Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-02
Retiring Champions I'LL Seem to Haze a
Weakmess for Trying to Pick Young
! Hopefub as Their Logical Successors to
{ Fame and Title, but Records ShO9U That
E Little of This Pet Talent E0er Li0es Up
to the Predicted Greatness.

licking 'em is different from punch
ing 'em. Thus it happens strangely
I enough that most of the great stars
of sports able to outshine the field in
their own performances have Topped
dismally in judging new talent.
The protege who basked in reflected star
light have almost always curled up and died
when exposed to the more pitiless spotlight.
Great sport stars have a habit of making
extravagant claims for their proteges. But
usually they find the phenoms folding up
on them and nothing left for themselves but
an engraved certificate of membership in the
Lemon Pickers' Association.
You'd think Jack Sharkey, the Cabling Cob
would know a heavyweight walloper when he
saw one. Sharkey is not merely puncher.
He is ring-wiSe and fast with both hands and
feet. He has made deeper study of the
technique Of battling than the average modern
Tingster.
on such basis, you'd think he would choose
as his protege somebody who would cut wide
swath among the heayieS
RUT the Cabling Cob has been disillusioned.
He was sure he could pick EN- right
And in Joe Vincha he was positive he was
sponsoring a future heavyweight champion.
Vincha did Q little boxing in his native
Lithuania, but only amateur. He de-
cided America was the golden haven for sock
u
bling enough money to deposit him in the land
of his Dreams but finally he stepped on Amer
lean terra hrma at New York City.
1t was logical that Vincha should make him.
self and his mission known to Jack Sharkey.
The Cabling Cob is of Lithuanian extraction.
Sharkey has not been in the habit of pick
ing proteges. Vincha Is his first offense, but
he's likely to be the last
When the Lithuanian amateur introduced
himself, the latter ordered a workout.
NNCHA showed impressively. Like many
" Differs who are buStS in bona flde action,
he was a WOW in rehearsals. Sharkey was
fascinated. Here was heavyweight who had
q punch and who was speedy with hands and
feet. An uncut hstic gem, in Sharkey's opinion.
Sharkeys manager, Johnny Buckley, was
called into consultation. Buckley was also
enthused. He felt he had within his grasp
another big money maker. The protege could
be nursed along for about two years, and then
primed for the big shots
After Sharkey had worked out with Vincha
practically every day for about four months
and had polished off some of the rough spots
the strategy board decided to give Vincha his
professional start.
The debut under very suspicious circum-
stances. Within several rounds Vinchas OPP
ponent sank gently to sleep, and public procla-
nation was made by Sharkey, Buckley ct al.
tLldL LleIe was bA1G OAAiCLdA pHlil VI q COlLAhiS
champ. When Sharkey would be ready to for
sake the heavy sugar he would have protege
70 step right into his footwear.
So it was all settled.
With Sharkey directing his movements In
the ring and daily giving instructions in work.
outs, there seemed a rosy hstic future for Joe
Vncha, the Lithuanian Larruper.
Vincha triumphed SO easily in two preliminary
bouts, the strategy board arranged to display
him in his first main bout. The members of
the board made q survey of the heavyweights
and chose Tiger Tom Dixon of Dover, N H.,
as the sacrifice. It was expected that Dixon
might be allowed to stay vertical for half the
scheduled 10 rounds because the bout was
booked for his home town. But that would be
hll.
In his workouts Vincha hattened several
veteran heavieS and also stung his mentor.
1t was a hard task TO induce other millers to
work out with him.
IA CCOMPANIED by Sharkey, Buckley and Al
Lacey, Sharkeys trainer, Vincha drove
over the Dover road, and when he climbed into
the ring he had taken n leaf out of his
every pore.
Vincha went out In the first round to end
the fray pronto Dixon apparently figured HIM
self without a chance of beating this highly
boosted phenom, so he worked under wraps
for the first session. Vincha the aggressor,
and he went to his corner at the close OF the
ehapter sure he would finish his adversary
within several more rounds