The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-06-04
PRIMA DONNASOF BOXING WORLD
 FALL BUSINESS
Training Methods of Cur- rent ''Heavies" Would
 Make OId-Timers Blush

hard training for the Max Baer heavyweight championship tilt, June 13, at the Madison Square Garden Long Island bowl, you can't help but notice the kaleido- scopic changes in the training of fighters.
 It's a far cry to the good old days when scrappers mixed pleas ure with business and guzzled mixed ale between training periods.
 Today champions and so-called leading "contenders" live the life of Riley in preparation for fistic duels. They are ensconced in camps on beautiful hotel sites in the mountains, or at the seashore; some of them occupy the homes of swelegants who crashed with the market back in 1929. They have servants, maids, liveried chauffeurs, the best food that money can buy. Policemen loaded down with guns, billies and other skull crushing inn plements are hired to patrol the abodes on three eight-hour shifts.
 Pretty Soft:
 They rest their weary bones on 0O4b ledIhCE UCuos OdA DCAoy curists and tailors are at their beck and call. They have access to the play to their hearts content with best golf courses where they may nary a penny of expense. They are greeted at the railroad station by the mayor and the board of supervisors and given the trick key to the hamlet, town or city. Alt tendance is begged for the fire mans ball or a charity minstrel show. Dinners, banquets. Rotary club luncheons-''just few words from the honored guest, Kid Pal ooka!"
 Twenty, thirty and forty years ego fighters concentrated on road work. Today most of them believe they can strengthen the wind on the dance floor. The oldtimers, a hardy lot, prepared for battle in the wide, open spaces, living the life of a recluse in barns, stables. Now the lads must have privacy, Louis XIII beds in contrast to boards and withered quilts.
 Training camps in the long ago days were located at Felix Bohen's out Staten Island way; Cannon's and Dal Hawkins roadhouses ill the upper, far reaches of New York and the third popular spot was at Stratford, Conn. It took them a few days to reach either in horse drawn buggies or trains, but for the most part on foot. Rolls Royces today take prima donnas to their destinations.
 In later years those who couldn't aGord the price of a trip did their training at the polo gymnasium in Harlem; West Side A. c. on West 54th street; Bill Browns on West 23rd street, and Grupp's, another Harlem establishment, all in New York city. For the most part the great majority did their road work around the Central park reservoir <. which is still in vogue.
 In the polo gym there were only two dressing rooms used by the headliners. The others had to be rubbed on benches. The fee was $2 a month for a room and they charged 10 cents admission to see the gladiators in action. Benny Leonard used to lay on his bath robe on . bench and then trainer Doc Robb would give him rub. The little fellows did 1-2 miles road work and the heavies five miles.
 Poor Fellers!
 This is how it's done nowadays. The trainer awakens them at 2 a. m. for road work. They yawn and struggle out of bed as if they were doing the civilized world a favor. Completion of five miles is considered something bordering on downright slavery. The bath is made ready, masseur takes him in hand and then dainty little waitress is ready to serve break fast. They must have lady fingers with the tea.
 Mash notes. autograph seekers, nut letters must be disposed of at once by . secretary. They pose their prettiest in Park and Fifth avenue studios, the picture bring ing $50 8 dozen, perhaps more. Erasure of the tin nose and cauli- flower ear are retouched on the first copy then rephotographed.
 Barney McGloock in a perfect imitation of Man Thinking! Sounds preposterous but it's true. It stays one to see the magnificent repro ductions. Pen in hand he scribbles his best wishes, and then reitres to the study to thumb through the pages of Voltaire, whereas in re- ality he is enjoying some detective fiction yarn, ov studying the horse dope concealed by the. historic works.
 Loss Hurt Them
 Tn the days of Sullivan, Kilrain. McAuliffe, Corbett Fitz and Jef- fries they thought more of victory than the miserable dollar. Sullivan was on the verge of committing suicide after he lost to Corbett. McAuliffe would have rather been struck by lightning than blow $ duke" and to this day he is proud of the fact that he retired the un- defeated lightweight champion of the world.
 Sullivan hid his face in shame. Nonpareil Jack Dempsey didn't live long after Fitz battered him to q pulp. It wasn't the beating, tho thing that drove him to an un- timely end was because he had been licked. In other words, he died of q broken heart They were slaves to their work. They knew how to tougher their faces and hands.
 The business today is commer- cialized. It's money, money, money. Win, lose or draw makes no dif- ference.
 Rough and Ready
 The McGoverns. Attells. Dixons, Dundees, were of the sidewalks of New York variety. They trained In dingy, small halls, and fought with bare fists, bare knuckies like their predecessors. There were no xolf courses, they swan and played baseball. In the days of Sullivan, Corbett. etc., most of the training was done in saloon back rooms. They drank their fool heads oh but strangely the fighting was Of <En .x.onf virfn1sa in ring hiatOfy.