The Washington times., 1929-06-11
JACK CALLS
BURKE
GOOD
By Jack Dempsey

BY Jack Dempsey
Marty Burke has hung up
iAle mittens and now has be-
come the "big shot" promoter
in New Orleans. And so
passes from action a man who
had everything needed to climb
to the championship every
thing except willingness to
train and sayagery In his
battles.
No finer fellow ever stepped
within the ropes than Marty Burke
the game never knew q sweeter or
more noble character. To win wal
always his urge, as it is that Of
ever athlete. But Marty Burke was
the kind Of man who rather would
have lost than to have achieved
triumph by any means other than
the most honorable.
Marty was among my earilesI
sparrIng partners. He had JUST
graduated from the amateur class
ana 10 when he came to me, !
served in something Of the role O
teacher. ! wasn't very soft hearIea
III those days, ] had plenty g
speed ana zip in my punches ana
lots Of the youthful vigor. And
Marty was only a novice.
Vet even then he had . fine
defense, he had . keen ring
brain, and he could hit with
joEting force and take them -
wen as any men I ever knew
n . tRaining camp.
He impressed me then as q cinch
to win the light heavyweight cham.
nionshfn Of the world. dtdn {
80 how he could miss. But ne dtd
miss because life was . laugh and
=. lark to him ana training, OF
mora than spasmodic kind was
torture that he would not endlssa
So fight after fight. Burke cltmpec
into action. with I fresh shave and
a new haircut as the main evidences
of condition. He wasn't the KIND
that dissipated between fights. he
was the Kid who liked loafing-
plenty OF that. And he ioafed him
SELF out of the glory that comes .e
champions.
They called him "a second Bot
Fitzsimmons' because he wa
freckled and sandy haired. and oe'
cause his build was as freaklsh al
the great Cornishman' long
spindly, legs. light wasted, long
arms and q powerful upper body
Although ne notched trifle better
than six feet, Marty Burke nevei
bulked as high as 175 and his nor
NAL warning weight was l6S.
Yet he fought men Of all sizes
and eod0r, met them anywhere
that q battle was offered. ana :
even let them use their own
referee. Unframed for most Of
his fights because he was > play.
boy who consistently played tru.
ant frOsn conditioning camps
Marty'S shOwingS were absO'
lutely remarkable.
Men Of his olsn poundage lodged
him, So Marty had to mix 1t with
men who outbulked him from II
so pounds. And yet only two meE
ever flattened him. One was Bot
Martin, at 4 time when Marty lacked
experience. Marty evened accounts
some years later by knocking Out
Martin. The only other man tt
apply the sleep punch was Young
Striblipg.
Marty mixed it twice with Gene
Tunney and lost both decisions by
a scant margin; he took on tho
giant George Godfrey, while tbs
rest Of the world was ducking the
BLACK Menace" he fought CHUCK
Virgins. Harry -Greb. BARLEY Mad
den, Johnny Risko. Fred Fulton
Ole Anderson, Willie Meehan. Bof
Roper, Farmer Lodge, Billy Miske
Billy Shade, Charlie Weinert, Tom
my Loughran, Otto Won Porat
George Cook, Ray Neuman, Bis
Boy Paterson, Romero Rojas. and
| scores of others.
He won decisions in 43 Of hii
| fights and added 20 more victoriei
with knockout wallops.
Because he lOafed and played
around between fights. Burke
lost . lot not because Of On.
feFiOrity bat because Of lack Of
condition.
And therein lies the tragedy o.
Marty Burke'g career because thers
was never a more llon.hearted
gamer or more punch.proof warrioI
at his weight since Bob FitZsim
mons was in his prime.
His chance to win a title is for
ever gone. For his ring days arr
but memories. However, in his new
field. Marty Burke should be I
tremendous success. He know.
fighting and he knows fighters
He Is natural matchmaker. An(
he is clean and honest, and a mar
whose spoken word is better thar
| plenty Of bonds.
Copyright. 1929. King Features
Syndicate. 1nc.b
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