Evening star., 1932-06-22
MOST Of CRITICS
THINK MAX VICTOR
German Always Aggressor in
IS Rounds That Provide
Hardly a Thrill.
BY EDWARD J. NEIL,

/ H' AsAAb NAAS NS' = Az
M seven long, lean years end
l ed officially today for Jack
Sharkey, h eavyWeig h t
champion of the world at last,
after the strangest, most para
doxical career in all modern ring
history.
He stood forth as champion,
absolved of all past failures, yet
in the minds of a great many of
the 10000 faithful who saw him
climb the throne there will always
linger some question until he
again battles Max Schmeling, the
German.
For Is long and often lack-luster
rounds, they battled last night in the
great bowl Madison Square Garden has
built on Long Island-a Sharkey tam
ing his traitorouS temperament as he
fought, and the stolid Teuton who
owed his crown to one of the sailors
own moments of wildness when he
fouled in the Yankee Stadium two years
ago.
4 T the end, through the loud speak
n ers that sent his voice out to one
of the greatest throngs that ever
saw a prizetight. bellerin' Joe Hum
phries hesitated a bit as he shouted
The winner and new champion.
Jack Sharkey.'
That hesitancy in old Joe's voice
seemed to be echoed in the roar that
W Mt up from the crowd. in the split
verdict of the two judges and Referee
'Gunboat" Smith, the critics about the
ringside. and even the warriors them
selves.
For a moment Sharkey. his shoulders
dropping as he stood in his corner,
paused before he made his wild dash
across the ring to embrace the former
king. Schmeling turned and stared as
though he could not believe his ears,
and the experts promptly launched into
arguments.
They'll still be arguing, probably a
year or so from today when. in the
natural course of events. Sharkey is
called upon again to face the foe from
overseas.
THOSE who agreed with George
l. Kelly. the judge who voted for
Sharkey, and Referee Smith himself
a famous old-time fighter. who cast the
deciding vote, could see nothing but that
Sharkey. fighting the coolest. calmest
duel of his hectic career. had consist
emily outboxed the charging Teuton,
spattering his face and ribs through
most of the is rounds with jarring left
jabs.
1t seemed from that side that the
Boston sailorman, although always in
retreat, had followed the battle plan of
a more illustrious predecessor, Gene
Tunney, always on the defensive.
never leaving an opening. but drifting
through steadily with countering left
hooks and right crosses to the head and
body to give him margin on points.
But to wide majority OF the critics.
1t seemed that Schmeling had earned
the right to retain his crown, even If
not by any great margin.
TOR the entire Is rounds, durable as
L a baby tank. the German marched
into Sharkey, never breaking
ground continually punching. and in
fiicting the orly real damage that
showed in the entire distance HIS
short, right-hand jolts to the heao
started Sharkey's left eye dropping In
the early rounds and closed 1t COM
pletely in the last three.
He missed a great many puncnes,
short swings that Sharkey pulled away
from as he concentrated doggedly on
his plan of battle-jab, hook, counter
and retreat At times he seemed 10
make the tactical error Of jabbing with
the long armed New Englander, ana
when he did that Sharkey seemed 10 De
beating him to the punch.
That sort of milling made ngnt IN
which there never was really thrllIlng
moment, never touch OF the oramatlc
and the spectacular that the 1altn1ul
have come to expect of their heavy
weight title tiltS.
TOR the first three rounds, at least,
Sharkey's battle plan, drilled into
him all through his long condition
ing grind. worked to perfection. he
kept Max off balance With MS lett Japs,
loosing his left hook and right cross
only when the opening loomed large,
ALWAYS in retreat. but always piling up
points.
Then for a couple of rounds the sun
blackened German. never discouraged,
never changing his forcing tactics,
plodded past Sharkey's guard. betting
his head with short rights and reach
ing him with an occasional jab.
But then Sharkey edged out again.
through the halfway point, more self
controlled than ever before in career
that includes MS famous DloW-up
against Jack Sharkey, his tired efforts
when a choice OF Gene Tunney's last
ring foe was up for decision. and his
erratic punching that cost him the first
Schmeling battle.
90 it went until the last three rounds,
- uninspired, unexciting milling that
failed to enthuse a gathering tina:
paid over S400G0O to the Garden and
the Free Milk Fund for Babies, Inc.
In the stretch it was Schmeling. and
rct the new champion, who seemed to
be winning as he plugged along, as fresh
as though he had just been warming up
for dozen rounds. In the occasional
punching flurries. he hurt Sharkey with
rights to the head Sharkeys lett eye
closed tight. But still the sailor ooxeo,
iabbing, hooking. retreating, piling up