Evening star., 1938-06-12
BY GAYLE TALBOT.

BY GAYLE TALBOT.
NEW YORK, June l1.-When Joe
Louis and Max Schmeling face each
other again in the glare of the lights
at Yankee Stadium a week from
wednesday night and start shutting
and f1ddling around for the first OPEN
ing, they will look just as they did
on that memorable evening two Junes
ago.
Neither has changed to outward ap-
pearances, Max, at 80, doesn't look
day older, and he still fights in the
same precise, methodical fashion that
once carried him to the world cham
pionship and later blasted Louis into
defeat.
Louis, the Negro, has a more ma
ture look about his jowls and seems
little f1ercer at times when his SPAR
ring partners stir him up over at
Pompton Lakes, but outside of that
he is the same Joe-a devastating
puncher with curious inability to
protect his chin from a good right.
They will look the same, but this
time the crowd stretching far up un-
der the dark caves of the stadium will
be filled with tense expectancy that
was lacking the other time.
Instead of wondering how long Max
can last, they will be watching breath
lessly for Schmeling's right fist to ex-
plooe on the champions chops, and
70 see If Joe has learned to take it.
First Sock Will Tell.
At that instant, when Max connects
for the first time. they will know
whether he is to return to Germany
In triumph as the first fighter in his
tory to regain the heavyweight cham
pionship, or is to take beating from
black man.
Louis reaction to that first right
should be the pay-off If it knocks
him down or even confuses him. then
schmellng will win, for this one great
punch of his is the cruelest, most un-
errlng weapon in the business.
But if the 24-year-old champion
takes 1t standing up, and merely blinks
his eyes, as he solemnly promises he
will do, then Schmeling is in for
bad evening.
This observer, after watching
Schmeling train. honestly doesn't be-
lieve that Louis or any man living can
absorb half dozen of the Germans
rights without being seriously damaged
And Louis, unless he sails in and stops
the Schlager right off the bat, will
sample more of them than a half
dozen Many more.
True, Max Baer once knocked the
German silly so quick that some of
the customers in the back rows scarcely
mad gotten seated. But Schmeline Is
vastly improved man in every way
since that blistering hot night, and he
Is very hard to hit solidly.
Louis, furthermore. still is not an
aggressive fighter, despite all the
teachings and pleading of his trainer
old Jack Blackburn.
Max Seems Unchanged.
Schmeling in action looks as he
always did, except that his right seems
to dart out trifle faster, and more
often. His weight, about 1893. hasn't
varied more than pound or two for
several years. He still looks youthful
and fresh and hasn't mark to show
Tor IA years of fighting except an old
scar on his bushy left eyebrow.
When he sidles out against Louis the
crowd will see the same wide leg
spread which keeps him far back and
makes him such a difficult target. His
lett shoulder will be high, pointing at
Louis. and his poisonous right fist will
be cooked and resting on his chest. His
strange, unorthodox stance has made
him pigeon-toed.
Despite his absolute confidence that
ne can stop Louis again, Max asserts
this won't make him careless. He is
determined to score a knockout. but
ne also has plenty of respect for the
dynamite in Joes fists
No." he says. Like always I will
be careful. I will fight with nv left
until Louis makes his first mistake.
then it will be all over maybe"
Ihere is an outside chance that
Louis, who by nature is a counter
nsnter like Max, will attempt to keep
on top OF his man this time and trv to |
oeat MIN down with youth and strength
and the sheer fury of his attack.
Joe Tries to Change Style.
He is trying hard in training to make
himself an infighter, a hustling. bus
ting ringman like Henry Armstrong.
but it is our duty to report that the
only apparent resemblance between
them still is in their color. Joe plainly
doesn't have his heart in the effort.
The consensus is that if he does try
such tactics on Schmeling he will run
into series of rights that will jar his
back teeth and that he quickly will re-
vert to his natural style of fighting.
standing nearly erect and jabbing
away at Schmeling's nose.
His left jab still is about the best
there ever has been. Even the old
timers who will fight you for a slight
Ing reference to John L. Sullivan are
willing to concede that much. It is A