Ward of Baltimore-other- wise. Kid Norfolk, the negro heavy weight.
 Norfolk is a Roman Catholic He adheres unswervingly to his every religious teaching. No man ever heard him use profanity; no man ever succeeded in getting away with a risaue story in Norfolks hearing. And when the time comes for Nor folk to say his prayers, he kneels on the floor and says thsm-no matter if 1t tS in a roomful of people.
 Perhaps more stories of humorous, colorful variety have been told about Norfolk and has ring affairs than have been narrated concerning any other gladiator now in harness. lie is a unique character, fighter diff ferent than the ordinary. one who is always doing something that pro- Vokes a laugh or prompts the re, telling.
 Something like two years ago Nor folk was matched to meet Larry Wll- Hams in Bridgeport The negro took the bout on a short notice and went into the ring about 10 pounds over tight and all out of training. As result he played a defensive game. rather than make the attempt to go out and finish Williams. l And be- cause Williams stayed the limit it got Williams and his manager, Sam Driver, all steamed up" with a sense of their own importance.
 Wanted Revenge
 Some time afterward Williams and Norfolk were rematched for Jersey 'sro1 ztv ,e,i he had received because of his fail- ure to stop Williams, the negro de- termined to end the battle within the quickest time possible. As he was walking down the hall toward the ring on fight night, Driver halted his way and sneerngly said 10 him:
 Are you going to quit tonight, Kld?"
 Norfolk stopped. studied Driver, and then in his drawing voice, said :
 All Ans g-vine to do tonight Is knock Mistah Williams right into yeh lap bcfoh de fust round Is over
 The bell rang and Norfolk raced from his corner. He met Williams, coming out of his He made a few leads and drove Williams hack in the talked a left, pulled a ducS from Will liams-and then unbelted crashing right hook.
 The blow drove Williams through the ropes and he landed, crumpled heap. squarely in the lap of Driver, who had been sitting outside the corner.
 Service All Right
 As Williams was counted out Nor folk leaned over the ropes and. with a trace of chuckle in his voice. yelled to DriVera
 "Mistah Driver Ah guesses you see Ah done just as An told you.' Some years ago Norfolk. who is only 3 feet inches tall, was tossed into the ring with Bill Tate, one time negro partner for Jack Demp- sey. This Tate stood nearly foot ,bove Notfolk.
 "Ah just doan like that Mistah Tate" Norfolk conhded to Leo F Flynn, his manager, just before the first bell rang Ans gwine to knock him out"
 Flynn reminded Norfolk of the fact that Tate had it on him by nearly 12 inches in height. about as many inches in reach and perhaps ~ pounds in the matter of bulk. "Yes, Ah knows that" replied Nor folk But Ans gonna chop about three inches off that fellow every round until An gets him down to nah ], size Then An reckons Ah'll just knock him overheard in about de firth round"
 l It's Nn the history books that Nor folk punched Tate all around the l ring in the first four rounds-and l-poclse cd him o,it in the fifth