Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-16

AN
4 the colleges and universe
ties of America, quite
equals that of Spike Webb, boxing
coach at the Naval Academy. One
defeat in IL years of competition
not only seems improbable, but
almost impossible, yet that Is
Webb's accomplishment. In that
time, Navy boxing teams have
taken part in rs meets, and in that
number to meet defeat only once,
and that only nine days ago.. Is a
testimonial that needs little am
plifying to indicate the kind OF
ability necessary for such an
achievement.
Nays boxing teams have won a
place for themselves that it is doubt
full any other university team in the
country has attained in any sports.
Wherever intercollegiate boxing is
carried on Nays record for years has
been q source Of wonderment. 1t has
been said time after time, 'WeI, it
looks as il the Navy never will get
licked" and as the Navy went by sea-
son after season with an unbroken
line of victories it began to seem very
much as If it would not. During IL
years, Navy boxing teams met vTtu-
ally every other college that supports
the ring game, but never an opp0nent
able to take their measure. Three
times they faced teams that earned
draws but not once were they defeated.
TTHEN came the twelfth season. And
II in this season, too, 1t began to
seem that no team would beat
Navy. But the end Of such an I'M
paralleled record had to come some
time, and for Naxy it came Just be-
fore the close of what everything had
indicated would be twelfth year Of
almost perfect success. But 1t Is an
old story about the pitcher that goes
to the well too often, that the day
ultimately win come which brings with
it the crash.
So it was with Navy. with only
two matches to go through to wind up
another year of victories, it went to
Syracuse University. That trip marked
the crash. Navy went down before
Syracuse by four bouts to three, but
only by the narrowest Of margins. In
the bout which really decided the issue
there was hardly q hairSbreadth Of
difference between the two men, but
the decision went to the New Yorker,
and with it record that may never
be equaled.
4 ND what Of the man back Of such
"A q record? Well, Of course, there
was more than one man back Of
Il. Such success Is not won except
through organized effort, through ale
most perfected organization, one might
say. But behind organization, there
usually Is some inspiration largely re-
sponsible for exceptional achievement,
and such has been, and Is, the case at
Navy. To Spike Webb. quiet. modest
and unassuming, generally goes the
lions share Of the credit for what Navy
has done in boxing. He has not only
been coach to the teams, but he also
has been an inspiration to the tndiv1d-
uals making up those teams.
Webb Is fighter, quiet as he IS, and
has been q fighter all his days. He has
been able to instin In his men that
same spirit, and that as much Is any
thing else has carried them through.
No coach could have carried q team
through record Of 70 victories, four
ties, and only one defeat, II he were
Q
something at least Of q natural leader.
And In addition to these qualities, Webb
has sharp intelligence, backed by q
head full Of just ordinary plain COM
mon sense.
IN 1905 Webb began his boxing career
1 as a professional. In 1910 he gave
UP his fighting and began coaching
ct q neighborhood house in Baltimore.
Ne was successful and under him at
various times came I'VE world cham
pions-Kid Williams, F1del LaBarba,
Frankie Genera, Jackie Fields and Gene
TImney.
During the war Webb was boxing
coach for the American Expeditionary
Forces and had charge Of and coached
the American team that later won the
tnterallied championship at Pershing
9tadiurn, Paris. Shortly after this
webb started fighting again profess
Gionally, and took part in something
like so bouts, most of them in Europe.
Then he came back to America, IL
years ego, and took charge of boxing
at the Naval Academy. There he has
been ever since.
webb thinks that the greatest boxer
he has developed at the Naval Academy
was Harry Henderson, winner Of the
middleweight intercollegiate champion
ship In 1925 and Of the national anna
teur championship In 1928. His next
best man was Rich Collins who won
two intercollegiate championships in
1925 and 1926 and won ~ out Of %
bouts In which he took part In dual in
eercollegiate matches.
Gen. Pershing once paid q great indi-
rect tribute to Webb, when he said that
Webb selected his boxers from the
greatest athletic club the world has
known, the United States Army, with
1000 900 members. Incidentally, Webb
acts as trainer for the foot ball squad
at Navy and in other ways proves his
versatility In helping out with athletics.
Navy has In Webb one of the best
boxing instructors in the world, has
IN him one who not only Is fighter
hat a gentleman as well