Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-03
WANTS HIM SOCKED !
TO TEST REACTION
Ring Sensation Proves He
Can Give, but Question Is,
Can He Take Il?
BY SPARROW McGANN.

"A YEW YORK, August 3.-Char-
M ley Retzlaff, the North
1 Y Dakota blacksmith, is the
most-talked-of heavyweight
In the game today. Charley has
caught on" in the same manner
as youthful, dark visaged fighter
named Jack Dempsey crashed
into the headlines about IS years
ago and went on to win the world
championship.
The Dakotan, like Dempsey, has
rapid-fire, high-powered sales talk. The
demonstration does not last long. he
puts 1t across like master, the sub
ject takes long sleep and the Gus
toner goes away satisfied. That Is some
thing to talk about these depressing
days. Heavyweights as q rule bore the
customers, and a salesman like Charley
Retzlah Is a pleasing novelty.
Dempsey was, and is, one OF the most
affable fellows the game has ever known.
He was q good mixer, in or out OF the
ring. He had plenty Of color and at
tracted the fans in such numbers that
stupendous gates resulted. Retzlah u
q decided contrast to Dempsey in this
respect. Charley is still bit bewildered
by it all and has not yet learned how
to swagger around and accept the plau-
dts Of admirers.
Pilot . Big Help.
The colorful Dempsey has it all over
RetZlan in mixing with the crowd. But
sound Of the opening gong. Charley is on ,
q par with the more illustrous disciple
Of the padded mittens.
It is possible that the Dakotan will
not reach the heights Dempsey attained.
Nothing Is sure in the fight racket. But
If Retzlaf does not make the grade, It
will not be due to miSmanagemsnt. JACK
Hurley. better known for his aSsocia.
ton with Billy Petrolle, has been overly
careful with his protege and his ma
neuvering has had as much to do with
Charleys rise as the work OF the hghter.
Hurley has been offered big sums to
pit Retzlaff against certain topnotch
heavyweights. The money involved does
not sway Hurley In the least. He feels
that he has the makings Of q great
fighter and to sacrifice him on the altar
Of greed is not his method. Jack Is
willing TO pick UP q few dollars here
and there in order to gain needful ex-
perience, and when he sends Retzlad
over the top against seasoned battlers
Of the first line it will not be his fault
II his battler Is found wanting.
Defeat Aided Dempsey.
Hurley's argument runs as follows:
Jack Dempsey used to 60 in and
knock out his opponents with punch.
His string of knockouts was impressive.
This is not enough to mark fighter
as great. Jack did not really come into
| his own until he took fearful bat
tering at the hands of Gene Tunney
| in Philadelphia. He was soundly beaten
by Jack Sharkey for two rounds, but
came on to win by q knockout At Chi
cago Tunney had everything his own
way for six rounds, and when Jack
dumped Gene for the famous long
count he made more friends than he
had in all the years he had been night
ing. y
Retzlaff has been bowling them over
with ease I won't be fully satisfied
until Charley Is dumped on the floor
by a good fighter, and then If he gets
up and wins I'll match him with any
one the promoters pick for him"
There you have q sensible rule all
fans should follow in judging a 6gher,s
worth. A front runner is winner with
things going his own way. 1t takes q
good fighter to come up out Of the
Stag and continue the battle. It takes
q great fighter to get UP and come on
to win. That Is what Hurley would
like to see his fighter do before he
sends him out with instructions to
shoot the works against the best Of the
current heavies,