Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1924-08-09

(By Frank G. Menke, Copyright 1874
by King Features Syndicate, lnc)
A church deacon seems destined to
give Harry Greb the worst clubbing the
m:ddleweight champion has expetienc'
a.. in his fistic lifetimt.
1t happens August 14tn, in Fremont,
Ohio. The deacon, when not proceeding
about his religious duties devotes his
odd moments t. walloping folks in the
prize rings of the nation He is thu
greatest middleweight in the worlj, 10
day.
The tragic feature of that due. N
Fremont. from the Flowers viewpoint
lies in the fact that it's ten rounds-no'
decision. Flowers therefore, cannot
achieve anything beyond unneeded pres
tige unless he knocks out the man VINO
fought Tom Gibbons, Bill Brennan, Kid
Norfolk Billy Miske, Gene Tunney-
and a hundred otherS-and never was
flattened.
Flowers gets practically nothing IN
the way of financial enrichment TOT
that fight Greb has been guaranteed
big sum. The expenses are huge. Ana
Flowers does not receive a single dol
lar until after all expenses have been
paid. If the promoters take in enough
money to clear expenses they will nave
"gate" that cracks all records for
small towns. A super gate is neces'
sary to enable Flowers to get pork
chop money.
So this Negro church deacon, who has
won his last 10 fights, and never lost
q referees or popular decision in his
life. must knock out Greb to make any
real gain for himself in such an en-
counter. Merely whipping Greb in
every round, which is extremely likely
won't gain him anything.
Greb cannot lose title unless he is
flattened. If Greb is beaten by tell
miles. but remains on his feet, it's
plausible cinch that Greb never will
give Flowers a shot at him again in
decision battle. Greb isn't that dumb
So Flowers must knock out Greb to be
a real victor.
Flowers should whip Greb-unless
the referee assists Greb to point
where he climbs into the ring with
shotgun and uses it on Flowers in the
most dangerous moments for Greb.
Many insist that victory for Flowers
in the way of popular decision ougtrl
TO help him. But it won't. Already
there are 80 brave and daring middle
weights and light heavies and heavy
weights in the world who will flight
anybody-except Flowers.
Jeff Smith great though he is, can't
be lured into mingling with Flowers
Paul Berlenbach won't fight Flowers
Larry Estridge, Negro middleweight
champion. repeatedly has refused 70
mix it with Flowers. Mike McTigua
won't fight him. BARLEY Madden. wlo
went 15-rounds with Harry Wills. re-
fuses to fight Flowers The brave Gene
Tunney lodged Flowers. Johnny VIII
son. ex-champ of the middies. refused
matches with Flowers. Jack Delaney
will not meet Flowers. Panama Joe
Cans met Flowers about once. He
swore he'd never fight him again.
So here is a definite case in pugilism
where fighter cannot get work be-
cause he is Too Great, not only in his
own class but in the two classe" be-.
yond it.
In no instance, in any of the chal-
lenges Flowers has hurled has he made
any purse demands or exacted a single
condition from his opponents. He has
been willing that they get the guaran-
tee and that he take a percentage Of
what is left.
He will fight any distance. any place
let the opponent name his own referee
and has fought-and whipped men
ranging up from his own poundage of
15S. to 220.
And no man that ever fought the Ne
gro ever said other than that Flowers
was the cleanest and most honorable
ringman he ever faced. Again. and
again. warriors cut to ribbons by Flow
ers. have resorted to fouling Frequent
~ referees have tried to award the vic
Tory to Flowers then. But he always re
fused. when it was officially possible
Tor him to do so, and insisted that the
fight go on.
Flowers a southpaw, Is the fastest
man in Kingdom today-faster than the
swiftest moving flyweights anr han
tams. He is the most rv"lonic warrior
beyond the featherwetght class and
has been called "The Fighter With a
Million Fists
That's the man Greb meets in Ere
mont Ohio. on August 14th Unless the
referee which Greb insists he shall!
name, handouts Flowers in the full
est sense of the word Flowers should
give Greb the worst beating the liam
pion has taken in his lifetime.
" Andf if Flowers can force Greb into
open and smuggling warfare, it would
rot be surprising if the dark face of q
church deacon nugilist peered out from
the middleweisht throne on the morn
ing of August 18th.