The Washington times., 1927-09-17
MATES
Of GENE
BEST
BY Kirk Miller
sports Editor. The Tines

Sports Editor, The Times
CHICAGO, ILL.,, Sept. 17.-After
having seen Gene Tunney work
once, and his challenger. for the
night OF September ~ perform
twice, for the benefit Of the trained
eyes which have been imported
from every nook and Granny OF the
world, your proxy is thoroughly
convinced OF one thing and that
isn't two.
We believe Tunney has a far
superior staff Of sparring partners
to Jack Dempsey's. in fact we would
almost 60 so far as to say that
any Of the champions piaymates il
worth the whole batch Of those
lettering around Lincoln Fields.
In the first place. Tunney,s
neighbors step in there and ruffle
him up and give him something of
the jouncing he may expect from
Jack Dempsey come Thursday o.
m. next.
With only three men with sur.
ficient stamina to even stay In 4
ring with him, including Jackie
Williams who yesterday opened I'm
an old cut which Chuck Virgins
gave Gene last week, Virgins him.
self and Billy Vidabeck. it occurs
to as that Tunney has surrounded
himself with men who are not
afraid to hit their boss" brand
of sparring partners little known
in the pugilistic racket.
All except Virgins are light
heayies and Chuck is heavy
who fights Gene Just as II he
hoped some day he would sup
plant him on the heavyweight
throne.
on the other paw. out at Lincoln
Fields where Jack Dempsey is
working nightly under a cluster Of
calcium, the teammates are for
the most part too slight to do Jack
any damage, their main merit be-
ing they are shifty and afford
Dempsey fast moving targets with
which he has little trouble keeping
abreast.
No one Of them ever thinks Of
spelling Dempsey's reshaped nose
and you couldn't expect any CT
them. with the exception Of Benny
Kruger, who is nearer Dempsey's
size. to let such q thought enter
their minds.
Tunney, who Is ever doing the
unexpected, agreeabiy surprised the
waiting multitudes gathered on the
modern shore OF Galilee by appear
ing an hour earlier than announced.
This gesture is the only thing in
the world which made it possible
for some Of the more ambitious
correspondent To take Id both
camps ID one day, instead Of one.
Outstanding improvements IN
Genes work, ID Impressed yOuf
ambassador. included . better
stance. Gene fights more on his
toes than D year ago and Is sell
dom caught flatfOOted when .
blow Is impending either way.
We took particular notice too.
Of Tunney's legs. Here Is an
Important item ii the training
0f any fighter. We are able 20
report they are shapley and
muscular and respond 20 every
movement Of an opponent.
This was particularly noticeable
III his workout with Billy Vida
heck who bObs and weaves and
ducks and darts much on the
order Of the gentleman whom
Tunney Is training to meet.
TO us Tunney Is not vet through
growing. Although he Is 2D, he ID
He Is beginning to look like q fighter
at last. some 81 his severest critics
year ago couldn't see Ttlnney
mainly because he didn't look the
part OF his profession. He's begin.
ming to play his part well, even to
the extent Of looking vicious at
times and there Is no doubt that
he's developing great power behind
his right as well as his welI- known
and justly famous left.
He Is going to take a vacation to.
day vacations having been such IN
important item III the training
menus Of both fighters hut Demp-
sey Is expected to accommodate
with gestures and motions while
Leo Prudence Penny Flynn looks
on with q whip in either hand.
Outside Of the usual bag punch-
ing and four-mile stroll with
jerry the faithful; Dempsey rot In
three rather spirited rounds FOR
the edification 0f visiting Scriveners
in the cool OF last evening. The
delega ate-authors are pretty vel
split as to which fighter Is iii bet
Ter trim and which is more likely
to win. Even money talk was
about the only proof Of their con.
victions and at that the market
was quite slow and sluggish.
Roy Williams, the first vic
tim, spent three minutes try
Ing to slip punches through Mr..
Dempsey's guard and Jack kept
him off besides easing over q
few of his own manufacture.
Allentown Joe Cans went at
Dempsey in the next set.to with
the apparent purpose OF left. jabbinr
Dempsey as Tunney may we'll be
expected to attempt. but before
the mill was FAR advanced Cans
was cornered and popped ad lib bv
Dempsey.
QUlCkSTEPS BOOKED
The Arlington All.Stars win en-.
tertain the Green Valley Quicksteps
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