Evening star., 1930-06-03
DECLARED IN BEST
SHAPE OF CAREER
Appears More Capable and
Mature-AIso Is in Fine
Trim Mentally.
EDWARD J. NEIL,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

n RANGEBURG, N. Y, June
1 3.-The dining room of
~ Gus Wilson'S fight camp
was jammed with the
froth of the ring game-Sparring
partners, handlers, hangerS-on,
beer baronS and baronesSeS, visit
ors and curious neighbors, all
munching food and killing time
at the end of the warm, lazy day.
They were there because Jack Shar-
key. was on the premises training for
the climax of his third campaign for
the heavyweight championship. Some
of them-the sparring partners, for in
stance-had seen more of Sharkey than
they wanted. To the handlers he was
an old story, but for the remainder he
was the object of a long, dusty ride from
the city, the savage demi-god of the
prize ring that stirs the primeval in
ordinary citizens as nothing else in sport
can.
An itinerant Negro musician. strum-
ming his guitar and singing blues,
amused the eaters with his melodies
and annoyed them frequently by pass
ing his hat around for coins. Then
Sharkey, restless and Gagged by training,
lured by the music, Strolled into the
room.
"Give me that uke," he demanded.
Can Play and Sing.
Sharkey tilted his hat down over his
eyes, leaned a chair against the wall
and twanged a few chords. He was
providing the show the guests had been
waiting for.
He played "The st. Louis Blues"-
played 1t in way that Sl1amed even
the Negro's facile struhming. He
VH1n sd
good. Then in soft tenor voice he
sang the blues.
Sharkey tossed the instrument back
to the Negro, the show was over and
the curious were satisfied The house
cleared and he came across the room
to sit and talk fight, the thing that fills
his mind every minute of the day and
follows him to bed at night
Learned to play that thing in the
Navy" he said with big grin. Didn't
know I could sing tenor, huh? I'm not
so good in a quartet, but I can be
drafted
This Sharkey, priming for his June
IL battle with Max Schmeling, seems
more matured, calmer, better matured
and more capable than at any time in
career that has carried him twice
within one fight of the heavyweight
crown. He blew" a battle to Jack
Dempsey when he seemed to have we'll
in hand victory that would have
meant a match with Gene Tunney in
the man rnauler,s place In 1927 He
fought lazy fights against Johnny Risko
and Tom Heeney in the elimination
tournament to decide Tunney's final
title opponent and lost the nomination.
Is Fighting Machine.
He seems mentally and physically
right" for his third opportunity His
training has been uneventful and to-
day, 10 days before the 15-round test in
the Yankee Stadium, he is a marvellous
picture of fighting machine, heavier
than ever about the shoulders, thinner
through the legs and thighs the best
boxer in the heavyweight ranks, sharp,
Furnishing hitter. There hasn't been
single irritating incident in the prepara-
tory campaign to loose his hair-trigger
temperament.
The big problem Sharkey has always
faced-that Of controlling his own emo
tions, restraining himself so that he
nights sensibly-seemS a worry of the
past. He is buoyed by recent public ac-
claim, strengthened by the thought that
he is the American, defending the cham
pionship against an invading foreigner.
For five weeks" the Boston sailor
said I've been studying to hold myself
in check. When my sparring partners
hurt me, pay no attention and bopp
them with lefts. I won't lose my head
against Schmeling."
Sharkey is not Understanding the
German, but he has no great respect
for his fighting ability either. He will
pump left hands to Makes head, feint
him into leading rights and then try
to beat him to the punch, bob low and
weave with the Teuton If Schmeling
wants to fight that way.
IL -
the bunk. I'll fight him any way I
have to. And I'll lick him, Remember,
he's never faced the kind of a fighter
who'll be in there with him June 12."