New Britain herald., 1928-05-22
MANDELL RETAINS
HIS BOXING TITLE
0utpoints MCLarnin But Latter
Is LOn.Hartd

lightweight division still boasts the
same old rule-dapper, cleancut
Sammy Mandell-but if ever they
award titles for raw courage in the
prize ring, Irish Jimmy McLarnin
must be crowned king of them all.
For fifteen rounds under glazing
lights above ring pitched in the
heart OF the polo grounds the black
haired sheik from Rockford. Illinois.
slashed and tore last night at the
body and chin OF the McLarnin kid.
Let's that shot out with the sting
and drive of whip-lash cut about
Jimmy's face. Short right chops
closed his left eye, let's smothered
the other eye. and punches from
every direction brought a stream of
blood from his nose.
But there was one point Mandell,
the master, could not touch. No mat
ter how that dazzling ring general
poured his batteries into Jimmy's
head, crashed his hands to the body,
and ripped the lrishman's head back
with uppercuts, he never could reach
Jimmy's heart.
Decision Is Approved
There was not a dissenting voice
in the crowd Of less than $4,000
that gathered in the ball park for the
most important lightweight battle in
the past five years when the an
nouncer declared that Mandell still
was champion after Is rounds of
furious battling. But neither was
there a spectator who did not stand
and cheer the lion hearted effort of
the smuggling Celt to lift that crown
when McLarnin, a fistic sensation
| after he knocked out Sid Ferris in a
punch, dragged his tired. battered
body from the ring. For every one of
those IS rounds, McLarnin. hoping
always to land the smash that slowed
away the ghost of the ghetto, piled
| into the champion-and into a storm
of punches that battered his features
attack OF youngster who didn't
know what fear meant, kid with q
fighting heart that couldn't be
slaekened, the attack of q bull pup
into the Jaws Of fleet, slashing ter
rier.
A Glorious Effort
Jimmy's effort, a glorious thing to
watch, won him the plaudits of the
crowd and even the wholehearted
recognition of the champion himself.
But it gained him only three of the
Is rounds and carried him on even
terms with the titleholder in three
others.
Mandcll won nine rounds by wide
and convincing margins, but Nc
I.arnin, never giving up the ship al
though blind on one side and rapidly
losing sight on the other, made his
most gallant sorties in the last two
rounds. K
The right that drummed once on
ferris chin and ended that fight
abruptly seemed to bother Mandell
but little. Fleet and tireless Sammy
shot McLarnin's face full of left jabe
from the opening gong, tied up the
challenger in most of the clinches
and splashed merciless right chops
on Jimmy's head almost at will.
There we're times when it seem
ed that Jimmy must go down. that
even a youthful body as rugged a.
the sturdy cl4allenger's must benG
under the fusillade of gloves that
fairly smothered him. Then it was
that McLarnin called for extra
!, | CT - n hnrs
; through those cutting punches t.
tear at the body of the titleholder.
Always Was Game
The lion heart of the Irishman al
ways responded. After losing thu
: first four rounds, at times appearing
so crude that Mandell held his fore
; head with one hand and pasted hin
with the other, McLarnin came bacl
to take the fifth and even the sixth OF
sheer aggressiveness and courage
; Jimmy hammered both hands cease
lessly into Mandell's body and slow
ed him up.
, Jimmy's cause was hopeless in tn
face OF the champions power, whel
. he hammered in again to even tn
y ninth and win the tenth. Only
knockout could win the title afte
Mandell slashed and tore the chal
: lenger through the next three round
j. out then it was that McLarnil
fought hardest of all to gain tn
fourteenth round and to end hi
D. title try. almost blind. bleeding pro
! fusely from the nose, in a gallan
= last ditch struggle in the fina
round.
TO critics about the ringside it ap
peared that McLarnin, despite hi
} sensational record and punchin
power made his bid for the chan,
pionship too soon. He could not cop
with Mandell in ring generalship. II
couldn't match his speed and {
times his boxing ability WAS almo.
pitif01 in com parison with that {
, the blackhaired Italian from IL
G midwest. Jimmy plans to wait yea
8 before trying again.
y, When the battle was over and IL
radio beckoned the titlcholder, WI
@ has defended his crown only twice
three years his first words We're IL
g the loser:
ManucII'> Tribute
Gee, I'm tired said Sammy.
fought the gameSt man ! ever face
I'm stiIl the cham pion, but the ne,
lig htwcight king will be Jimmy Nj
Larnin.'
I And Jimmy. soaking his bruist
I head and punch-shut eyes in j.
. water in his dressing room, hop.
. Sammy spoke the truth. But the ne
/ time he promised to bring to the ba
tie ground something besides d figh
ing heart, something of the craft al
/, ringmanship that whipped him
- mercilessIy last night.
a JApS PLAY HARVARD
I