Evening star., 1932-10-08
WILL KEEP RIGHT
ON, SAYS VETERAN
Timid, Couldn't Get Started
Against McLarnin-Lure
of Gold Strong.
BY EDWARD J. NEIL,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

WI
/ Y the bare rubbing table
that was his throne, a rag
ged dressing gown his royal robe.
ITS NICE" said Benny Leonard,
once one Of the greatest of ali
lightweights, ito lose OCCASION
ally. All your pals come in to see
you. They don't bother when you
win"
So 1t was that the new Leonard, a
shadow Of the Old, shrugged away the
first defeat of his comeback campaign.
a six-round technical knockout at the
hands Of the fiery young Jimmy Nc
Larnin, in Madison Square Garden last
night.
IT wasn't badly hurt at ALL" he said
smilingly as friends crowded around
him. I'm going to keep right on.
was timid. I couldn't get started.
can lick lot of fellows, maybe even
McLarnin, before I'm through"
pUT out in the arena the crowd of
- $4,000, packing the Garden to the
caves, already was cheering two
earnest youths, battling the night out
in a semi-f1nal. They were young,
eager. They shook off punches, dealt
terrific blows. And by comparison
Leonard looked very old indeed.
But that crowd of 1900 had come
to see Leonard, hoping that the miracle
could happen, that veteran Of 80.
whipped back into condition by score
OF bouts after seven years out of the
ring, could defy the Oldest law Of the
ring.
They saw him muster much Of his
old skill and, just once, enough of his
old punching power to drive the dyna-
mite-laden McLarnin TO his knees for
the flash Of second in the first round,
then fade as he had to eventually into
the helplessness of the sixth To most
OF them, at least, the comeback trail
had ended.
A IL the drama that comes down
"A through the years at the mention
OF Leonard'S name, once fstiana's
by-word for all that was great in the
ring hung over the big battle pit as
the thin-faced, thin-haired veteran
gamely battled the unstopable tide of
youth and power.
For the first 2 minutes of the OPEN
ing round, as the great crowd cheered
him flantically, he was almost the old
Leonard. His left hand flicked into
McLarnin's cherubic Irish face with
the sting and swiftness of an adder's
dart, his 1.-the legs carried him phan-
tom-like around the ring his hands
shot home straight and true
In plowed McLarnin. the killer.
| crowding the old man of Sc. Benny set
himself, whipped a right uppercut to
the young 1rishman's heart, flashed his
left hook to the chin.
| McLarnin's knees buckled For one
startled second he started to the floor.
But he barely touched it before he was
up again, breathing fury, tossing de-
struction with both hands. Benny
| Tended him off. but Just as the round
ended Jimmy reached Leonard's chin
/ with short right hook.
:. A ND that punch" said the philos-
"A opher, as his trainer rubbed his
neck with ice and smoothed the
swelling from spot above his right eye,
was the punch that really did all the
damage
Il could feel it all the way down my
back. AS I pulled away something
seemed to give at the base of my spine.
Id better see bone doctor today"
| Whatever it was, there was little more
than the steadily rising might of Nc
Larnin the rest of the abbreviated way
Left hooks bounced off Benny's chin
and right to the jaw knocked him
down for a count of nine in the second
He looked old and lines were etched
deep in his face as he stared at Nc
Larnin, tried to listen to Referee Ar
thur Donovan's count through the ter
rife uproar.
The early speed was gone from the
old champs legs as he got slowly,
stiff1y to his feet.
LIE boxed a weary way through the
l L remainder of the round He took
his beating In the third. Some
Of his strength and speed came back in
the fourth and the chain-lightning
brain of the old warrior never dimmed
as he held his own through the fourth.
wobbled through the fifth under a
blasting body attack.
But nothing could carry Benny
through the sixth. He was weak from
punishment, tired, old. Finally he
bowed his head, wrapped it in his arms,
swayed as McLarnin smashed away at
him with both hands. Then the referee
called halt with but five seconds Of
the round to go. Leonard could go no
farther.
He fooled me-" said the master
strategist brightly, rushing me like
that. I thought he'd try to box.
In general, I'm pretty well salts
fled. I recouped quickly NY mind
always was clear. I feel very good
indeed.
And did you see that house? They
were here TO see me, weren't thew?
I'm not going to leave that I'm still
jewish"
And so. philosopher to the last. the
old fellow put on his clothes and went
home