San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-06


Service. Inc.I
Paul Berlenbach, Electromagnetic
champion of the world, has been
selected for rather a unique honor,
one that will surprise those who re-
gard the Astoria Ok as a clumsy, in
elegant ringman.
He is to be the subject of
painting by Mr. Sidney Dickinson,
an artist of ability and note, and
who knows but one day Punch 'em
Paul's picture may hang in the
Metropolitan, or some other great
art gallery for posterity to see, and
marvel at.
The pictures of Luis Angel Firpo,
the Wild Bull of the Pampas, and
Jack Dempsey, have been displayed
in the Metropolitan, the painting of
their battle at the Polo Grounds be-
ing one Of the features of the ex-
hibition Of the marks of the late
George Bellows there not long ago.
Bellows pugilstic paintings have
become rather famous, especially his
impression of the Titantic struggle
between the Wild Bull and the
Manassa Man Mauler, but that's all
it is-an impression. Bellows paid
no great attention to the technique
Of pugilism, and the deeper thinkers
of the Manly Art Of Scramblng Ears
would criticise his work for many
little errors.
Bellows just slapped on an i'm
preston Of mighty sprawling CRAP
pie as his idea of a pugilstic en-
counter, and folks said it was great.
| have no doubt it is. However, Mr..
Joe McGurk, with his pen and ink,
can stick more action, while adher-
ing to technique, into picture of a
ring battle than Bellows could.
If that be hearsay, make the most
of it.
Mr.. Dickinson has picked Paul
Berlenbach as the best pugilistic
type of the present day, as l gather.
| am not an artist and my artistic
ideas are very crude, but L am in
clined to agree with Mr.. Dicken-
son.
Berlenbach, stripped for action,
has always struck me as most i'm
pressive tigure-a typical fighting
man Of the Marquis of Queensbury
realm. He has a dark, almost olive
colored skin, black hair, and thick,
black, beetling eyebrows. He has
powerful, hairy arms and chest, is
thin-flanked and has well shaped but
very strong looking legs.
His expression is impassive, stolid
if you will, but in his eyes as he
marches to the fray is a relentless
glover. Put steel helmet on Ber-
lenbach's round head, and coat of
mail around him, and he would be
one of those crusaders of old to the
very life.
In the ring he looks every inch the
fighting man, implacable, powerful.
Outside the ring, Punch EN- Paul
il not SO impressive. No artist would
be apt to pick him out Of a. crowd as
a type of gladiator, though they
might select him for study of a
nice amiable peasant Of some village
in the Alps.
Berlenbach, out of the ring, is
what is termed in the elegant
language Of the Manly Art of
Scramb Ears as a dead cold throw
off. That is to say, he has not the
slightest appearance Of what he is.
When he removes his clothes, and
puts on his old black fighting trunks,
and the raw gloves. he is different
picture-and n different mon. He
is moulded magnificently. he is built
for fighting. | think he is. physical
ly. one of the finest looking speci-
mems Of humanity l have ever seen
in. the ring.
Berlenbach, when he first began
his pugilistic career, was somewhat
muscle-bound, due to his experience
as an amateur wrestler. 1t was
necessary for old Dan1 Hickey, his
manager, and developer. to patiently
build an entire new set Of muscles
on the Astoria Ok.
The muscles used in wrestling are
quite different from those used IN
boxing. BY systematic exercise, old
DnnI Hickey did away with the
fied-uu muscles in Berlenbach's
frame. and reconstructed the boxing
muscles now aa soft and silky as the
SHOWS of q cat.
The expert on boxing. the fellow
who likes perfection in all the little
details of the game. cannot see Bcr-
lcnbach as great ringman. Inc
Astoria OK does not come up to his
captious ideas OF boxer; he lacks
grace and skill.
But you ask anyone who goes to
what we. politely call boxing bouts,
Just to get thrill, and who pro-
fesses no, knowledge of the finer
points of the game, their idea of a
fighter. and they will tell you Paul
Berlenbach.
Ask any woman. Somehow the
ladies seem to get a tremendous
kick" out Of Berlenbach's fighting.
He is not handsome by any means,
but j presume he comes up to their
preconceived notions of n fighting
man. He simply wades in and fights.
lie gives an impression Of force and
fury that seems to appeal to the fair
ones.
You can hear them sduealing ex-
citedly all over the premises any
night Berlenbach is fighting.
One Of the most graceful Of our
present day fighters in physical
kslild, and manner. is Ovila Chapde-
laine. otherwise Jack Delaney, the
Rapier of the North. However, you
would never call Delaney typical
fighting man in appearance in the
ing. He lacks Berlenbachs sugges-
ION of caveman violence.
Micky Walker has magnificent