Evening star., 1936-07-04

N EW IOtth, July IA year dB j
the regular routine in the
prizefighting stable of Jim
Braddock and Joe Gould was
as follows: Gould talked and Braddock
didn't.
Mr.. Gould, being a singularly un-
bashful bloke, even for a fight man
ager. would fill all ears within a radius
of six kilometers with a steady stream
of wordage, ranging from the shri,l
tenor of protest and chagrin to the
medium boiled baritone of self-con-
graduation. Joe liked to talk. and he
did it well. His chest notes we're round
and full and his throat tones were
pear-shaped.
While Mr.. Gould clenched the nj
crophone to his bosom, or buried his
fangs in the nearest available ear. his
meal-ticket, Mr.. Braddock. sat by ami
said nothing. Jim didn't f1dget. being
calm man by nature. but he locked
a shade uncomfortable. He would
rather have been home with the wife
and kids. He didn't take kindly to the
social engagements which all heavy
weight champions of the world are ex-
pected to fulfill as sort of occupa>
tional penalty for success.
Bradd0ck Speaks a Piece.
THAT was Braddock year ago. The
champ has changed in II months.
He has changed physically being far
broader of beam and rounder of jovl
and wider Of shoulder than formerly.
Also he has picked up the knack of
conversation. When detached from
Mr.. Gould, who leaves no openings for
rival orators, Mr. Braddock sometimes
Will say 20 or 25 words at time. pro-
vided that his listener is a cop or
fight writer or some kindred soul who
speaks Jim's language.
He talks about Schmeling. for in
stance:
He'll give me good fight" SAYS
Jimmy, but he's only got one punch.
right hand, and that's the easiest
punch IN the deck to keep away from.
Those punches he hit Louis with were
sucker punches. He couldn't hit anv
experienced fighter with punches like
that.
Look at his fight with Baer. Baer
Is one OF the widest -open fighters YOU
ever saw, but Schmeling couldn't hit
him with a right. Why not? Because
even a wide-open target like Baer had
experience enough to keep away from
a sucker punch.
Has Sehmeling Fingered"
F1GGER Schmeling licked Louis
for three reasons-he wasn't
scared, he had green fighter in front
OF him and he threw his right hand.
Those things counted against Louis,
but how can they count against me?
I'm not green and I know how to keep
away from a right That leaves
Schmeling with nothing but his game
ness. He's got plenty of that, but he
can't lick me on gameness alone"
Then Mr.. Braddock talks about Mr..
Baer:
Yeah, I hear he wants to fight me
again" says Jimmy. He must te
hard up for dough. Well. Gould tend,
to all that stuff. 1t doesn't bother me.
I'll fight anybody.
DO think could lick Baer again?
Why not? I beat him when he was at
the top of his form, fighting steady
and didn't have any trouble doiny
it. Why shouldn't I beat him now
when he's older and staler and fatter?
He's the same Baer. only worse"
And he talks about Louis:
i sure wish 1 could of had that
fight instead of Schmeling," says
Jimmy wistfully "Schmeling caught
him when he was ripe and he'll
never be so ripe again. I've got
good right hand, same as Schmeling
and I was figgering to fight him lust
like Schmeling did-step in and sock
his chin over that low left guard,
after he led.
Praise for Louis.
get Louis wrong He's
good fighter. got a lot of stuff.
For one thing, he don't waste punch
es He wasted a lot on Schmelinc,
because he couldn't get behind Max $
shoulders and elbows, but that's the
first time I ever seen him throw a
punch that didn't do some good.
"The mistake all you fellas mace
about Louis, writing in the papers.
was to f1gger that this boy was differ
ent from all the other fighters that
ever lived-that he didn't have to go
through the mill, that ne could learn
all his fighting out of story books and
never make no mistakes.
There never was a fighter born
like that. You have to learn your
lessons in that ring and Louis didn't
know the lesson about a right hand
on the chin. He knows now. Well.
had to 60 through the same thing"
n foIN H,.sk