The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-04-12
Louis De PONIH|EU
CREDITED FOR RISE
OF SPIDER PLADNER
Louis Himself, Before World
War, Was Most Promising
French Fighter
NOW HE'S FAT AND FORTY
Andre Routis, Now Feather
Weight Title. Holder, Also
Coached by Vet
BY MINOTT SAUNDERS

Paris, April 12.-After many years
Of ring work and In face of some un-
usual tricks Of fate, Louis de Ponthieu
has at last realized the ambition Of
his life, that of winning for France q
worlds boxing title.
Fat and 10, and with only one arm.
Louis didn't batter his way to the
top himself. But he gave all his
science and ring wisdom to Emile
Spider" Pladner, the 22-year old
French lad who knocked out frankie
Genaro in So seconds for the fly
weight championship. Pladner prob
ably is the most complete boxer ever
developed In France and he owes
practically everything to de Ponthieu.
Once Ring Hope
Before the outbreak Of the war In
1914, Louis de Fonthieu was the most
promising of French boxers. The
game was not very good here then
and boxing was looked upon as for
cign art. Louis won several fights In
Europe and went to the United
States, where he hoped to get world
title. He fought such men as Battling
Nelson and Maty Baldwin, but never
quite got to the top. He was tough
and able to take it, but he was also
fast and clever and q great ring gen.
eral. One of his drawbacks was his
short-sightedncss, which compelled
him to fight chiefly in close quarters.
The war put an end to Louis hopes
for five years. He served in the
French army, but as soon as the war
was over he went back to the ring
and tried to make up for lost time.
Then came a day when he was slated
for an important bout and he was
suffering from painful boils. He re-
fused to postpone the fight. but dur
ing the mixing he was badly hurt on
the sore spots. AS a result. blood
poisoning developed in his left arm
and 1t had to be amputatcd.
Old de Ponthieu Recalled
Out of the game himself, Louis
turned his attention to training and
took over group Of fighters. One
Of his charges was Andre Routis, now
worlds featherveight champion. but
it was III Pladner that he placed his
highest hopes. He told friends two
years ago that he thought he had
worlds champion in the boy and he
nursed him along carefully.
Today Pladner'S vicious hooks and
boring-in tactics recall the old de
Ponthieu at his best, and when PLAID
ner flattened Genaro with one punch
Louis was as happy about 1t as was
the boy himself. AS soon as the
count was over they went into
clinch, with much furious kissing of
cheeks.
AS regarded by French experts.
Pladner's climb to the top was much
easier than the road Louis lad to
travel before the war. It is hard to
tell just how good Pladner is because
the American boxers that have been
coming to Europe have been disap-
pointing. The French lad made both
Izzy Schwartz and frankie Genaro
look like third-raters. Izzy lasted
twelve rounds, but was behind all the
way and was lucky to survive. What
happened to frankie is still q mys-
terry, unless that right hand punch
to the pit Of the stomach was an
awful wallop. Many who saw it be-
lieved it went into a very weak
stomach.
Pladner plans to remain in Europe,
taking on all Corners, until business In
the United States shows signs Of