The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-08
GARCIA AND
!, BURNBROOK
| DISPLAY CLASS
Only a Biz Of Seasoning Need
ed to Put Them in Champion
/ ship Class, Declares Expert.
BY JAMES ]. CORBETT.
(copyri9ht, 1928. by King Features
Syndicate. Inc.)

(c0pyri9ht, 1919, by King Features
Syndicate. Inc.l
"HE army OF the u. s. A. ma,
produce fistic champion o.
the universe-maybe two o.
Aem-witlin another year or SO.
II handled as painstakingly dur
ing the next six months as he has
been since last summer, Bobby
Garcia undoubtedly win reach
crack at the champion will de
prive him from ascending the
throne of featherweights.
And Eddie Burnbrook. his bunkie
from Camp Holabird. near Balti'
more, needs even less seasoning.
A few more fights and then, IL they
toss Eddie against Mickey Walker.
tnere'H be plenty OF backing for
the soldier boy in the betting marts.
There is much that Is remark.
able about both boys-and most
remarkable Of all Is that they just
recently re-enlisted 20 serve another
three years in the army.
Their action was taken at
time when both had reached rather
prominent pfnnacles In pugdom-
rather brilliantly upon the fistic
horizon. Certain fight managers
tried to influence both boys to
quit the army and devote all their
time to ffsticuffing.
But they heed the urge Of pa.
triotisn1-and the advice OF Jimmie
Bronson, manager of Bob Martin.
who IL guiding their pugilistic des-
tinies.
BOYS ARE CONFTDING.
"We'd rather stick in the army
ana do our professional boxing
when we can get short furloughs. .
the boys confided to Bronson.
That's the idea" applauded
Bronson. And that has been the
programme. Both boys have be-
Atlantic seaboard and could work
somewhere at least twice 4 week.
But they work at glove fighting
less often than that because, with
thenas their first love and their
9irst duty Is the army.
Garcia and Burnbrook are pupils
OF Captain Charles Mabbutt, who
was athletic director at Holahird
for long time. He taught them
the rudiments Of the game and
developed them slowly but with
surety to perfect physical condition
and to ever increasing skill.
When Mabbutt was transferred
to the army camp near Norfolk.
the task Of carrying on their tutor
1ng tell TO Sergeant William HOPPE,
who. with Bronson. has seconded
the boys III Gil their battles.
CUT EN- LOOSE.
Ne only since late last summer
that the boys really have been cut
loose in real professional battles.
Before then they did most OF their
boxing against military boys, dur.
ing which tussles each hoy first won
the army championship and then
annexed the service title by de-
featihg the Nays title holder.
!. Garcia Is . trifle more spectacu-
lar than Burnbrook, but Eddie so
far has demonstrated the greater
crashing power. When Burnbrook
hits he comes mighty close to
crushing. His record IL studded
with knockout triumphs. many
scored over men who never before
had hit the canvas.
I Garcia reminds many Of Benny
Leonard in Benny's earlier days.
He's as fast as a streak, elusive
on defense, clever and with a great
pair of legs. Like Leonard, he
Isn't one-puneh finisher. Rather.
he breaks down his foeman's re-
instance by staggering wallops and
then, having taken the fight out
Of his man, rushes to finish him.
The feather still has to learn the
trick Of shortening his punch q
trifle. That's a fault with most
Garcia, q keen stud
ent, has rapidly and il gradually
getting away from, the swings and
Strengthening out his drives.
CAN TROT HIM OUT.
When he has acquired that
knack, and has a few more fights
to season him, they can trot forth
Johnny Kilbane to meet q foe
man worthy of his steel.
Burnbrook just now il a more
finished fighter than Garcia. He
II about as fast as Bobby, pre-
haps a BIT more clever, with the
added advantage Of knowing more
than Garcia about the art of
straight punching. Burnbrook has
reached a point where he REQUIRES
little more than a few battles to
rank him as a real menace to the
reign Of the weller champion of
the world.
Before snow flies again, Garcia
and Burnbrook should reach such
= point where the only thing that
VIII keep them from grabbing
crowns for their domes will be fear
prompted by refusal of the exist
ing chamniona tn meet fbar,