Evening star., 1936-08-22
.SHARKEy TuSS[E
IS UNCONv|NC|NG
Joe Looks Great When He
Scores K. O., but Is Hit |
Frequently.
BY FRANCIS ]. POWERS.

Ok RhINSIo De EOWEhSs
@HICAGO. August 22.-what
does Joe Louis knockout Of
\ Jack Sharkey prove? That
~ the Brown Bomber again must
be taken as q fighter? Not yet,
in our book. Louis must 60 bit far
ther and submit q bit more proof be-
fore he is accepted In the role he
played before Max Schmeling laid him
low and cold.
Louis was expected to knock out
Sharkey. Joe had the advantage Of II
years in age, and that meant strength.
condition and enthusiasm. Sharkey's
only asset was experience. Had Louis
failed to knock out q man IL years
his senior. who was coming back to
the ring after almost three years Of
fistic tdleness, he wouldn't be much Of
a fighter.
In beating Sharkey the Bomber won
from good fighter. At 80, the Boston
sailor was better man than the Ram
images, Levinskys, Baers and others
over whom Louis climbed almost to
the top rung Of the boxing ladder. Had
Sharkey shown the same brand Of
courage he displayed against Louis in
some of the earlier fights of his erratic
career he might still be the heavy
weight champion.
Sharkey Shows Courage.
IT TOOK courage to climb of the
= floor three times in the face Of
what Jack knew was the end of the
trail. Baer and Levinsky lacked that
courage: they did not get up. Shar-
keys adieu to the ring was a bold per-.
formance that erases the memory Of
his numerous disappointing fights, and
the old sailor will be remembered as
q fellow who had plenty Of the old
moxie.
The knockout victory undoubtedly
will do much to restore Joe Louis
confidence and rebuild his ego, which
was all but destroyed by Schmeling's
right hand. Training camp reports
had it that Louis was none too con-
fident before the fight and Sharkey's
weaving stride had him slightly per-
picked in the first two rounds. The
bomber whipped a good boxer when
he measured Sharkey and he is un-
likely to meet many who were any
more deft on defense.
Louis looked great because he
scored a knockout, but listening to
''Socker" Goes broadcast-which, by
all odds was the best ever thrown on
the ART appeared that Louis was
being hit rather frequently. Sharkey's
punch carried little or no steam, but
man with the power CT Schmeling
might have done Louis much harm.
Joe hit harder in this fight than he
did against Schmeling. but one Is
curious to know II his defense showed
any great improvement.
Another "White Hope" Hunt Due.
IT Is conceded that Louis Is all
Gene Tunney says: The greatest
heavyweight prospect of all time"
But there still Are Jim Braddock and
Max Schmeling barring his way to
the championship and he must knock
cut the German before the title OF
"superman" can be taken out Of
storage and regilded. The knockout
by Schmeling cannot be dismissed as
an accident.
Louis victory likely will start the
white hope hunt going in full tongue
again. There was some doubt as to
the necessity Of a white hope chase
after Schmeling knocked out Louis.
but on Joe's work against Sharkey the
huntsmen may as well get out their
hounds again.
Louis victory will have a farther
good effect upon boxing. 1t will :hiil
the enthusiasm Of Max Baer and
Kingflsher Levinsky for another
shot" at the Brown Bomber. For
keeping Baer and Levinsky perma-
nently out of circulation Joe Louis
gets nv vote.