The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1936-06-27
SPORT
SCRIBBLINGS
(W. Il. PATRICK, Jr.)


bombed and the punch that felled
the mighty warrior was felt by
millions of the race from the ma
jestic Atlantic to the golden shores
of California. Detroit, of course,
was no exception.
At 900 p. M. Detroit Time) on
that night" the streets Of Detroit
were emptied as the crowds con-
gregated into restaurants, drug
stores, cabarets, and homes to hear
the bow-by-blow description of
the Understanding battle flash
ed over the wires direct from the
stadium 500 miles to the east. Oc-
casionally one or two fellows
would be seen hurrying along the
street and meeting a friend. A few
hasty remarks would be exchang-
ed between them.
Say Frank, where you gonna
hear the fight at?'
Reckon I'll go over my Mas
house and listen to it. Where you
going?'
Home. What round you think
JOEL finish him up in?"
Third" the second speaker
would reply as he began to de-
part. BE seem va"
At 9:05. the streets were prac-
tically empty, except for few
tots too young to realize what was
about to take place. Inside, men
could be seen making themselves
comfortable by the radio and light
ing a great big black cigar, with
one or two quarts of their favor
tie whiskey close at hand, already
to celebrate the usual Louisinian
K. o. victory. The women sat
strangely still, some chewing gum,
, others just sitting; yet they re-
tanned much of their confidence in
: Joe; but women take very little for
granted and thus were not quite
as confident as the stronger sex.
The first three rounds rolled by
rather rapidly and appeared to be
fairly well even.
Then came the fourth.
Louis is down! Joe Louis is
down! exclaimed the excited Glenn
Mccarthy, veteran sports announ-
Ger, above the roar of the tumult
that seemed to be with the dark
skinned Teuton all the way. He
relayed to the eager ears of his
listeners that impossible miracle
"Joe Louis is down.. There il
was right before his eyes. He
could not be wrong.
The folks around the radio be-
gan to see the fight in new light
now; they saw that Joe was out
there to prove that he could take
it" as well as dish il out" and
were they happy when he rose
from the resin covered canvas
floor The women wept; the men
sighed.
The latter would render a little
encouragement with a "ole Joe is
mad now, that there Max bettah
watch out now"
He'll get going now"
Come on Joe, give it to him"
Il got my bonus on va, Louis,
don't femme down."
On up through the eleventh the
male listeners pretended to be-
lieve the announcer classifying as
he transmitted the punishment that
Joe was taking in one of the most
savage heavy bouts of the last de-
cade. Yet, they couldn't under
stand why Joe dropped a few
blows below the former cham
pions belt. He'd never done that
before for Joe is a clean fighter
to the knowledge of everyone
Then it became apparent to all that
those blows of Schmeling had put
Joe in a semi conscious state and
those blows were cast unintention-
ally. The women wondered and
worried; the men wondered and
encouraged.
At the end of the eleventh it was
revealed that Joe's stamina which
heretofore had been INFESTED had
met the supreme test for 33 strokes
Of the long hand of the clock, but
now 1t was gone and sheer fight
ing instinct and courage was
carrying him on and on, ever on.
His jaw was swollen double the
normal size on a face which had
been unmarked after two eventful
battles in the professional ranks.
o d B C k b burn was
whispering words of wisdom into
his protege's ears that failed to
penetrate a foggy brain. The other
seconds were working at a fever
ish clip to get him ready for the
next three minutes of torture.
The folks back home were in
tears for old Joe to get going. At
the bell they once more leaned for
ward expectantly in their seats
for Joe to deliver that
famous Sunday punch" of his. |
Joe was doing his best; they knew |
it; not a man alive could dispute |
that. Twas just an off night. They
come to all of us.
After slightly more than two
of fighting in the twelfth,
Louis hit the canvass not to rise
until the fatal 10 seconds had been
oiled off by the time-keeper to
climax the most sensational upset
n pugilistic history.
We all feel confident that Joe
will come back greater than ever
or the great English poet Brown
ng once wrote: