The Washington times., 1936-04-21

SuruiiueS
Knocks
By KIRK MILLER
Times Sports Editor

DISAPPOINTMENT, deSpondency
and establishment, taken
separately, are three hurdles
difficult to overcome in sports,
but when all three crowd in at
the same time, why, it takes q
real man, or a real woman, to
keep marching forward.
In prefacing today's greeting
thus, ! have in mind the COM
bination Of Bobby Tow and
Harry Groves, fighter and
trainer. who, up until very re-
Gently had so much grief, indi-
vidually and jointly, that it seems
almost miraculous they were able
to survive in the fight forum.
Overcame Everything
But they also had a full meas
ure Of that vital something which
keeps men going on despite hell
or high water, and a buoyant pair
they are these days down at their
Alexandria gymnasium, with
eight straight boxing victories be-
hind them the most recent being
at Charleston, S. c., last Friday
against Salvador Ruggirello. They
chinS are up again; they smile
easily and their step is jaunty.
Success has come at last, and in
full measure.
Tow's vicisSitudes in q budding
boxing career are pretty well
known hereabouts. His eight
straight wins didn't come handily.
They followed a couple Of years
of ups and downs, with many o
diScouragement and many Q set
back.
There were times when he was
nearly convinced he couldn't any
thing like repay the confidence his
joint managers, the MeSSrs. Bob
and Beverly May, father and SON.
had placed in him.
Meanwhile, his ambitions were
dulled by a troublesome right
shoulder, which was corrected only
after visit to Johns Hopkins Uni.
versity last fall. 1
Grim Fate Stalked Him
It seemed to Tow that Fate
Stalked him when he broke his
hand in that close decision he lost
to Matte Brown at Portners Arena
q couple of years ago, the final
night of Frankie Mann'S heavy
weight elimination tournament.
Then Tow's hopes were some
what heightened when he was able
to take care of Tony Galento, the
Jersey jelly-fish, the first summer
Of fighting at the ball park, only
to have them blighted in Newark
when he felt he was robbed in
losing q 1O-round return engage
ment to Galento in Newark.
It was in that fight that Bob's
right shoulder went out. That set
back cost him a Six-month layoff
for the purpose of giving the
shoulder a chance to recover.
Last August he took up the ring
wars again, winning a decision
from Terry Mitchell at Griffith
Stadium, fighting after the second
round with only his left hand, be-
cause again the right shoulder
went bad on him.
Missed Big Chance
Meanwhile, he had an offer to
appear on the card which was to
see Max Baer and Joe Louis clash
In Yankee Stadium, New York, his
opponent to be Don Petrin. In
preparation for this bout, the right
shoulder once more collapsed, and
It seemed to Tow that the inSur.
mountable discouragement had
been encountered.
But the Mays, father and son,
would not let such series Of set
backs stem their confidence in
their young heavyweight. They
offered to stand the expense Of an
operation, to which Tow submitted.
Whether it would correct the Shoul-
der difficulty was to be seen.
Meanwhile, Harry Groves, one OF
the best-known trainers around
Washington, had been retained to
direct Tow's fistic efforts. Groves
sailing had been none too smooth,
either. He had lost Phil Furr,
the welterweight champion Of
Washington from his stable be-
cause of managet-fighter miSun-
derStandings.
The Last Blow
On top Of that, Mrs. Groves sue