The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1934-04-27

Such a board would take Barney
Ross by the hand and lead him
away from that inequitable affair
with Jimmy McLarnin here on
May %.
The bout is unfair to everybody
except McLarnin. 1t Is unfair to
the sport because it pies up two
divisions. 1t is unfair to Bep Van
| Klaveren, the Hollander, a chal-
lenger of McLarnin's size. 1t Is UNI
fair to Tony CanZoneri and Frank
lie Kick, who merited meetings
with the lightweight leader.
But most of all it is unjust to
Ross, who runs the risk of having
| a brilliant career ruined.
There is nothing in the Chicago
ans record to indicate that he be-
longs in there with McLarnin at
even weights, let alone in a skir-
mish in which he is conceding ten
or more pounds.
"Only one thing can happen"
says Billy Roche, the veteran ref
cree, shaking his head, sadly. poor
little Ross will be knocked fiatter
than a founder"
Since his bantam days, McLar-
min usually has had advantages on
! the scales. The late Pancho Villa,
Buddy Taylor, Joe Click, Ray Mil
Ter, Sammy Mandell, AL Singer,
Billy Petrolle and Sammy Fuller
each gave him plenty of pull in
poundage.
Shamus hasn't always Jared so
well in marching front and center
on even terms. Mandell cuffed his
ears on the one occasion on which
80 faI to-
Brouillard belted him to fare
thee well.
But none of McLarnins oppo-
nents has been asked to spot him
as much weight as Ross and smash
precedent to pulp. A light
weight champion has yet to whip
the boss of the next heavier bril-
gade.
McLarnin has only to make las.
He weighed only fraction of a
pound more In acquiring the weller
wreath by twice dropping and stop
ping the husky southpaw, Young
Corbett III, in minutes and 81
seconds in Los Angeles on the
twenty-ninth day of last May.
The Irish-born warrior came in
at 146 three years ago for one of
his sorties with Petrolle. Experts
will tell you that he will pick Ip
at least three pounds between
weighing-in and ring time.
Not So Good
Ross recent performances in
California made it plain that he is
far from being sharp when scaling
more than 1876.
McLarnin will have been off the
firing line for one day less than a
year when he unlimbers his heavy
artillery against Ross. That is the
only argument oered by the few
processing to believe the Lollapa-
loosa of the Loop can prevail. But
those pointing to the fact that ring
rust frequently sets in with idle
ness might interview Petrolle, who
speaks from experience.
THE most remarkable thing
about McLarnin is that his timing
is perfect after long layoffs," old
Uncle Will would assert. Despite
eleven years of warfare, McLar-
lively few battles have been care
fully spaced.
If he was slipping in the Cor
bett contest, lot of the boys
would like to be on the same to-
boggan.
The joust between Jack Britton
and Benny Leonard-the one in
which Benny took a poke at Jack
while the 147-pound foreman was
on one knee-may well be thrown
out.
Roche goes way back-to March
10, 1S99-in recalling an engage
ment similar to the one that is to
bring out McLarnin and Ross. 1t
was on that night in San Francis
CO that brave George Lavigne as
sayed to lift Mysterious Billy
Smiths crown.
A one-sided duel ended in the
fourteenth round, when the wide
shouldered walioper of Maine
turned to the Saginaw Kids BROTH
err and second, and shouted, do
you want me to kill him."
Roche doesn't mention a much
more recent ease. Billy's eyes
haven't functioned so we'll in late
years. But those who saw little
Singer laying in the resin pound
ing the sides of his neck after be-
ing struck back of the ear by Nc
Larnin never will forget the sight.
And Smith and McLarnin did
142 pounds for the tragedies that
left Lavigne and Singer definitely
through.
Commissions and avaricious
managers and matchmakers never
seem to learn why fighting men
have been weighed since Gentle
man Jackson taught Lord Byron
how to hold up his hands.