Evening star., 1934-01-25
CHAMP TRIMS VET
IN 9 Of 10 ROUNDS
Barney's Speed, Punch Daze
BiIIy-Bout Draws More
Than $4,000.
BY EDWARD J. NEIL,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

Associated fIeSS sports WIller.
n YEW YORK, January 25.-
nj Once more Uncle Will
1 Y Petrolle, a sturdy, up
standing citizen, was back
In the ranks of the unemployed
today, a former prize fighter,
with nothing to worry about ex-
cept a bit of bond clipping now
and then and that cigar store
he owns in Duluth.
The old fellow folded his dun-colored
indian blanket and packed 1t away for
the last time, ready to accept as final
the 1o-round beating Barney Ross Of
Chicago, lightweight champion. gave
him in the Bronx Coliseum last night.
I'm going to send this to the laundry
now" he said, which was absolute proof
that he never intends to fight again.
A dozen years ago, back In Fargo
N. Oak, Petrolle started ring career
that never quite carried him to cham
pionship heights, but did bring him
into conflict with the greatest light
weights of this decade, as we'll as into
possession of a lot of currency which
he still has, In contrast to most eX-
prize fighters.
He got his blanket from some Indian
chief almost at the start of his cam
paign: he never would enter a ring
without it. And he never would haze
It washed for fear the soap would take
out all the luck, as well as the weird
colors. Now he admits that his need for
the blanket is gone.
Looks Old Against Ross.
""ELL them I'm through" he said
as he shuffled down the ring
steps in the big barn in the
Bronx last night. thoroughly beaten by
the brilliant little Ross. I can't fight
any more, so I'm not going to try"
Once before, several years ago, Petrolle
retired because he thought his career
was over. He rested year or so and
came back, to rise to heights he had
never reached before. He fought all the
top-notch lightweightS and three times
he tackled Jimmy McLarnin. He belted
Jimmy in scandalous fashion in their
first match but lost the next two.
This retirement, however, is different
Petrolle is 20 in years, but much, much
older as far the ring is concerned
really an old man, lost in the brilliance
of youngster who ranks with the best
his division ever has produced, houn-
dering veteran with the zip gone from
his punches and the speed departed
from his legs.
He had only his inexhaustable cour-
age, and that was far from enough
against the master boxer, a sharp,
thudding hitter with either hand In
ai,11y tho ninth u-hny1 20
obviously was coaSting, was Petrolle
able to work his way laboriously to
close quarters and gain the upper hand.
Barney beat him once before in
Chicago.
Every other round. and the unani-
NOUS decision Of the judges. the ref
cree ard the 12,043 of the faithful who
journeyed far into the fastness of the
Bronx for the battle, went to Ross.
Thousands Turned Away.
n oSS shook the veteran badly at
X times, but never could floor him
or bring him close to the knock
out stage. His jabs. though, raised Two
large welts under Billy's eyes. The fact
that Uncle Will was in the last mile
was correctly guessed by the betters,
who made Barney a 3-to-1 favorite de-
spite Petrolle's weight advantage. Billy
weighed 14l12, Ross 1864.
New York hasn't seen such turnout
In several years. Five minutes after
the show started every bit of space IN
the uptown barn was filled and at least
5000 struggled with mounted police
outside to get at ticket windows al
ready closed.
After expenses and the fighters are
paid, the net profits on the s36,533 re-
ceipts will be turned over to Christ
mas fund charity
officials Of Madison Square Garden,
In the heart of the fight district down.
town, gazed in awe at the assemblsge.
Garden fight shows recently have been
drawing an average of about $4,000
each.