The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-22
TO-day's Sports
 Parade
By HENRY McLEMORE United Press Staff COrresnonslcnt

ttnited Press Stan Correspondent
 New York, July 22.-UP)-If Edward Patrick Walker--Mickey 10 you-is knocked kicking by Jack Sharkey tonight the last of what might be called the "old guard' will have been rubbed off the boxing landscape. For Mickey, even though he just turned 30 a few days ago. Is the last surviving link between the present and those good old days when champions were champions and had enough color to paint q twO-story house. Or, in Jack Dempsey's case, enough for the house and q couple of garages as well.
 If you don't think Mickey is an old d-timer at 30 take q look at the men who were champions when Mickey ascended the welterweight throne in 1922.
 Color Was Their Stock
 Jack Dempsey was in his prime and ruled the heavyweight division with his weaving. bobbing crouch and left hand that exploded like depth bomb. Battling Siki, who later was to die in a gutter with knife, hilt deep in his back, was the light heavyweight boss. The coal black Senegalese fairly drip ped color, whether sliding along the ropes or strutting the streets with his pet leopard cub.
 Johnny Wilson was the middle weight ace, while, the junior wei terwoiRht group was watched over by Pinkey Mitchell. Both these men long ago hung up their gloves.
 The greatest of all the light weights, cunning, shifty and hit- ting Benny Leonard had not yet thought of retiring, while Johnny Dundee, one of the rings few gen uine "iron men" was on top of the Junior lightweight heap.
 Johnny kilbane, feathcrweighs, Joe Lynch. bantamweight, and Pancho Villa. hyweight, who died as he lived, by the ring, completed the liat of champions when Walker first reached the top.
 Quite a Different Breed.
 Contrast the champions of to- day -- SchmelIng, Rosenbloom, Thompson, CanZoneri, Battalino and the rest-with those boys of 1922 and then say Walker has no right 10 boast the "gold old days"
 Walkers "anccstry." however, Will not win for him tonight. The Mick is q crawling. hell to- leather sort of fighter. with a heart as big as a grandfathcr's clock, but no fighter alive is going to spot the Sharkey man some 30 pounds in weight. and many inches in height and reach and beat him. That's out in q limb and we'll sit on 1t.
 The two lighters. by the way, are as different types as any two scrap perS you can name offha and Walker, beetle -browed, under sIung. thick-lipped, pug -nosed, and with q neck like the trunk of q redwood. looks like nOvelists would have us believe all fighters look. Mickey likes his fun straight and is not particular where he finds 1t.
 Sharkey, handsome. and looking like nothing sO much as he does q wcll-to-do business man Chats exactly what he is) has few marks to show for his many battles. The former sailor Is strictly n family man and while the echo of the final bell rings In inc rafters is off for Boston and his home. There he stays until the next fight.
 Another Championship.
 To-niRht's bout is the first "American heavyweight chan;SiOn- ship" light since boxing Uovcs were introduced as a substitute | for bare knucklca. Way back Tn | I8SO one Paddy Ryan became the hrat American to hold the world \ l title by Knocking out Joe Goss Of England In the 87th round of n knuckle to knuckle engagement. | Since that time the heavyweight | crown stayed In this country until | Max Schmeling.
 SchmelinR's triumph forced the promoters to invent the American | cham pionship" gag to draw the through the gate.