Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-23


Johnny Dundee considers the bath
robe that he sUOre the night of his first
fight his good-luck faIisnan, and he
always scears the tattered garment into
the ring.
the rest period, he would kneel on one knee and
mutter some words over the doll. He would
keep this position until an instant before tina
bell, when he would intrust the doll to his man
ager until the next one-mnute period He
carried the doll out of the ring after every
fight.
Although the superstition may have been
priceless asset, 1t is q matter Of record that on
one occasion It proved costly. During fight
in France. an opponents manager protested
against Johnnys kneeling performance. The
Frenchman claimed that in kneeling Johnny
was getting resin ON his gloves. The referee
then told Summers he would have to stop the
act Summers claimed that his gloves were
free of the floor at all times and that he was
within his rights. When Johnny continued to
kneel after the referees third warning he was
disqualified by the officials In charge. The
end came in the nth round. after Johnny
had annexed a comfortable lead Notwith-
standing the fact that his refusal to give mp
the superstition cost him victory. Johnny
never considered dropping it. 1t remained
with him TO the end OF his fighting days.
The kneeling position adopted by Summers
brings to mind q fighter who had considerable
faith in the power of prayer. Tiger Deacon)
Flowers, the Negro performer who once held
the middleweight throne. The late Flowers,
who was deacon, prayed in his dressing room
before every fght He always held the opinion
that he was helped immensely by the act.
Battling Slid. the big Senegalese, never would
go into training until he surrounded himself
with a variety OF animals. The giant Negro
ia x-.~4S
cation OF future good fortune. He favored
anything from barking dog to a liberty loving
monkey. Part of his quarters could have
been mistaken being section of a menag-
erie.
In his strange and mysterious way, the eccen-
trio Sikh never would offer any explanation
for his surprising actions. Regardless of the
frequent protests Of his manager and handlers.
Sikh carried this superstition until death.
Gentleman Gene Tunney, retired heavy
weight champion Of the world, who had q
way and win of his own, never would enter
the ring first! Tunney always unanswered
things that his opponent preceded him into
the ring.
Tunney kept to this plan at all times, even
when he was in the role of challenger. On
the night of his second fight with the late
Harry Greb-Harry was the American light
heavyweight champion by virtue of q victory
over Tunney the previous year-Gene forced
the champion to enter the ring first! He
won the fight and regained the tile. too.
COME keen followers of fsic events were Of
the opinion that Genes plan was more
than mere superstition: that IN reality 1t was
q method of gaining psychological advantage.
1t Is a known fact that the first man TO enter
the ring especially If he is one Of nervous tenn
permanent, feels uneasy before the concentrated
gaze Of the crowd; that the seconds OF waiting
do the fighter more harm than good.
Regardless Of the fact that Gene may or
may not have gained any advantage through
his method. the fact remains that he was one
Of the few men In the history Of the game
who made champion step into the ring frst.
And what Tight fan that has been fortunate
enough to view Benny Leonard's chewing-gum
habit win ever forget IL? Let us 60 back
dozen years or so and once again watch the
tAvorite stunt of the man who earned favorable
comparison with Joe Cans, the Old Master.
There comes Leonard down the aisle
chewing vigorously on q piece OF gum as he
greets his wen wishers. Into the ring ne
climbs 's sim chewing on that piece of gum.
syys1ining - ip his corner now
',sIl chewing that gum. nj. instant before
the ben sounds Benny removes the gum trvl.
his mouth and pastes 1t on the ring postl
The fight is on = second round
>" fourth round = = final round Leonard
rishes to the post, removes the gum and places
it again in his mouth = The chewing gum
act is on once more = 1t remains through
out the undressing. shower bath and dressing
procedure 1t win probably continue until he
retires for the night.