The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-11-08
FORMER FOOTBALL
star BORN UNDER
AN 'UNLUCKY STAR
Jumping Joe, Who Turned Into
Giant; Near Death Short.
" After Birth
HAD SEVERAL BAD BREAKS
Record At Notre Dame Entities
Him to All-Time Grid
Consideration

New York, Nov. 8.-1f Joe Savoldi
the fourth oak Of Three Oaks, Mich,
is ever holder OF the undisputed
heavyweight wrestling title, it's the
jumpin' guys opinion that it won't
be his very long. For there's that un-
lucky Milano star still haunting his
fate.
The former Notre Dame fullback.
who now grunts and groans loudly on
the mat, is reluctant to discuss that
star. But the story was pulled from
him here after one Of his recent
matches.
Fate decreed that he should be born
in Milano, Italy, "a years ago. His
father and mother, both natives OF
Italy, we're residing in Three Oaks,
Mich, when they received q cable to
rush back to italy. Joc's grandfather
was dying from knife wounds inflict-
ed by bandits.
The Savoldis arrived a week be-
fore Joe's grandfather died. Two
hours before the end, Joe was born.
An unlucky star, indeed! Joe weighed
three and one-half pounds. He was
so frail that the doctors would not al
low him to return to America with his
parents. They said he never would
live to make the trip.
X X \
Relatives nursed Joe. Following the
plows and the harvesters gave him
strength. When he was seven. his par
ents returned to Italy to take him
home. But Joe contracted whooping
cough. Port officials refused to pass
him, and for the second time the Sa-
yoldis crossed the sea without Joe.
Not until he was IL years old did
Joe touch American shores. Then,
for the first time, he met his brother
and sister, who had been born in
Three Oaks. He couldn't speak, read
or write a word of English.
Through high school and then to
Notre Dame went Joe. The three and
one-half- pound baby grew into 2l5-
pound giant; the tiny, feeble babe
became a gloriously ch.seled physical
model. Summers he worked In an
iron foundry.
Jumpin' Joe played IA games Of In
tercollegiate football for Notre Dame.
eight as sophomore in 1929 and six
as q junior in 1880. In the middle OF
his Junior year, just as he was reach
ing the peak Of his career, Joe's UNI
lucky star again caught up with him.
He was expelled for his secret mar
rage.
In the n games Joe played fullback,
Knute Rockne's Fightin' Irish won all.
To that end, he scored II touchdoWns
for 102 points, nine in 1929 and eight
In 1880. Joe scored in every game he
played but three: Army and Navy in
1929 and Carnegie Tech in 1880. He
gained revenge against the Navy in
80 by scoring three touchdoWns. Hav-
Ing scored the only touchdown that
defeated Carnegie Tech, TO, in %, Joe
had no hard feelings against the Tar
tans. He was expelled before he could
FACE the Army second time.
X X \
Sayoldi'S real football greatness
Never will be known. His terrific line
plunging in the "A games he played
stamped him as likely all-time ALL
America.
Hts strength, speed and stamina
were taken to the wrestling game two
years ago. Today Joe stands second
only to Jimmy Londos as national
drawing card. What's more, he is the
only grappler to score victory over
LondoS in the last three and one-half
years that the Athenian Apollo has
rlaimed the world title.
Savoldi's amazing victory over Lon
dos, achieved in one fall at Chicago
several months ago, stirred national
argument as to its merits.
Every great wrestler must be iden-
titled by single sensation hold, such
as Frank Gotch and his toe-hold, Joe
6techer and his body scissors, Strang-
Ter Lewis and his deadlock, Ev Mar
shall and his airplane spin. Gus Son.
nenberg and his billy-goat butt, and
Jim Browning and his airplane scis-
sors. Savoldi's pride and joy is his
flying dropkick.
Although he never kicked a ball at
Notre Dame. a punt Or goal. a drop
or placement. Joe now kicks his OPP
ponents to defeat. Both toes carry
dynamite as he hurls both legs at his
rival. usually connecting with the OPP
pouent's chin, feet first, to knock him
Unconscious or so groggy that he is
an easy victim for pinning hold.
Joe had All-Amcrica glory within
his grasp but lost It.. He had
Iondoe' championship in the palm Of
tis hand and lost It. HI
whipped jim Browning s. before
Jim became = champion. And lickes
Stranger Lewis after he ha<
lost his title.
IT'S hts unlucky Milano star, say
Joe.