The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-11-03
TALKING
ITOvER
By JOE WILLIAMS


ATEW YORK. Nov. 3.-There is to
IN be a prize fight in the Gar
den tonight in which apparently
there is something more than a
modicum Of public interest. This
comes under the head Of news. For
weeks on end the fights in the Gar
den have interested no one aside
from the matchmaker, the fighters
and the ushers, all Of whom were
naid to be interested.
The hght tonight involves two very good
.stherweights-Kid Chocolate, the Elashy
,.uban, and Fidel La Bar5a. the Bronx
-orn California italian. am told neither
II these Young gents is mixed up with
.he racketeering crowd which has moved
in 10 manipulate the sport in the Metro
rolls and that nothing but honest and
honorable fists will be thrown tonight
This likewise comes under the head Of
rews.
chocolate Is the most interesting battler
in the game at present. an eve ming PIC
ture IN action. sharp counter pu41yc s-sls
nav have enough on the knuckles 70 peat
him but I doubt it,. There Is concerning
hate 70 see these gifted persons smacked
around.
The garden press agent is billing the
eight as the unofficial featherweight cham
pionship. These days you have to stop
and oudgel your bean before you can
,ecoIsct who is the champion in any
division.
THE official featherweight cham
j pion happens to be a gent
named Bat Battalino. There is moth
ing about the fact that the cham
pion is comparatively unknown
while Chocolate and La Barba are
internationally distinguished. That's
The way the racket goes now.
Il
BattaIino took the title away from the
worm out Andre Routis year or 50 ago,
and since that time he has been nursing
II along in over the weight matches, and
not doing any too well for aihssslf even
against mediocre opposition.
Il Il
Championship don't mean thing an. any
dime a dozen, Fighters Of the type Of
vsar alter YEAR and oTtdraw the titled
Battalinos until the cow come home.
They always pay of on cls'+
z q
As far back as Packey BicFarland's day
championship was not essential TO box
office popularity. The Chicagoan was one
Of the greatest lightweights that ever
pulled on the feathers, yet he never fought
for the championship. He took the stand
that IL was more trouble than It was
worth.
T ABARA is an interesting char
IL acter. He started as a news
boy on the coast. His first fame
came when he won an Olympic
championship as an amateur. At
the height of his career as q pro-
fessional he quit the ring to go to
college. He is managed by the
gentlemanly George Blake, one Of
the few great referees still hanging
around.
Blake discovered and developed La
Barba. HIS interest in him is something
more than monetary. When La Barba
came to him and revealed his urge to go
TO college, Blake shook him by the hand
and said: That's the smartest decision
you ever made It may be. of course.
the ears. Most managers would have
gene out and burned the college, or at
least put M. stubborn fight against los
ine their meal ticket.
La Barba went through the freshman
class at Stanford and then came back
to the ring. There's story in that.
Il wasn't sure was doing the right
thing" says Ia Barba. II got to know
a number Of the professors intimately,
and they used to talk with me about my
future. think they were pleased to know
that ! was interested in getting a college
education but they couldn't understand
why ! was passing up an already estab-
Iishsd career that promised big cash re-
turns. They seemed to think I ought to
20 back TO the ring and build Up bank
account ana then turn my attention 10
Books. They had heard q lot about fight
ars being punched around the head until
they became mentally dizzy. and I sus-
rect their private opinions Of my intelli-
-snce we're a bit low.
Z =
~One day I harmed that a certain pro-
lessor, o very learned gentleman, for
whom had great admiration vas max
ing only $4,000. or quite 2 bit less than
! used to get for an ordinary fight |
was shocked to discover that fine
academic mind carried such a meager cash
valuation. SO I decided that maybe the
smart thing to DO after ell was TO take
up the gloves again and 60 after the
money"
CHOCOLATE will enter the ring
~ tonight at S-to-5 in the betting,
though the Broadway sharpsteTs,
recalling the close battle between
the two frying sizers some months
back, are stringing along with the
reformed Stanford freshman.
Il
La Barba hopes 10 win tonight and then
lure Battallno into big money fight,
,ft.r ~rhf-b Re NAV decfda To quit again