, 1923-02-25
BY D N SUTHERLAND.

To name thu boxers whom Sam
Langford defeated is to call the roll Of
some Of tho greatest pugilista who
ever Lived. In his Journey up the road
OF avoirdupois from lightweight to
heavy. the Black Death swep al
before him.
Since there Is no climax in the OBJ
vious. let it be said at onee that in that
picturesque appellation IS concealed
he dua a why he never won a
title.
First, tho champions OF his day were
quick to draw tho color line; and, sec.
ono, they avoided the latter part OF
his nickname with a caution that
ysrKed on cowardice.
Memory Of Wonder Fighter.
what a marvel the black boy wasi
Who that truly loves the noble art. In
spite Of the scurYy politicians, crooked
promoters, shifty Managers aud taking
ightars who have given the game its
m~aiodorous repute. can ' forget
Langford's massive shoulderA his
splendid ring strategy. that dsvastat.
Ing punch, his footwork and skill and
fearless, eagles hearth
Disseminated against because Of his
color. forced to accept puny purses TO
get matches. submitting to cruel terms
imposed on him by managers of boxers
whose entraIls CONCEALED with terror
ct tho sight Uf that H1uat. ebon ng.
ire. 1.-the, graceful, menAcinE. strid.
Ing cro the canvas, and handi,
capped by the necessity Of cutting
his dough- with promoters oppon.
ents. and many who said a kind word
for him, nevertheless the valiant
Boston Tar Baby" fought on and on
and by sheer merit lifted himself &c 4
permanent place in tho sun with the
few really great prizeaEhters of all
time.
Other Canadian MAzer-
Incidentally. three worlds title
holders came from Landlords country
George Dixon, Johnny Coulon n
Tommy Burns, the nrS two genuine
champions.
Langford was born IN Nova Scotia
The date IL unknown, even TO himself
but It was probably in 1884. which
would make him IS years old when his
record begins in 1909. For the next
nineteen years he blAzod his spectacu'
lar path across the boxing armament
] find that, including 1891. he fought
s29 times, won by q knockout eighty
SIX times, received tho referOe's yer
diet in forty-three battles, met forty.
eight opponents IN no decision bouts,
drew thirty times, and lost twenty-five
decisions.
with the exception Of Young"
Grfo and joe Cans, whom he de-
ciAioned. Lnngford knocked put the
following men: Arthur Cote. Willie
Lewis. George Elbows" MeFadden
Tommy Sullivan. George Gunther
Young" Peter Jackson, Jim Barry
Jim Flynn, Tony Ross, " Iron " Hague.
Dixie" KID. Mike Shrek, Sandy
Ferguson, "PhfladsiphiA Jack I"
oB1en, Tony Caponi, "Poriy"
Flynn. Sam Mcvey. John Lester
Johnson, Jack Lester. "Gunboat"
Smith, George Cotton. Colin Beil
Harry wills. Dave Mills. Joe Jean.
nette. JeR Clarke, Bill Tate, Andre
Anderson, "Kid" Norfolk. "Jamaica
Kid" George Godfrey. Terry Ksllar,
Frank Farmer and Bob Devere. Most
of these men he stopped not ono but
several times.
Genuine SledEo Hammer Punch.
The incredible force OF his punch
ran be told In a word-in Boston he hit
Sam MSvsp on the nose and fractured
both cheek bonesl
Now here Is a peint in eonnection
with Langford's career that / do not
think has evsr been mentioned, End
It may explain those nfty.two drawH
and dSfeae. So fearful was he Of
punching his meal tickets to tattAre
that he LET exactly twenty.three diff
ferent men sither beet him or get a
draw. only TO knock them out in q Fs
turn match.
These boxers, the record book shows
were John Johnson, Indy Watson,
Young" Peter Jackson, Larry Tex
pie, Joe Jeanette, "GlAck Fitzsim'
mons" Jim Barry. Tony Ross, Jim
Flynn. Sandy Ferguson, Al Kubtac.
Jen Clarke, Tony Caponi, "Fnrky"
Flynn. John Lester Johnson. -QVs,
boat Smith. Harry Wills. Ssm Nc.
Ney, Battling Jim" John7bn. &Il
Tate, Bob Devere. Jack Thompson ed
Lee Anderson.
When Strategy Went AmiSs.
But this practice Of making two
purses open where only one wolld
have been paid IL he had "levelsd" on
these men the FIRST time they met, cost
IanEford at least one title-the mid.
dlcweight. For on April 81, 1910, in
the Athletics ball park in Philadelphia
I saw Langford deliberately refrain
from knocking out Stanley Ketchel.
seeing in that six round no decision
draw " fertile soil for n huge purse
later in California, where a finish fight
would have drawn 10000 spectators.
But Ketchel. who never saw the day
he could whip Langford. was shot and
killed less than six months late-, and
Sans cunning was IN vain.
Incidentally. Langford's admirers
must not deceive themselves that he
could ever have beaten Jack johnson.
johnson nearly murdered him in Bos.
ton in twelve rounds, n could have
repeated the performance any time.
Sam today is a spent meteor. He
has nothing left Of tho sums he fought
Tor. and IL making a living by boxing
occasionally and by helpGg prepare
other fighters In training ~ contests.
1.-THE next article will tell the