The Washington times., 1938-02-04

~ grin d stone.
Bill corum There are sev-
eral reasons for this, the chief
one, at the moment, being Max
Schmeling. The German is the
Bomber's big target. Possibly
his last. For Louis is beginning
to grow weary of this steady
diet of train and fight, fight and
train. Which is only natural.
But the heavyweight cham
pion never will be quite content
with himself or his title until
he has wiped out the memory
Of the savage lambasting the
Herr Max gave him-f he can.
SAT WITH HIM
I know that because sat
with him for two hours on the
shores of Lake Michigan three
days before the Braddock fight
In Chicago, and found him
thinking not of Jimmy. or the
championship to be won from
him, but of his conqueror from
Berlin.
Much as he prizes his title,
as any S3-year-old lad would,
Louis is too direct and too honest
not to lealize it is tainted until
he avenges that other defeat.
Much as I want to win this
championship, Mistah Bill" he
said, II wisht I was fighting
that Schmeling man right now
instead of Braddock. feel
good ano that's a fight I got
to win sometime, anyhow. Cham
pionShip amt no good unless
you can whip all the other
fighters ir your class.
AMT Abiding
But thought that was goin'
TO be my Softest fight of all. I
amt abiding when I tell you
In private I wasn't nowheres
near right. Didn't think I had
to be.
Thought I could walk right
out there and cuff him over like
the rest Of the older fighters.
After the first round I was sure
of it. Thought there wasn't moth
ing to it at all, and then boom
and I wasn't thinking nothing,
excep' for maybe half a minute
at a time.
Next thing I know we is going
through the crowd back to the
dreSSin' room and Jack is saying:
'Covah up you face, Chappie,"
and pulling q towel up aroun'
my chin. In the dressin' room I
think my jaw is broke for sure,
and that's about all I can re-
member about that fight right
up to now.
NEVER BOTHERED
"He must a hit me some pow.
ahful punches, cause I been hit
hard and amt never bothered
me too much. If I had a china
chin like they say, he sure must
q had tough time breakin' it
with me in a mist all through
1even rounds"
Obviously, Louis may be
wrong in that conviction. The
majority thinks so. He may
never beat Schmeling, If he
doesn't next time he isn't ever
going to, for he'll never get an.
other chance.
Without being an apologist for
Joe, I think the fans have been
unduly critical of his two or
three mediocre fights. For in
stance, the critics virtually gave
him back to the Indians when
Tom Farr stayed the limit with
him.
MISSES TARGET
Even a knockerout can't al.
ways reach his target. Especially
when the other fellow is game,
rugged and well trained. Demp-
sey didn't always. See the rec
ord on Jack VS.. Tom Gibbons in
Shelby, or against Tunney in
the rain at Philadelphia.
And as hard as Louis hits,
which is at least as hard as any
fighter I ever saw, that goes for
him. Still, If he can make good
his promise to match Make
punch for punch. I'll have to
string alone with him until I
see him fall and stay down
again.
If he does that, we'll know
that Schmeling was the real
champion all the time. Which
Is the only way we'll know, ever.
For all of which, it is important
that Joe sincerely believes the
last fight was a fluke, even
thAIIoh that MAJ, hn baoou.a -