The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1938-05-21
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ToHenryArrnstrone

leu; clubs. Henry hrrt his should
or in the third fight. Mr. Cox sug-
etSied thar Harry return 70 the
.ti,lf 1ftny did ~ cui , $ =
til iepill Of going slug-nutly.
and realizing thai he onld never BE-
q great n-hisr the indonii'ablc lad
With a dieun Ia 4 head went ~
III, ie'ribIe leather wars sixty-two
slashnr lines "a the next year or
more. ~ u
II had ITO have money 10 take
care OF Henry
He next tried Henry for the oily
mpics. and lost III looked like the
end, said Harry. III we'd made the
team we might have attracted Tie
attention OF some one like Jack
Kearns. Jack Kearns was At that
time looking for a lad to take the
place OF the immortal Dempsey.
The apple Of fate was not ripe.
1t was not the end f0- Harry.
He had a package OF golden dyna-
mite 10 sell He talked II over with
Mr.. Cox.
That gentleman thought OF an
other gentleman-an himself
"Wart Ross is big shot" he said
"fIe might get Henry over Mr..
Ross paid Mr.. Cox $3.50 for
Henry. who was minor. We had
TO send pop papers 10 ST. Louis 10
sign and wait till they came back.
we had preliminaries until he got
as high as $3.50 for main bouts. A
few trained in the ways of the ring
realized that Henry had the flash
OF the thoroughbred. But the best
horse has no; always the chance
10 win. It's jockey or other men
may hold it back.
The Armstrong; faced definite
problem. 4 Negro was not consid-
cred good card al the box office.
The boys were aware OF this. Hen
ry wanted his chance. Rated
among the three best men OF his
weight in the world, he still had
mo money
had gone through pugilistic
storms and understood They came
to my house with Langston Hugh
es. the gifted Negro poet.
here was another match in the
ofing in Los Angeles.
Z Henry said" Joe Cans ruined
his career by letting men stay.
You owe II TO yourself and the
people who pay to see you to
give all you've got without consid-
ering the other fighte-. 4fr
AL Jolson saw the Los Angeles
fight aud heard the struggle the
two lads had gone through. He had
with him one as kindly and keen
as himself.
lie said TO Eddie Mead, one-time
manager Of a champion. IN buy
his contract II you'll manage HIM.
20. X. AL" was the response.
Henry's first fight in the new
Setup was against a fighter who
had loaned him money. He did not
want the match. His reasons were
full Of conflict. II he "let him slay
the tighter, who was the heaviest
hitter in his division, might acct
dentally sneak one over and
knock him out. He might not dou-
blecross him on purpose. Things Of
ten happened in the ring. II IA
played sick, they would say he was
afraid
1t was greater problem than
now seems possible. because. as
Harry SAYS. Henry was always SO
darn grateful for everything
1 Henry had given the other fight
er his word he would let him stay
That was important to Henry. But
a friend had told him: MIR. Jolson
! bet two thousand that you'd win
by lockout tonight" On his way
TO the ring he passed his oppon-
! ents dressing room.
I'm sorry, he said. but do your
best tonight. You were kind to me
and hope you get a draw. Henry
won by knockout in one of the
most spectacular fights of the year.
The new conditions lifted Hen
RVS heart. high. Jolson had faith.
Mead knew all the devious ways of
the ring. All Henry had TO do--was
fight.
And all the world knows how.
His record the past year has
never been equaled.
AS strictly a fighter he ranks with
Jack Dempsey and Stanley Ketchel.
He throws more punches than did
Harry Greb. who could not hit
hard. He moves with such dazzling
speed that his cleverness is oye--
looked by all but the very keen.
A study OF his fights would indi-
cate that his opponents do their
best work against him In the first
round. No punch has ever made
| him take a backward stem. III Is